If I applied myself to matters of consequence the same way I applied myself to the pursuit of food, I could, very possibly, rule the world.
Living all the way out in this corner of the universe, with very limited resources at hand, has made me crave anything and everything I do not have. It helps that Nicolas flies in from Cebu almost every weekend and brings me fresh herbs, lemons, etc. This weekend, apart from my usual grocery list, he is bringing me a few boxes of baklava, two packs of Chinese pork dumplings and, hopefully, a pack of white chocolate mini Reese cups from Manila. (Pleeeeeasssse!)
A few weeks ago, I was craving something sweet. Normally, the only option available is Aventino’s (the pizza delivery place) chocolate cake, which is really quite average but is damned fine when you’re in dire need of cake.
And then I remembered that there’s a girl on the island whose favorite pastime is baking. She’s gotten so good at it that, whenever there’s a party that involves cake, if it looks great and tastes divine, chances are it’s one of Ailene’s. I saw photos of some really fancy, colorful cupcakes that she made for a children’s party once and, earlier this year, I was at a wedding where the only thing I ate was the really moist, yummy wedding cake that she had made. Last year, she baked Nicolas’ birthday cake, which he and our dinner guests were very happy with.
So I figured, if I could order a cake for special occasions, surely I could order one for any day of the week, the occasion being that I wanted cake. And surely she could bake things other than cake, such as muffins and cookies…
I sent Ailene a message. I really, really wanted some cookies. The next day, she responded by sending me samples of two kinds of cookies that she was experimenting on. (Yay!)
Only I can take really shitty photos with an iPhone.
The ones I liked best were the chocolate cookies with Nutella and caramel (top; the ones at the bottom were chocolate chip-cream cheese cookies). She did the costing and thought it was too much to charge. I disagreed. I ordered a dozen cookies but she sent two dozen at P600/box. Totally worth it. (The cookies are heavy in the belly and can last a while. Tip: They are best chilled.)
This week, I ordered carrot cake.
I raved so much about it that my girlfriends and I have ordered one for lunch tomorrow. (P550 for a small one. Tip: Store leftover cake in an airtight container as it dries out quickly once it’s been cut, which I learned the hard way.)
Of course, because this is only a hobby of hers and she doesn’t actually have a bakery (yet), orders have to be placed a few days in advance. And she isn’t always available because she does have a life, in which case Aventino’s chocolate cake will have to do.
For your sweet-tooth cravings in Siargao:
- Ailene Ayade: +63-908-891-1226
- Aventino’s: +63-912-400-2060