A rice cake that’s downright incredible
A rice cake that’s
downright incredible
Puto–the famous rice cake in the
Philippine cuisine that gives an authentic experience to the masses. Who would
dare not to know? It starts with the bite, bringing perfectly steamed quality
and delicious aroma. You talk to people that have had an experience with puto;
they always talk about its addicting taste.
It’s a food that’s not just
approachable, but yea special to the Filipino culture.
Many of the most inspiring success
stories are built in the most common places, and told in a language that’s understood
by all. They are wonderful tales of determination, dedication, and hard work.
A household in barangay Dinalaoan
Riverside, Calasiao, Pangasinan treasures a true story of sacrifice, of years
of commercial struggles, and of preserving the significant title and crown of
Calasiao being the home of the famous puto.
For quite a number of businesses ventured in that trade, Bella’s Calasiao Puto Special
stands tall and firm among Calasiao’s economic pillars.
Rodulfo Dela Cruz, Mang Rufo, as he
is widely known, is the man behind the successful enterprise–humble, simple and
with an unmatched faith in God. It was these qualities that helped him and his
family rise from poverty into royalty. He perpetually worked for more than two
decades for the business to thrive. But don’t think he isn’t putting his own
spin on things as puto can obviously
seem a simple recipe. He and his family work hard to keep the business as flavor-driven
as possible. “By ‘flavor-driven’, I mean our ingredients are from scratch,” he
explains. “They’re selected based on quality, not necessarily on price point.
Bella’s was named after his eldest
child, Florbella Pascua, who later took on the business. She and her five
siblings were raised with puto as bread and butter. As the puto market expands, and demand for higher production tagged at the
Dela Cruz’ sleeves, troubles came to light. That’s when Pascua suggested
‘innovation’ in answer to their business needs.
The loved bite-sized rice cakes have
gone colors. The color change came with variation in tastes also–from the
sweetness of the traditional white puto to flavors like pandan, ube, banana,
mango, strawberry, and cheese. Still, the business is able to capture that
perfect Filipino taste they’ve been remarked for. New customers always find
their way to their puto by word of
mouth passed on by one satisfied customer to another. The idea turned out to be
lucrative.
The Dela Cruz’ seized each
opportunity to avail of the technological skills their business so needed for a
long time. As a result, they became aware of the important areas that have not
met specified standards in food manufacturing. Bella’s went through a major
shift in its management and operation.
Its location was redesigned to
conform to good manufacturing practices. In the now 120-square meter area are 2
rice grinders, 25 sets of lanson and covers, and three stainless tables where
the cooked puto are removed from the
molders. Food safety and sanitation were underlined.
The growth in Bella’s is evident in
the product familiarity reach. It is in the extent of the malls and markets it
supplies with its famed products. Its food label is displayed for sale in the
grand racks of SM Clark, Market-Market Taguig, Robinsons Calasiao, Bayambang,
and stores in its host municipality, Calasiao. Bella’s also serves as an
academic venue for students from different universities in the province, and
outside. (John Louie dela Vega/FOCUS)
PHOTOS
