Like many of us, Marlon Aldenese's daily routine was put on hold due to the quarantine. And just like a few other emerging home-based entrepreneurs, he decided to turn his passion for baking into a successful venture...
Marlon Aldenese is one of many inspiring success stories that emerged out of the prolonged quarantine with his tempting cakes, custards and pies from Little Kitchen 7. A PR practitioner with over two decades of experience as COOK Magazine's Sales Manager, Marlon now turns his focus and food expertise to a little home kitchen that's thinking big in the new normal...
The food service sector, like so many other industries badly hit by the pandemic, has been forced to adapt to the new reality by offering creative product innovations and integrating food deliveries as part of their operations. We've also seen the rise of home-based food businesses led by housewives, mothers and professionals turned chef in their family kitchens offering sumptuous home-cooked dishes and lavish desserts in a trend that's now part of the new normal. His years as an observer of the food industry for COOK Magazine made him see beyond the countless culinary trends that dominated our social media feeds during the quarantine and instead looked back at why he loved baking. Like many home-based food businesses, there's this real comforting sense of authenticity that is immediately felt when you open a bag from Little Kitchen 7...
...baked and packed with a whole lot of love. The expanded selection of offerings also reflect both tradition and nostalgia as Marlon revisits classic desserts he enjoyed or loved to bake for family and friends. More than just a hobby, Little Kitchen 7 is a passion project as you can see from the little details in each package.
Little Kitchen 7's repertoire of fresh-baked offerings have a nostalgic vibe drawing inspiration from traditional neighborhood bakery staples. Like the classic Egg Pie baked by the hundreds by Marlon's family during the holidays back in Zamboanga as well as the well-loved Leche Flan along with other decadent favorites including his version of the Moist Chocolate Cake.
Little Kitchen 7's Creamy Egg Pie (P 300) with its silky smooth and indulgent filling ringed by a shortbread like crust is Marlon's own mini passion project, tweaked countless times before he was finally satisfied with the end product. The buttery crust and the creamy filling combine for a nostalgic and decadent pie taking you back to simpler times way before Covid 19 changed everything. Made only with farm-fresh eggs instead of cheaper custard powder used by most commercial varieties, Marlon insists on that satin-like finish and mouthfeel for his Creamy Egg Pie that can only come from the freshest ingredients.
There's nothing like a comforting piece of pie to warm both the palate and body at home during these uncertain times. And now, you can have it conveniently delivered to your doorstep.
Little Kitchen 7 combines both convenience and decadence with their Cake to Go Moist Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Ganache (P 150) as one of their newer offerings in their expanding product line. The chocolate cake is already rich, but Little Kitchen 7 goes a step further by draping it in chocolate ganache. Packed tight and compressed in a 500 ml microwaveable container, you can enjoy this whenever and wherever you feel like it straight out of the tub.
Little Kitchen 7's Cake to Go is an innovative concept, and you can be sure that Marlon is already thinking ahead with other flavorful variants. This luscious cake is from an old recipe by Marlon which he only prepared on special occasions or clients. Now you can enjoy a taste of it anytime your chocolate cravings kick in with Little Kitchen 7.
One of the initial product offerings of Little Kitchen 7 and still a popular best-seller, the Oven-Baked Creamy Leche Flan (P 100) continues to be Marlon's flagship product. Like all his baked treats, these classic custards are finished in the oven for that golden sheen instead of the more traditional steaming process.
And it just works perfectly. One bite leads to another and before you know it, it's gone. Creamy with a silky smooth texture that just melts in your mouth delivering an indulgent burst of sweetness, the Oven-Baked Creamy Leche Flan is what made Little Kitchen 7 a runaway sensation on the net.
And if you did quick work on a container, no worries. You can easily order again from Little Kitchen 7, and this time double or triple your order for the Oven-Baked Creamy Leche Flan.
Little Kitchen 7 adds a whole line of specialty banana loaves to their growing portfolio of decadent offerings. But Marlon infuses his own creative touch to these baked treats by including butterscotch to the base for a richer loaf while transforming the outer crust layer with a delectable caramel like sweetness and a crunch. Baked and packed in 8.5 x 4.5 inch pans, these baked creations are available in four variants...
...like the wittingly named BanaNuts (P 200), a traditional banana cake loaded with cashew nuts...
...the traditional Banana Loaf (P 170), Little Kitchen 7's own take on the classic banana cake...
...the Banana Loaf Choco Chip (P 200) with chunks of chocolate chips...
...and the BanaSins (P 200), Little Kitchen 7's banana cake with raisins. Perfect with a freshly brewed cup of coffee, have all four for an indulgent afternoon snack at home.
The quarantine experience will forever change the way we do things, but for a select few, it's an opportunity to rediscover what you love. Like life's "pause" button, the quarantine allows us to take a second and much closer look at the things we value. And for Marlon, happiness begins in his home kitchen, Little Kitchen 7, for a bigger bite out of life.
For more on Little Kitchen 7, call 0915 769 0022 or email at LittleKitchen7Bakes@gmail.com for orders and inquiries. Payment via GCash or bank transfer (East West Bank) and deliveries through Lalamove, Grab, Mr. Speedy (delivery fee c/o buyer). Pick ups can also be arranged, simply pin their location at Mon-El Subdivision, Paranaque City. You may also visit their FB Page at https://www.facebook.com/LittleKitchen7bakes/ and Instagram Account at @Little_Kitchen_7.
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