Text by Paul Wenceslao, Photos by JR Velasquez
Who would’ve thought that a regular afternoon snack such as turon could be tweaked and stylized to become an artisanal meal? Danz Semilla, a food enthusiast, didn’t think of it as a possibility, at first. It just so happened that the game of chance landed on his lap, literally, when he had an extra portion of cookies & cream-flavored butter cream and a saucer of turon.
Creative juices were churned out of Semilla’s mind, as he imagined how the seemingly odd pair would taste like, and alas, he stumbled upon a good idea. Upon mixing turon and butter cream, his taste buds were entranced, so much so that he started building on the idea, taking into account his love for eclairs and turon as well as the unyielding charm of artisanal desserts. The rest is proverbial history. He, then, thought of opening a food store.
Snacking on his new creation, as it happened, was not enough. In truth, Lady Luck would again dab her meddling fingers into Semilla’s life one day while he was going through Facebook. He chanced up on ad for The Next Big Food Entrepreneur at a time when Mercato was nearly done taking in all the participants for the competition.
Turonne de Manila
Facebook: Turonne de Manila Cafe
Telephone: +63 927 660-8705
Mobile: +632 842-3680
The Next Big Food Entrepreneur Winner 2014 series:
- The Next Big Food Entrepreneur: A Hotbed of Food Entrepreneur Startups in Manila! @MercatoCentrale
- The Next Big Food Entrepreneurs: The Four Big Winners @MercatoCentrale
- BAKMI NYONYA: Best Indonesian Cuisine in Manila!
- BIGOROTS: Bicol + Igorot Heritage Cuisine by Pinoy Master Chef JR Royol!
- TURONNE DE MANILA CAFE: Best Pinoy Dessert Innovation!
- HUNGER BUSTER: Best Affordable Gourmet Burgers in Manila!
Without having time to ponder on reluctance, he quickly submitted an application and made it just in time before Mercato’s owners, RJ Ledesma and Anton Diaz, were finished taking in applicants.
Rekindling his dream to have his own store, Semilla viewed Mercato as the ideal springboard for his artisanal turon, and TNBFE happens to be a platform to test if people would share his enthusiasm for his creation. As luck would have it yet again, he made the right decision, and guess what, he wound up bagging the Best in Dessert award.
Semilla, knowing that luck alone won’t help him in the competition, worked hard to perfect his turon. He developed different flavors for it: Cookies & Cream, Bacon-Maple and Strawberry Shortcake among others. The turon was styled with artfully layered cream and other ingredients on top. The result is a treat for the eyes and the palate.
Mercato’s marketing head for events, Abbie Sinjian, exclaimed, “I really loved the turon; it is one of my favorite desserts in the competition’s list of participants.” The strong flavors, which are tough to work with, blended like a symphony as food bloggers and even Mercato’s owners were wowed with the combination of flavors that pop out of each bite.
The Bacon-Maple Turon, according to Semilla, was the best-seller during the competition. Rightfully so, it is easy to fall in love with this dish. A dollop of buttery sweetness, containing banana bits, greets one’s taste buds right after the first bite. Not before long, the flavor of bacon kicks in. The result is a rich combination of sweet and salty flavors, making it an ideal meal ender. Each layer of taste was carefully crafted.
Danz Semilla explained that luck was on his side the entire time. In the end, however, what won him the distinction of creating the best dessert in the competition was his creativity and the acute pick-up of his taste buds.
He taught everyone that a humble snack like turon can be made to become as exquisite and tasty as wedding cakes.
Turonne de Manila
Facebook: Turonne de Manila Cafe
Telephone: +63 927 660-8705
Mobile: +632 842-3680
The Next Big Food Entrepreneur Winner 2014 series:
- The Next Big Food Entrepreneur: A Hotbed of Food Entrepreneur Startups in Manila! @MercatoCentrale
- The Next Big Food Entrepreneurs: The Four Big Winners @MercatoCentrale
- BAKMI NYONYA: Best Indonesian Cuisine in Manila!
- BIGOROTS: Bicol + Igorot Heritage Cuisine by Pinoy Master Chef JR Royol!
- TURONNE DE MANILA CAFE: Best Pinoy Dessert Innovation!
- HUNGER BUSTER: Best Affordable Gourmet Burgers in Manila!
Live an Awesome Life,
Founder, www.OurAwesomePlanet.com
Disclosures: OAP is a co-founder of Mercato Centrale and The Next Big Food Entrepreneur.
P.S. Thank you to our sponsors for The Next Big Food Entrepreneur 2014 competition!
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Hi, great article, and great dessert idea!
Just wanted to point out, though, that you used the word “alas” incorrectly. Alas denotes pity, sadness, despair…emotions which I’m quite sure aren’t what you were gunning for in this sentence, “..as he imagined how the seemingly odd pair would taste like, and alas, he stumbled upon a good idea.”
That’s all. No need to publish this comment.
Thanks and cheers!