Comments on: A Chance Visit to the “Mercato Centrale” at BGC

By: Marketman

Marketman — Sat, 22 Jan 2011 21:39:56 +0000

Clara, a couple of years ago, Rustan’s used to have Terra blue potato chips and other varieties. I am not sure if they still carry them…

By: Ciara

Ciara — Sat, 22 Jan 2011 15:43:21 +0000

Hi Marketman. My sister brought a bag of Terra sweet potato chips from the States which I love! Would you happen to know of any store that carries them here in Manila? I would love to be able to buy some more. Yum! :)

By: pon

pon — Thu, 09 Dec 2010 08:30:13 +0000

Baler makes the camote and gabi chips well..nice and crispy :)

By: Mindanaoan

Mindanaoan — Wed, 08 Dec 2010 12:39:36 +0000

This is on my must-visit list. Will be in Manila next week :) The Mercato Centrale is also made possible by RJ Ledesma

By: Tina M.

Tina M. — Mon, 29 Nov 2010 03:20:56 +0000

Hi Marketman, I totally agree with you that its up to consumer to decide how much they would be willing to pay. Although, as a concern producer of healthy produce, I would say that it is a social obligation of any producer to educate the consumer on what they are paying for. As we advocate organic agriculture, natural farming, free-range methods and the likes, let us not consider only the taste but to understand the quality that comes with every product produced, especially whenever it is labeled as such :) As with your previous posted “astronomical” one, no harm done as it is your independent comment, and its not rash at all :)
I agree that price should be equated as per the quality, and that is what we do for the last 10 years :)
Oh by the way, my hubby Gerard said he have meet you yesterday at Mercato Centrale, unfortunately I wasn’t there :) I hope to meet you in the near future :) Ciao! Ciao!

By: Marketman

Marketman — Sun, 28 Nov 2010 00:00:50 +0000

Tina, thanks for that. I have purchased and enjoyed many Pamora chickens in the past. As with all high-end food, it is really up to the consumers to decide how much they would be willing to pay for the actual/perceived taste difference and provenance of the food item… hence those who shell out the bucks for true Kobe, wannabee Kobe and regular beef. It’s good the you have capons on offer, albeit at a high price. Considering that one can (usually) get pretty good capons from D’Artagnan online in the U.S. (now sold out after Thanksgiving probably), or even organic capons at Citarella in NY or online for say $6 a pound or PHP580 a kilo, I don’t think my comment above that PHP950 a kilo for a locally grown organic capon sounding “astronomical” was rash. Of course, lugging or airfreighting the birds is another story. But then again I have brought back coolers of meat as luggage… And as I have also done with pork before, blind taste tests of the cooked end product should provide the ultimate measure of the quality/price value equation between various types of the same meat…

By: Tina M.

Tina M. — Sat, 27 Nov 2010 13:55:28 +0000

Hi MarketMan and everyone following this blog. My name is Tina and I am the farm owner and the one managing the Pamora Farm, Inc., and the better half of the French man who was at the Mercato Centrale last Sunday for the opening of this new market place. I would just like to clarify the Php950 per kilo of Capon versus Php200 per kilo of free-range chicken. I guess you are not comparing the same product, not the same apple :) Capon is grown for 6 months while free-range chicken (roaster) are grown, in the case of Pamora Farm, 81 days minimum following the French Label Rouge standards.

@Gerry… Pamora Capon are being served at Restaurant Ã‡iÃ§ou at Hotel Celeste… Better to invite around 10 of your friends to savour the “Kobe Chicken”…mmmm…. :)

I cannot speak for the products of others but that of Pamora Farm’s. I am personally the one who operates our cockerels to become Capons. I was trained in France to Capon 1,000 cockerels a day :) One thing for sure, someone who miss’ the Capon process “properly”, those two mini balls will grow back, thus it is not a real Capon anymore… How to know it? One way is the comb… Please refer to our blogspot….
https://pamorafarm2008.blogspot.com

I welcome you all to visit our farm… Far…Yes, but worth the visit to see for yourselves how organically our processes are on ranging/raising our free-range chicken…. To top it all, Pamora Farm have its own Poultry Dressing Plant, duly registered by the National Meat Inspection Services (NMIS) with Accreditation NÂº. PDP-732 “AA” and GMP Certified, that just recently upgraded to a modern European Standard equipments in a 425 square meters building and exclusively operating, dressing “only” Pamora’s free-range chicken. We do not toll dress in plants where the commercial chickens were also being processed :)

Pamora Farm produces free-range chicken for over 10 years now and 8 years in Santis Deli Shops, Terry Selection…. :)

By: Gerry

Gerry — Fri, 26 Nov 2010 04:54:06 +0000

Pamora was the producer of the P950 capons. Even at its price, I would still be interested in tasting it at least once.

By: Bel

Bel — Thu, 25 Nov 2010 00:43:02 +0000

Mayk and Millet, the name and air-conditioning were probably cooked up by the same pretentious mindset. Rather than go to MC this weekend, I decided to check out the Luzon fair at Megamall and was I glad. I bought everything from mountain brown rice and walis, sweet kamote and garlicky taro chips, longanisa and atchara, to coasters, placemats, chopping board, decor, etc. The mall has central air-conditioning but, yes, I brought my own eco bags.

By: Pam

Pam — Tue, 23 Nov 2010 09:20:11 +0000

OMG. I am thrilled at the idea that I have the chance to bump into you in Mercato, MM! I’ll be selling stuff in Mercato. Unfortunately, it’s not one you’d buy, but would be thrilled if you could drop by just so I can talk to you!!! I am forever grateful to you not just for the learnings I get from your blog, but reading your blog helped me survive my pregnancy! I had gestational diabetes so a lot of food were banned for a number of months, but reading your blog helped me “taste” the food and stopped the cravings. Oh I will watch out for you, MM!