The sweetest Christmas bonus

How far can P120 go? For a desperate housewife looking for ways to be productive, it was all she needed to start a food business that grew beyond anything she ever imagined. I am talking about the delicious ensaymada-like buns with dreamy custard fillings that have made Camiguin famous to food trekkers like me who are always on the lookout for gourmet finds. While this exotic isle is known more for its white sand and blue-green seas, nowadays Vjandep’s (pronounced Vyandep) pastel shares equal claim to fame and is a must bitbit. It’s a Camiguinon indulgence to share with friends and family back home.

Pastel is a Spanish term for cake; in English, it refers to the soft dough coffee bun. As early as the 17th century, the pastel has already been part of the Camaguinon’s cuisine, and is reserved for special occasions.

It was Eleanor Popera Jose who resurrected the pastel’s mystique and brought it back to the fore. More than 10 Decembers ago, out of what was left of her husband’s Christmas bonus of P120, Ella, as she is fondly called, baked her first batch of pastel, which her aunt sold in the market at P40 per dozen. Baking this delicacy is a time-honored tradition in her family during the holidays and other local festivities. A homemaker and baker at heart, Ella decided to put her creativity to use. A yearning within her had to be filled, a sense of accomplishment and a desire to help her husband with finances as well. Much to her delight and surprise, her pastel was well received. Every time she would bake these goodies, it would quickly sell out. It was 1990, and back then she was contented to earn an average P30.

Ella amusingly recounts that back then, she practically started from scrap, literally recycling empty tins of evaporated canned milk, which she used for her molds, a steel drum for an oven, and coconut husks to fuel it. How about the feather of a rooster for a pastry brush? Better hand her a Girl Scout’s gold medal for resourcefulness and good (and far-out) thinking!

With her husband Virgilio’s full support, Ella took baking classes to reformulate the recipes for her pasteles, so the couple could expand their business. And through various grants from the Spanish Assistance Integrated Livelihood Program and local government agencies, they were able to buy bakery equipment, like aluminum molds, baking trays, ovens, mixers, and, of course, real pastry brushes.

Today, Vjandep pastel is recognized as the pastel that has put Camiguin on the foodie map, with several branches in Camiguin and Cagayan de Oro. The classic yema filling has since been joined by other delightful fillings like pineapple, langka, mango, ube, macapuno, guava, strawberry, cheese, pork adobo, and twice decadent, doubly special yema.

Vjandep, on first thought, sounds like an Indian-inspired gourmet term. I discovered it stood for the names of the couple. VJ stands for Virgilio and Eleanor Jose. Hmmm, how sweeter can a couple get?

On my last trip to Camiguin, I made it a point to pay homage to her business, which provides steady and growing employment for many locals. I found the couple to be humble despite their success. Their business has earned them various distinctions. Ella was once recognized by the Department of Trade and Industry with the Gawad Microentrepreneur award, receiving special recognition for generating jobs, uplifting living standards, and contributing to the vitality of the Philippine countryside. Although their trade has expanded to Cagayan de Oro among others, Ella still manages to personally oversee the pastel production. Just like an honest-to-goodness baker rather than a business person, she is proud to say that they only use the most premium of ingredients. They hardly use additives and preservatives, thus the shelf life of their pastel is five days without refrigeration. She says she would rather sacrifice her profit margin than the size and quality of the products sold on the market. No worries. I am pretty sure that once a box of Vjandep pastel is opened, its contents will be gobbled up within 24 hours. It’s just that good!

All good things start with a seed of sincere desire planted in the heart. For it to grow, it needs to be nurtured with boldness, fortitude, patience, and hope to see it bear its fruits. For a certain housewife, it started with her husband’s bonus, a dream, and hardworking hands.

Today, others have tried to mimic Vjandep’s success but have fallen short. I still believe that Vjandep pastel has a distinct taste that is hard to match. Ultimately, I believe that when heart and soul have been kneaded into the dough, somehow it makes the product a whole lot sweeter.

A toast to a sweet and prosperous 2006 to all! Cheers!