Restaurant Review: Banapple Pies and Cheesecakes

Date: First Quarter 2008

Publication: Current Magazine

Section and Page: Current Indulgence, pp27-29

Publisher: Finserve Corporation, Meralco

Banapple Pies and Cheesecakes
A fresh and alternative dessert haven in the metro
By Ana M. Gonzales

There are some things that are meant together.

Like the perfect blend of fine coffee beans and the right aroma to concoct a perfect caffeine indulgence, the sufficient dose of sweetener to create the perfect dessert pleasurable to every scrutinizing palate, and the perfect tandem to join forces in building an alternative café-bakery in the metro for every group of friends and family, or the solo flights, who just had enough of commercialized coffee shops.

For the south people, going to Banapple Pies and Cheesecakes, and looking for the quaint new cake shop in Katipunan Avenue might be foreseen as challenging. Unexpectedly, though, the rising pastry shop will not give you a hard time as the place just pops from the rest of its neighboring store: with Banapple’s yellow exterior and bright red door, plus its cute and brilliant-colored logo that will no-fail magnetize any certified sweet tooth passing by.

The dessert place is right across Pan de Manila and Freska. Visiting Banapple can be a bit of a challenge for the commuters, and the parking area can also be a problem to the diners with vehicles, especially during the peak hours. But then, there are good reasons why people who live near or far find it worth the trouble to go through the Katipunan stretch whether in their car or not to the risk the parking problem. Maybe the hefty number of in-store diners and people who takes out the cakes and pies see these as minor annoyances that will all be compensated by what the quaint pastry parlor has to offer.

As you enter the café-bakeshop, the sweet-tooth will be pleasantly greeted by mouth-watering cakes of all sort seated behind the usual bakery display glass counter. The accommodating waitresses who welcome the visitor not only wear nicely matched uniforms, but also complimenting welcoming smiles and greetings that perfectly go well with the place’s good vibes. Upon further intrusion, the craving dessert-lover will notice a board overhead the counter which boasts not only of their variety of cakes, but of different selection of coffee as well.

The place is not big, but the space is just right. It can get crowded during the peak seasons, but the ambiance the little café projects is more of privacy and intimacy. The place’s interior is just lovely, with its rustic and earthenware accents, and for its bright and cheery colors. The dominating yellow and orange color combinations stimulate the pastry shop’s already homey appeal. The terra cotta-designed tables are around 5 to 6, and the corner wall farther from the counter is covered by piles of up-to-date magazines, perfect for the typical café and bakeshop goers while they wait and have their relaxing time.

Upon taking a seat, eyes will definitely be drawn to the other far end wall of the place. Opposite the magazine wallpapered corner, layers and layers of baskets of pies and cookies and other pastries are displayed as if you have entered a dessert showroom. You will find there the bestsellers Banana Nut Muffin (Php40), Creamy Chicken Pie (Php40), and other muffin, pies, and cookies at affordable rates and ample sizes. Atop the baskets of pastries are the packaging boxes for the cakes, which are both eye-catching and vibrant in design.

You simply cannot visit Banapple without devouring even a slice of its Banoffee Pie and the Apple Caramel Crumble Pie, the pastries that made their bakeshop popular more than the usual, and where the brand name was taken. The delightful Banoffee Pie, at Php65 per slice and Php480 for a whole cake, has a mouthwatering caramel layer for those who are craving for sweets, and has the right amount of banana filling to neutralize and compliment the sweet taste and texture of the pie. Topped with whipped cream, shards of dark chocolate, and its fine buttery graham cracker crust, Banapple’s Banoffee Pie is purely heavenly.

To complete the portmanteau of the brand name, the Apple Caramel Crumble Pie contends with the Banoffee with its cinnamon-crusted outside, and apple fillings that are not soggy but crisp and crunchy. At Php75 per slice, and Php560 for a whole pie, this warm and moist apple pie can be upgraded to ala mode with just an additional of Php35.

No wonder Banapple is fast building its loyal customer base, the cakes and pies are simply superb. The wide selection will make it difficult for you to order, and settling for one or two varieties for the day will make you vow that you will be back for the others some other time. Pia Dedace, a graduating Ateneo communication student and Banapple fan, testified that she definitely goes back “for the cozy place.” Moreover, she said that Banapple exudes a “perfect hangout after a tiring day at school, a great alternative for the usual coffee shops”, and that their Banoffee Pie is “like no other”.

Other than students, frequently sighted in the restaurant are doctors from the nearby hospital, call center agents, office workers, and even celebrities.

So what is the secret of this new café-bakery?

More than the perfect combination of banana and apple pastries, Banapple is also a product of a perfect tandem. A home-based business in 2000, the couple GJ and Maricel Jimenez used to only supply for restaurants and bakeshops. The business had a mini-expansion in the year 2004 with the investment of more equipment and hiring more people. The year 2007 marked the start of a dream come true for the baker Maricel, as she and her husband GJ, who is more on managing the business side of the bakery-café, opened their own brand of cakes and pies shop in Blue Ridge, Katipunan.

With the perfect combination of the pleasant ambiance, a dose of great food, and stirred with the most accommodating staff, a trip to Banapple will definitely be a sweet treat.

BOOK REVIEW: Night by Elie Wiesel

Date: September-October 2006
Publication: Current Magazine, Current Diversion, page 53 Publisher: Finserve Corporation, Meralco


He will never forget the small faces of children thrown to the chimney, the "crematorium", to burn into ashes under the starry sky.

That same night, Eliezer Wiesel lost everything.

The book started in 1941, when the narrator was only 12. Born in the town of Sighet, Transylvania, Elie was a studious and religious young boy who was very interested in the Kabbalah. He lived a good life with his loving family; when one day, Moshe the Beadle, a Jew deported in 1942 and Elie's Kabbalah master, came back to warn the people of the dangers of the German army. Yet no one listened.

Till the year 1944, when the Germans entered their little town and set up ghettos for the Jews. It wasn't long till they were deported to concentration camps in Auschwitz, then to Buchenwald.

From a curious and speculative student of Talmud, Elie turned into a completely different person. Vanished in the thick smoke were his loved ones, his dreams, his innocence and his faith in God.

He witnessed in such an early age the horrors of the Nazi death camps. Darkness loomed and hopelessness dampened his very soul as Elie was exposed to torture, cruelty, scarcity of food, men treated like animals, and more than ever--the absolute evil of man at its finest.

In this book, experience how the Jews were deprived of freedom and human rights during the World War II by reading the testimony of an actual survivor. Told in a first person point of view, this memoir will lead you to the story as it is. The book is a success in offering a detailed account of the holocaust nightmare, you'll actually feel the intestity of a moment in the past. Wiesel was able to finely translate fear, despair, hatred and other human emotions into a great literary piece.

A touching part of the non-fiction is the camaraderie of the people who remained sane for their loved ones. Elie and his father were side-by-side while they can as they experience the unimaginable. If there's one lesson you'll get from the book, it is that blood is thicker than water.

Wiesel, author of more than forty internationally acclaimed works of fiction and non-fiction, was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for this tale. He dedicated his life to make sure that no one forgets what happened to the Jews during the WWII. His other works are the Dawn (1961), The Jews of Silence (1966),and A Beggar in Jerusalem (1970). Wiesel wrote Night to testify for the "shrinking number of survivors day by day", to share his memories, and most importantly as a "response in responsibility".

"To forget the dead would be akin to killing them a second time."

This 1958 human document was given a new translation by his wife, Marion Wiesel, to ensure accuracy and to correct important details. The madness of erasing the whole Jewish memory, which erupted history, will remain in us as it is documented in this life-changing book by Wiesel. "He does not want his past to become their future."


Quotable Quote: "Never shall I forget that night, the first night in camp, which has turned my life into one long night, seven times cursed and seven times sealed....Never shall I forget those moments which murdered my God and my soul and turned my dreams to dust. Never shall I forget these things, even if I am condemned to live as long as God Himself. Never."

BOOK REVIEW: The Broker by John Grisham

Date: September-October 2006

Publication: Current Magazine

Section and Page: Current Diversion, page 52

Publisher: Finserve Corporation, Meralco

Even a total change of identity is better than 14 more years locked in federal prison.

This is Joel Backman’s thoughts on his unexpected and controversial presidential pardon after spending six years detained in a cold and isolated cell of only 12-foot square, with no windows, no bars, and poor food service.

He wouldn’t mind changing his name, learn a difficult foreign language, and having a completely different lifestyle in his new country—just as long as he is free!

But the story has just started.

Backman’s life before prison is a power broker—an infamous and notorious lobbyist who only cared about making more money. Back then, it seems like the broker got hand of the most advance and sophisticated satellite surveillance system the world would ever know. Secrets are discovered. Top intelligence groups around the globe are threatened. And Backman is the man to blame.

So the last-minute pardon of the outgoing US President is pressured by the CIA. The plan is to release the new Backman in Italy; until such time that the CIA will leak the information to the Israelis, the Saudis, the Russians and the Chinese to find out who will get him first.

Thus, it is not a matter of survival. The question is simple: Who will kill the broker?

John Grisham has once again proved he is a great storyteller. Looking at his other bestsellers The Rainmaker, A Time to Kill, and The Firm, Grisham’s books may seem intimidating with its number of pages. But once you get started with a chapter, it is best to prepare for one sleepless night ahead.

The Broker, packed with the suspense of Backman’s “David-and-Goliath” adventures against the mighty enemies, is a sure page-turner. The fiction was also able to capture the non-fictional detail of how the government and the press abuse their power and influence.

But even with the seriousness of Grisham’s themes on law and politics, this book is not a monotonous read. The rich and colorful culture of Italy is so alive in this novel; it is as if you’ve been there all along!

A fast-paced story, The Broker will make you stop and realize that without the unconditional love of your family and true friends—money, power, and success are nothing.

BOOK REVIEW: The Devil and Ms. Prym By Paulo Coelho

Date: September-October 2006
Publication: Current Magazine

Section and Page: Current Diversion, page 52
Publisher: Finserve Corporation, Meralco

Will you kill an innocent person in exchange of wealth and fortune?

This is the exact dilemma that shook Viscos, a remote village where people spent all the days in their lives in a dragging routine. Everything was fine and as typical as any other day, until the stranger accompanied by the Devil paid them a visit in search of answers. He wants to know if human beings are essentially Good or Evil by plotting a test in one of God’s Commandments: Thou shall not kill.

“A novel of temptation”, Coelho shares to us a parable of the Good and Evil battling in every hearts and minds. When offered with eleven gold bars that can last them a lifetime without going back to the fields, will the people of Viscos succumb to the deal of their visitor even though the price to pay is the unthinkable act of committing a murder?

Paulo Coelho proves he is one of the most beloved author in our time through this another sure-hit novel on everyday human struggles in search of the true meaning of life. Like his two other masterworks By the River Piedra I sat Down and Wept (1994) and Veronika Decides to Die (1998), this thought-provoking tale revolves around the week of ordinary characters who were suddenly faced with moral dilemmas and the human conflicts of greed, fear, and cowardice.

See yourself in one or all of the persons in this stunning novel that will open your eyes to the reality of what one man can do for revenge and power. Let a small community magnify what actually happens elsewhere around the world. The Devil and Miss Prym can be a disturbing fable that will teach us to conquer the fears that has always stopped us from living our dreams, and the power of the choices we make.


Quotable Quote:
Good and Evil struggled in both of them, just as they did in every soul on the face of the earth….It was all a matter of control. And Choice. Nothing more and nothing less.

BOOK REVIEW: The Giving Tree By Shel Silverstein

Date: June-July 2006


Publication: Current Magazine

Section and Page: Current Diversion, p.51


Publisher: Finserve Corporation, Meralco

It’s not even one of the author’s favorites.

But The Giving Tree turned out to be one of Shel Silverstein’s most controversial and much acclaimed works.

It’s an honest story of two characters, the giver and the taker. “Once there was a giving tree who loved a little boy”, and because of this the tree willingly provides all the wants and needs of the taker. The giving and taking story continued until both of them grew old and tired.

The simplicity of this parable amazingly aroused so many critics and intrigues. The Giving Tree, although written by a well-known children’s literature writer, had been questioned for its appropriateness to kids making it a book difficult to categorize. Will the young readers acquire the spoiled and demanding traits of the little boy?

On the other hand, it was also subjected to so many interpretations. Does the tree signify maternal love? Is it a feminist book?

But to the author, The Giving Tree was simply about “a relationship between two people; one gives, the other takes”. It is a timeless tale that appeals to the young and old. If you think about it, the depressing impact just echoes the actual human situation of dependency and selfless love.

Go on and flip through the pages of The Giving Tree. Experience visual treats with Silverstein’s amusing signature black and white illustrations. Follow the rhythm of his simplistic yet sophisticated poetry; a language that doesn’t need to intellectualize but so difficult to absorb for its disturbing reality.

It may look like a children’s book, but this modern prodigal son story deals with the immeasurable capacity of love, true happiness from self-sacrificing, and coming back to the arms of those who love you despite of everything.

Read for yourself this unforgettable classic of a discontented boy who lived with temporary material desires until he grew old and empty. On the contrary, there’s the pure and unconditional giving tree who gave everything for love. And oh, the tree was happy.

Many people debated on this book, and a whole lot more people were moved by its story.

And at first they even thought this book would not sell.

BOOK REVIEW: Stainless Longganisa by Bob Ong

Date: June-July 2006

Publication: Current Magazine

Section and Page: Current Diversion, p.50

Publisher: Finserve Corporation, Meralco

A book on books.

Nothing beats a writing lesson direct from your favorite author. That is what is in store for you in Bob Ong’s latest release, Stainless Longganisa. In this non-fiction, Ong lets you in to the world of reading and writing ”the Bob Ong style” with the help of course of his “nagtataeng ballpen”.

After ABNKKBSNPLAKo?!, Bakit Baligtad Magbasa Ng Libro Ang Mga Pilipino?, Ang Paboritong Libro Ni Hudas, and Alamat Ng Gubat, Ong now shares to us the story behind how he wrote these first four sensational books. His adventure began with a detailed account of his writing tools, how he got his first Gift Gate pencil, down to having his very own Parker pen and Fisher Space pen.

Then Ong tells us the history of his writing career. With a knack in storytelling, and influenced by his favorite authors, he gave up his early jobs to pursue what he really wanted to become. For Ong, writing is his obligation.

The author’s trademark wit will definitely not be missed in this sure hit read. He mixes lessons with absurd imageries and expresses them as casual as possible. Ong still inserted different social issues in this book’s pages. But along the politics-ranting, local TV hosts pet peeves, and the Amazing Race realization on the Filipino mentality, the author ends his chapters with a hilarious Gawaing Pagsanay proving that one can learn so much while laughing your heads off.

Though boxed in the non-fiction genre, Ong proves to us his flexibility in writing. Coming from a fiction-shift in his last book Alamat ng Gubat, the author tried again his expertise where he was first known and loved by his readers telling his own story. This comeback relates to us Filipinos where the setting and vernacular used is our own, and the narration is humorous yet so real as if coming from a good ol’ friend. You’ll never get tired of listening and learning from this author’s depth expressed light and easy for his audience.

Now enter the world of Stainless Longganisa. Value books as your most priced possessions. Learn how to write based from the very experience of a reliable friend. This book will truly awaken the hidden writer in you, and will make you realize that things don’t instantly happen in a snap of your fingers. Not only for those who plan to produce the next best seller; this book is for anyone who has a dream.

A final advice, though. Don’t go flipping through the pages, and wondering where the title came from!