Max’s offers classic Pinoy breads with a twist

IT’S no secret that Pinoys love to eat bread. In fact, the popular, affordable, and filling Pinoy breads such as pandesal, pan de coco, monay, and ensaimada can be seen in almost any neighborhood bakery. Whether it is consumed as snacks, given as pasalubong, or bought as a treat to any social gathering, it is undeniably a big part of the Filipino lifestyle. It comes as no surprise then that the Philippines’ bread culture is kept alive and continuously evolving to satisfy the ever-changing needs and tastes of Filipinos.

Roy Tabocolde and Greegy Cabarrubias, winners of the 1st Tinapay Natin Bread Baking Competition, a nationwide contest that aims to celebrate the vibrant tradition of Filipino bread-making, sought inspiration from their childhood bread favorites and gave them a modern twist to reflect their own passion and creativity. Give their creations a try and you might just find your new merienda or pasalubong staple.

CAGAYAN DE ORO PASTEL

It is known to many that pastel is a very popular pasalubong of Cagayan De Oro, and Greegy, who grew up in the nearby city of Davao, has always enjoyed eating this bread. Their version is a sweet and buttery bun with a thick and luscious dulce de leche filling, and carefully brushed with butter after being removed from the oven. Finished with a dusting of powdered sugar, this bread is set to satiate anyone’s sweet cravings.

NUTTY CARAMEL ROLL

Caramel Rolls are nothing new to the Filipino household, but Roy and Greegy wanted to give it a new spin. They wanted to create a fresh mix of flavors but still give that familiar taste that Pinoys crave for. This led them to create the Nutty Caramel Roll, which combines a rich caramel sauce, and tasty sesame and butterscotch topping set in a pillowy bread.

ENSAIMADA ROYALE

Prior to joining the competition, Roy and Greegy observed that each bakery has its signature bread. Their sumptuous version of ensaimada is smothered with butter, filled with sweet and tangy cream cheese, and has a generous topping of grated cheddar cheese.

The Cagayan de Oro Pastel, Nutty Caramel Roll, and Ensaimada Royal are the winning Tinapay Natin entries created by Roy Tabocolde and Greegy Cabarrubias. These bread products are available in all Max’s Corner Bakery outlets until October 2017. To share your own bread stories, visit