Let's cake it with Ms. A. Florendo & Ed

By Ed Dychauco
Pots and Pans

WHEN Pots & Pans Home Bake & Coffee Shop celebrated its 25th anniversary in 2001, "Let's Cake It With Penk & Ed!" (Part I) was conceived. Being in the business for more than two decades, Pots & Pans wanted to share its blessings by bringing in well-known culinary artists from Manila.

Penk Ching of Pastry Bin was the first to be invited. She showed her cake artistry skills in a demonstration at the Marco Hotel which was well-attended by many cake enthusiasts from Cagayan de Oro, Butuan, Iligan, Marawi, Bukidnon, Camiguin and even as far as Surigao!

"Let's Cake It With Dorothy & Ed!" (Part II) came in the following year with Ms. Dorothy Ferreria, a baker & writer from Manila who also writes regularly for Food Magazine. This time, we did a lot of baking, from breads to cakes & pastries at the Pryce Plaza Hotel. Again, many participants from all over Mindanao attended and learned so many things from the demonstration, which they brought with them to their businesses & home baking.

Ms. Penk Ching was featured again in "Let's Cake It With Penk & Ed! (Part III). Penk Ching was so in demand that we just have to bring her back to the City of Golden Friendship. New techniques, new trends in baking and cake decorating were again highlighted using Fondant as the medium. Country Village was jam-packed with both professionals and students alike.

On the 19th of November 2006 Kagay-Anons once again will be treated to a grand celebration of baking, cake decorating & flower making. This time, Pots & Pans is celebrating it's 30th anniversary and will be bringing in an excellent teacher, mentor, judge and critique in the person of Ms. Avelina Carbungco-Florendo. Ms. Florendo studied at the famous Wilton Cake Decorating School in Chicago, taking all its courses. She also took lessons with the Cake Lady, Frances Kuyper in the US, attended Sugar School with Nicholas Lodge & Margaret Ford, both respected cake artists from England.

"Tita Avelina", that's how I call her, has been teaching baking & cake decorating at her CCS bakseshop & Cake Decorating School in Cubao City for so many years where many of her students has established themselves and became very popular and in-demand in the same field. To name a few: Ms. Penk Ching of Pastry Bin, Ms. Heny Sison, Ms Reggie Aspiras, Ms. Melissa Lim of CakeWorld, Ms. Teresa Gallardo of Cebu Culinary School, Ms. Encar Galang of Galang Culinary School, Owners of Goldilocks and Red Ribbon Bakeshops, Ms. Mary Kaw and Mr. Evan Kaw of Peotraco Industries and many others. I also personally know a lot of people from Davao, Iligan and Cebu who were Tita Avelina's students before and are doing good, too.

Every time I am in Manila, I would always visit her shop where I get to learn new techniques (for free!) since there are always students around. Guess I am really lucky to have Tita Avelina not only as a mentor, but also as a friend, a Mama and a Tita, all rolled into one! There I also get to see what's new in her shop since she travels extensively to the US and Europe to attend seminars, fairs and conventions every year. Her passion for this art is never ending, searching for new ways, ideas and techniques.

Ms. Florendo has written and published 4 cake books already and I highly recommend all of these hardbound books to all who are serious about their craft. It contains many photos with lots of illustrations, templates, how-to's, patterns and several recipes, which is of great help to everyone. Because of her dedication to this field where she really excelled, she was elevated to the ICES (International Cake Exploration Society) Hall of Fame last year, the only Filipino & Asian to ever reach that status!

Having worked with several of the nation's great culinary artists, I can always say that they have served as an inspiration to me so I can always learn new things and do my best to improve my craft. As a Kagay-Anon, I felt that it is my social duty & responsibility to give back what this City of Golden Friendship has given me for the past 30 fruitful years. If not for my late beloved sister, Gloria Dychauco-Martinez, who taught me & started this business way back in 1976 inside Juan Sia Enterprises, I would not be where I am right now. I am so thankful for Sis Glo for teaching me all the basics in cooking, baking, cake decorating and everything there is in this exciting culinary field!

Let's Cake It With Ms. A. Florendo & Ed! (Part IV) will be held at the Grand Caprice Restaurant on November 19, 2006 from 1:00pm - 5:00pm where skills will be shared by Ms. Florendo & Ed and new techniques will be learned by eager participants. Cold Porcelain will be introduced, which I am sure will be a hit! Recipes demonstrated and Certificate of Attendance will be distributed. Snacks will be served and there will also be a lot of food tasting. Ms. Florendo's books will be on sale, so with her newest invention, "Avelina's Flower Mold."

For more info, please call Pots & Pans at 08822-72-46-74, 088-858-4209 or mobile # 0921-752-3371. Please register early since there are limited seats available.

http://www.sunstar.com.ph/static/cag/2006/11/18/life/let.s.cake.it.with.ms..a..florendo.&.ed.html