Like life's pause button, the quarantine experience allowed a lucky few to rediscover their passion for baking as more home-based food businesses emerge in the wake of a pandemic. It's a story that's becoming a recurring narrative in the new normal presenting a tempting array of tasty options conveniently delivered to your doorstep...
The passionate craft of the blossoming sourdough culture is alive and well in the city, with small artisan batches made and dispatched on the net and social media. At the height of the pandemic, we've seen a solid sourdough movement emerge as home bakers test their skills with this specialty bread. And when two friends couldn't find good bread readily available during the lockdown, they decided to make their own. The passionate bakers behind Otter Breads are guided by their brand manifesto, artisan-style sourdough breads made accessible and available to the Filipino market. The result? Some of the best artisan sourdough bread available in the city. And they deliver too. Read on and find out more on Otter Breads...
A good artisan sourdough isn't easy to find, and it gets even more difficult during the quarantine. It takes ingredients of the highest quality and a whole lot of time to prepare batches of sourdough, with its own peculiar rules in baking unlike the usual bread. But Otter Breads makes it easy for you with just one quick call or message...
The art of sourdough baking can be both tricky and demanding relying on a unique and natural fermentation process to give it distinct mildly sour notes. It begins with a starter or mother dough, a fermented mixture of flour and water with wild yeast and microorganisms that needs to be "fed" hours before before being added to the dough in a 16-hour fermentation cycle. Science, a little touch of alchemy, microbiology and biochemistry as well as some good old fashioned bakers' dedication goes into each artisan sourdough at Otter Breads. Now, you can experience the baker's craft with every slice and bite...
Sourdough has been around since ancient times but it's been said that the popularity of sourdough can be traced back to the California gold rush of 1849 when immigrants brought their precious starter dough with them in the mad search for gold. San Francisco eventually became the center of the so-called bread revolution in the early 1980s with the rise of artisan bakeries showcasing a variety of traditional bread including sourdough. The interest in old-school, more traditional ways using fresh quality ingredients that swept the culinary world was also felt in bakeries that continues to this day. The timing seemed right as home bakers are leading the charge for the sourdough movement in the metro with Otter Breads joining the rush.
The Artisan Style 16-Hour Sourdough Boule (P 290 Large 780g/P 210 Small 380g) is the flagship product of Otter Breads made with wholegrain unbleached flour and leavened using a sourdough culture with long fermentation. A visual clue to a good sourdough is the presence of the "ear," that distinctive crisp flap of dough pushed upward while peeling back around the boule. A good "ear' is the result of a strong starter or mother dough, quality and type of flour, fermentation and kneading, shaping and scoring technique and baking method. It's the baker's art captured in a sourdough boule, delivered to you by Otter Breads.
Each slice reveals the soft and dense structure of the boule, it's the perfect vessel for cheese, savory or sweet toppings or simply generous dabs of butter. The rich and deep nutty notes are highlighted by a fresh yet gentle burst of sourness in a delicately balanced finish.
Otter Breads also offers a variety of spreads, the Otterly Amazing Spreads like this Mango Wood-Smoked Bacon Cream Cheese (P 150) that's perfect with the Artisan Style 16-Hour Sourdough Boule. The indulgent richness of the cream cheese is tempered by the savory and smoky notes of bacon, rounded out by the distinct flavors of the sourdough. Other equally tempting spreads include Brown Butter (P 150), Sorsogon Honey Butter (P 150) and Compound Butter of the Month (P 170), a seasonal offering based on available ingredients.
The flagship sourdough is the perfect introduction to the baking philosophy of Otter Breads, but they've been busy creating exciting new offerings. Otter Breads elevates the artisan bakery experience with a variety of fresh baked creations from their innovative Infusions Series...
...like the 16-Hour Noir Davao Tablea Batirol & 77% Dark Chocolate Sourdough (P 320) infused with premium local chocolate. Darker than the usual sourdough, the chocolate-infused boule offers rich flavors with the deep notes of chocolate complemented by the mildly sour hints of sourdough. It's a flavorful blend that pairs well together, and you'll want another slice.
Like the flagship Artisan Style 16-Hour Sourdough Boule, the 16-Hour Noir Davao Tablea Batirol & 77% Dark Chocolate Sourdough is masterfully crafted. The dark specks of chocolate add rich bursts of flavors with each bite, weaving seamlessly with the distinct notes of the sourdough.
And just like the flagship Artisan Style 16-Hour Sourdough Boule, the chocolate-infused sourdough also offers the same health benefits. Sourdough contains lactic acid and a higher level of all natural minerals unlike other commercial varieties. The unique fermentation process alters the structure and starch of the bread, making gluten more digestible as well as stabilize glucose levels. Add some chocolate and you've got another winner from Otter Breads.
The deep nutty flavors of the chocolate-infused sourdough is perfect with a dab of Sorsogon Honey Butter by Otter Breads, but regular butter works just fine. The richness of the butter tempers the subtle sour hints of the sourdough and mildly bitter notes of dark chocolate for balanced flavors.
All-natural and made with the finest local ingredients, time and the baker's mastery of traditional techniques combine for one of the finest artisan breads in the metro. True to the brand's manifesto, everyone can now enjoy artisan bread baked fresh and conveniently delivered to your doorstep.
Indulging in honest, real flavors adds positive notes for another day at home in the new normal, and these handcrafted creations by Otter Breads brings a comforting vibe to any dining table. Go ahead and have another slice...
A slice or two completes your breakfast or afternoon snack. And it's satisfyingly filling too. One more bite and you'll have to agree that both time and the art of baking with the finest ingredients make a world of difference.
Otter Breads continues to innovate with exciting new variants and flavor experiences, each one made with the same level of expertise and dedication. Other inventive variations from the Infusions Series include Sienna (P 320) with 100% Benguet Sagada Coffee and Verde (P 320) with premium ceremonial-grade matcha. You can also opt for a Bespoke Sourdough made to your specifications or even make some at home with the Sourdough DIY Kits by Otter Breads.
Once your artisan bread is delivered by Otter Breads, here's a quick guide in storing your sourdough creations. These baked creations need special care, and this handy guide lets you enjoy your bread at its flavorful peak.
Otter Breads levels up the artisan bakery experience with a variety of tasty offerings, including fresh-baked sourdough variants in Whole Wheat and Rye and specialty bread like Hokkaido Brioche Buns, Hokkaido Brioche Loaf, Dark Chocolate Brioche Babka and English Scones. Otter Breads is all about better breads and better options.
And coffee too. After all, a good bread is best paired with coffee. Otter Breads offers a curated selection of fine local single-origin coffee beans cold-brewed in 500 ml bottles...
...including the robust Dark Matter (P 270), a rich Sagada Single Origin Cold Brew poured over ice for a refreshing beverage. The new normal continues to change and transform the way we go about our daily routine and the rise in home-based food businesses and the food delivery culture is now part of the culinary mainstream. But it also allowed us to rediscover traditional options made the old-fashioned way with the finest all-natural ingredients. The renewed interest in artisan offerings is a positive sign, a bright spot in these uncertain times, and that's good for everyone. It's a trend that's here to stay, becoming an enduring reminder of the quarantine experience.
For more on Otter Breads, call +63998 5448140 for orders and inquiries. You can also visit their FB Page at https://www.facebook.com/otterbreads for more updates.
Dude for Food is now on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube, check out these social media accounts for regular updates on good eats. Better yet, click "Like" and "Follow" and enjoy the ride...just look for the FB and IG widgets on the right sidebar.