Food and beverage industry try ‍to roll with the punches

So we are stuck at home for another two weeks (or three weeks from today after the government extended the lockdown in the metro and other high-risk areas until May 15), at least officially. My estimate is, this will extended up to end May. What’s your guess?

Meanwhile, the food and beverage industry is already bleeding to death.

A wine and liquor distributor summarized it this way: no sales = no cash coming in; closed restaurants = no collections to the tune of tens of millions (depending on how big your operations are). In the meantime, they pay the full salaries of their employees, rent, taxes and other fixed costs.

Others have been more resilient. The distillery of liquid maestro Kalel Ervin Demetrio, which makes local luxury gin Sirena, has transformed their production line to produce a new range of hand sanitizers and rubbing ethanol that is now ready to be distribued to local hospitals, supermarkets and for export. Props to entrepreneurs who have skillfully rolled with the punches.

Meanwhile, curbside and delivery services are thriving.

Here are a few standouts: Alamat has what they call “ECQ Delivery.” Their most interesting menu item has to be their range of artisan sausages with a variety of local flavors such as dinuguan, sisig, kaldereta, rellenong bangus, adobo and salted egg.

They also offer Pinoy-flavored rice such as laing fried rice, bagoong fried rice and pandan fried rice. Call 0917-6219505 to order. They are open from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Kitchen City Frozen Meals has microwavable ready-to-eat meals. If you are tired of your usual canned corned beef and tuna, they have spicy tofu with oyster mayo, gambas, roast beef with mushroom gravy and rosemary marbled potatoes, Kung Pao chicken, pork menudo and many more options.

Check out their Facebook page for their menu: Kitchen City Frozen Meals. Call 0916-6947540.

And for those who can afford to have fine food, here’s some good news for you: Conrad Manila has just opened its kitchen for a takeaway menu.

You may order the following by Conrad’s executive chef Daniel Patterson from Brasserie on 3: over-roasted chicken set, roasted Norwegian salmon, beef and mushroom truffle casserole. Or the following from China Blue by Chef Jereme Leung: simmered snow fish with leeks, sauteed prawn with their signature XO sauce, and steamed house specialty truffle mushroom buns.

These are available for pre-order and pickup daily from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the hotel’s coffee bar on the first level. Call 0917-6504043 or visit Facebook.com/ConradManilaPH.

Bread

There are now also so many sources for fresh bread.

Hola Bombom sells whole or half baguette, whole wheat and rye bread, sourdough, burger and hot dog buns, croissants and pain au chocolate. Call 0917-5201880. (By the way, they also sell ready-to-cook Spanish dishes like croquetas and paella.)

For pandesal, try Chef Jessie’s Place. They have fat pandesal by the box (20 pieces). Call 0917-8330797.

For gluten-free bread for diabetics and vegans, there is Gustygood.London offering these specialty breads. Visit GutsygoodGood.London/breads or Viber 0945-2215563.

Vegetables

For those who want to support local farmers, a makeshift vegetable market has opened at Relish in Ponte Salcedo. They are helping sell the produce of 18 farming communities, which have lost their restaurant and hotel markets. Visit @filipinafarmer on Instagram.

Homegrown Organics also offers farm-to-table fruits and vegetables. You can now order online via their website: homegrown-organics.myshopify.com/collections/all. They accept orders for door-to-door delivery. Cash on delivery is provided.

For vegans, Prime Pacific Foods offers plant-based goodies like Beyond Burger and Omni Pork patties for home delivery. Send them a direct message on Instagram @primepacificfoods.

Mangoes

Mangoes are back in season. For Guimaras mangoes, order from Oro Verde at 0917-8533527. For Zamabales mangoes, order from Batungbacal Mangoes at 0917-3285868.

Eggs

For fresh farm eggs from Batangas, harvested the day before delivery, contact 0917-8427065 or 0917-1570427.

Cakes

There is a lemon meringue pie that cake connoisseurs have been raving about. This is baked fresh daily. Call 0917-8030661.

Chef Jessie has a few cakes available for pickup, including her much raved about Teddy Keng Chocolate Gateau. Call Chef Jessie’s Place at 0917-8330797.

Penk Ching offers banana walnut, apple walnut and carrot walnut cakes via the brand Pastry Bin. Call 0917-8122676.

Other ‘essentials’

Echostore has a lot of what now seem like splurge items like cashew nuts, chocolate, ice cream and even plant kits. They also have real essentials like virgin coconut oil and, of course, great coffee (try Chit’s Blend). They are open for pickup or for delivery care of the buyer. Call 0977-7185095.

Milkyway is now also open for pickup. This has to be a hallelujah moment for those who consider Lays, Ruffles and Cheetos part of their essentials. Azuthai peanuts are also available. Call 0917-5300866 to order.

And for those of us who consider whiskey and beer essential items, here are some shops that deliver: Engkanto offers free delivery of their craft beer, including the lager, blonde ale, pale ale, IPA and double IPA but you need to order by the case. Call 0917-6259427.

Don Revvy has Pilsner Urquell, wines, single malts, gins and other liquor for sale and available for delivery. Call 0917-1703795 or 0917-5940353.

Meanwhile, let’s brush up on our cooking skills at home. There are some establishments that have generously shared their top secret recipes.

Just recently, Ikea shared the recipe for their famous meatballs. Sentro 1771 also shared the recipe for their much loved kesong puti salad.

You can also cook while watching all those free concerts at home. Just yesterday, April 25, Regine Velasquez had a digital birthday concert (Happy 50th!) for the benefit of Bantay Bata.

Enjoy this online concert while learning to cook at home.

On Monday, April 27, Ogie Alcasid will hold a praise concert over at inspirational website Dominus Est (show is at Facebook.com/DominusEstPH at 6:00 p.m.)

Let’s just make the most of this extra time at home. Most of all, don’t forget to pray. It looks like we need a miracle to get back to normal.

More from the author at margauxlicious.com. Follow @margauxsalcedo on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook.