Just a quick post for those in search of mascarpone (quite a few folks, judging from comments in my recent post, “Where can I find…”), that Italian cream cheese that is the cause of many an expanding waist or thigh. It is soft, creamy, luscious, a hint of buttery 
and wickedly fat filled. Essential for tira misu, fantasic on a nice piece of hearty toast, or sublime served with berries or other luscious baked desserts. I found this small tub at S&R Fort Bonifacio a few days ago at about PHP250+ which seemed like a pretty good price… Actually, the dairy offerings of S&R are really quite a find for me… great yoghurt, better Australian butter which is terrific in cookies, a sometimes interesting cheese selection, and other goodies. And no, I am not related to S&R ownership or management, I just spend an inordinate amount of my food budget there. The mascarpone is in the chiller section. Enjoy!
22 Responses
MM, what’s the brand of the Australian butter available there?
Gosh, Pam, you got me… and I just used the last bar I had, but it is good, Australian Creamery? Something like that. It is even softer than local stuff we get…
i’ve just been to s&r, is the butter called golden churn or ballantyne? I wasn’t sure which australian butter you meant.
Oh, dairyqueen, I think it was the ballantyne, the cheaper of the two Australian products on offer…it was quite good.
Arrgh! I live in Ortigas and there’s no good wet market here as well as supermarket. The supplies in Robinson’s and Megamall are quite limited. It’s too far to go to Market! Market! just to buy food/products that I read about here. Sigh….
tings, I can’t believe there isn’t a decent wet market near your area, it is one of the highest income and food specific consumer markets in Metro Manila! Shoemart Grocery at mega mall is pretty good, I thought. So is unimart in Greenhills mall. There is a specialty food shop on annapolis that sells live lapu lapu on occasion and shellfish flown up from Bacolod as well as frozen ostrich and ducks. There is a Santis also on annapolis. Then nearby are several well-thought of fruit sources near Wilson St. or thereabouts. Two great baking supplies shops are also in the Mandaluyong area. Galileo Enoteca is a few minutes from Ortigas and they have great Italian offerings. Tiendesitas down Ortigas also has some good suppliers… Hmmm, food options in Ortigas can’t be THAT bad, can they? I don’t happen to live there so I can’t be more specific but perhaps if you ask around you will find better sources…
I think S&R does carry good selections of merchandise. I just hope that they will carry the Bulls Eye brand barbeque sauce. The last time I saw it on their shelves was about2-3 years ago when it was still under Pricesmart,Filinvest branch.. Anyway,I think the mascarpone for its price is a steal! Thanks for the update MM!
re: the butter
That’s odd because those brands mentioned above aren’t common in groceries here in Sydney. :P I tend to use Allowrie or Western Star. They’re the most budget-friendly alternatives here. I’m sure, though, that the specialty butters (3x more expensive) will yield better results.
BTW, I made your Food for the Gods (with a few tweaks) for a third time last night. As usual it was a major hit! Everyone can’t keep their hands off it!
I saw this last thursday! As well as the big tubs of Nutella :) So tempted but still have lots of stuff to use up here so maybe another time…
I haven’t heared of ballantyne butter, considering I’m in OZ. As for putting mascarpone on toast, that I’ve yet to try. I just learned something new today. Ta MM.
I stay in Ortigas most of weekdays, though there is no one place that offers everything I need it isn’t that really bad. Specialty shops are nearby, Korean/Japanese grocery, 2 Santis branches, Terry’s, etc. I go to S & R Makati sometimes. But typical wet market, where you can haggle..wala nga. I go to Farmer’s or sometimes the far FTI Market, also tried Guadalupe. When I’m lazy I just drop by at Dampa sa Libis and buy some seafood. I buy meat products from the grocery or someone delivers it at home.
By the way, has anyone been to the Banchetto Sunday Market along Emerald? It has the longest opening hours daw. It is just a few minutes walk for me but I have never tried going there since it just started last Feb.
This is real treat Mascarpone cheese in tiramisu. It perks up cheesecakes too.
it is a good price. . . rather than buying 4-600 pesos of lucia brand from other stores. . .
Oh, I didn’t even know that! Thanks MM!
Tulip, the Banchetto Sunday Market here in Emeralnd is okay. You can get fresh veggies and different kinds of kakanin, but I usually go there really late so by the time I arrive, some of the stalls are already starting to close. Sorry that I can’t help you much. It starts at 3 a.m. till 10:00 a.m.
tings, many thanks! I decided to check it out yesterday.I hope for more vendors so more selection/variety. See you in the neighborhood. :)
Thanks Marketman! I remember asking you about mascarpone :)
Just got a tub (MZ made) from Hi-Top in QC if anyone is from around the area…
oops…NZ I mean..
WOW! Mascarpone! I love this! But I can’t bring myself to buy a bucket! It’s too much for me! Thanks for the heads up! Might find myself running out to S&R in Congressional soon! Thanks MarketMan!
the Banchetto market along emerald is now at Saturday morning up to 2pm. Not so much to buy compared to Salcedo Market every Saturday morning.
I have been using Ballantyne’s Butter. I have been buying it from a fridge near the checkout counters in Rustan’s Magallanes. In that same fridge are various greek style yoghurts and feta cheese all under the brand name Lemnos. I can vouch that the Butter has comparable quality to Lurpak or Land O Lakes at roughly half the price. I am not a baker just an amateur cook so I can’t tell you how good the butter is for baking. I tend to use the butter for mounting sauces and adding richness to a dish. I can attest that this brand has superior mouthfeel at an affordable price.
Just happened by this old post. I live around the Ortigas area as well. tings and tulip, there is in fact a wet market in EDSA Central, but not likely comparable to Farmer’s or FTI.