ferinos bibingka

Ceferino Francisco, who sells bibingka in Tondo Manila. He was known in Pritil (a place in tondo) as Mang Ferino. He used to sell all sort of food from peanuts, Ham and buko (young coconut). Come Christmas time, bibingka was popular especially in the evening when the air was quite cold. He decided to sell bibingka but he was not satisfied with the bibingka at that time. He experimented with differ

ent recipe but couldn’t find the right galapong (batter) he was looking for. Along the way, He be friended a Chinese cook in Binondo and somehow got the idea on how to make his own galapong. At the beginning, his bibingka was not as good as the present day bibingka, but he kept on trying new ways on how to improve his bibingka. He studied every detail in making bibingka until after a long period of time he finally discovered how to make a very good bibingka, which is not only delicious but also sponge like a "mamon". He also made it bigger to satisfy his customer. There was a notion that a German Shepperd (the dogs name is great) guard Mang Ferino while making galapong is not true. The reason the dog was always besides Mang Ferino while making galapong was that the dog just like to follow Mang Ferino anywhere he go. By the 1950's his regular bibingka cost 50 centavos and the especial bibingka which he add one fresh egg cost 75 centavos. He became famous in Pritil, Tondo and a lot of politicians who campaign through the wee hours in the morning always drop by his bibingka store at Juan Luna Street. He became better known when he put up a branch in Manila Hotel Annex. Besides bibingka, He also offers P**o Bungbong, Palitaw, Bilo-bilo, Palabok and Sapin-sapin. He also added P**o
dinuguan and menudo-pandesal to his menu. He had many branches and his last branch was at Fiesta Carnival in Araneta Center Cubao. He died on August 21, 1975. At present, only Ceferino Jr., among the siblings, uses the original recipe in an outlet on Visayas Avenue near Pizza Hut. He also has a franchise in Del Monte St. There are three ways to test if the bibingka is a TRUE Ferino's Bibingka. First, coming out from the oven, you can smell the distinct aroma only an original Ferino's Bibingka have. Secondly, the bibingka should still be sponge-like long after it was cooked. And finally, you can finish an entire bibingka without asking for something to drink (hindi nakakahirin). In cooking bibingka, different recipe need amount of heat. Ferino's Bibingka uses clay oven and charcoal because heat is easier to adjust when using charcoal. In malls and restaurants, they use electric oven which make it difficult to adjust the heat on top as well at the bottom of the bibingka, and it make the bibingka more like a cookie than a cake. Help cook a better bibingka.