A relatively big “kesong puti” (white cottage cheese) was among various dairy products displayed during an exhibition of products that features the best of the Filipino cuisine at SM Cabanatuan recently.
The cheese, measuring 118cm by 98cm, with a thickness of four inches, was made by the experts of the Philippine Carabao Center (PCC). It used 300 liters of carabao’s milk provided by four dairy cooperatives in the province as the main ingredient.
The donor-cooperatives were the Eastern Primary Multi-Purpose Cooperative, Catalanacan Multi-Purpose Cooperative, Bagong Pagasa sa Bagong Talavera Cooperative, and Pulong-Buli Multi-Purpose Cooperative.
The showcasing of the relatively big “kesong puti” was made possible thru the initiative of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI)-Nueva Ecija in partnership with PCC, SM City Cabanatuan, and the Provincial Government.
“This activity was also in support of our common vision of making Nueva Ecija the ‘Carabao Dairy Capital’ of the Philippines. It also helped promote the dairy products of the various dairy cooperatives in our province as well as the expertise of our local chefs,” DTI Provincial Director Brigida Pili said.
She said Nueva Ecija is being pushed with the annexation of the title with the ultimate aim of inviting the attention of investors as well as the buying public in this other unique attribute of the province.
Nueva Ecija remains the premier rice producing province in the country. Since the 1920’s, it has earned the moniker “Rice Granary of the Philippines”.
The display, and later public tasting of the PCC-made “kesong puti”, was the product featured in the first-ever “Madrid Fusion Event” held at SM City in Cabanatuan City.
The event was also mounted in 17 other SM Supermalls nationwide to promote the country’s culinary traditions and globally recognized innovations.
Also part of the activity at SM City in Cabanatuan was the ceremonial slicing of the big “kesong puti” and the culinary demonstration by known local chefs who used carabao’s milk as the main ingredient for their products, that include leche flan, among others. Products developed by the different dairy cooperatives in the province were also shown in the three-day trade fair.
“We are delighted to be part of this momentous event in our province. Of all the dairy cooperatives in Nueva Ecija, we are honored to be one of the cooperatives that donated liters of carabao’s milk to make this event a success. We don’t regret donating 50 liters of our coop’s harvested milk for the making of the biggest kesong puti,” Michael Pascual, chairman of Bagong Pag-asa sa Bagong Talavera Cooperative, proudly said in Filipino.
Special guests during the event were Pili, PCC Scientist I Dr. Peregino Duran, Provincial Cooperative Entrepreneurship Development Office head Elvie Ronquillo, as the Governor’s representative; Governor’s chief of staff Ricky Velasco, SM City Cabanatuan Manager Mark Carlo Herrera, and SM store assistant branch managers Joel Ilagan and Carolyn del Rosario.
Select staff members of PCC and DTI, dairy farmers, businessmen, and members from the Provincial Small and Medium Enterprise Development Council also attended the event.
