In the Philippines, Delectable Confections Made From Water Buffalo Milk

Water buffalo are still used to plow rice paddies in the Philippines

Water buffalo milk is most often associated with Italy, where it's made into mozzarella. But did you know that the water buffalo originated in Asia? And that on Sumatra its milk is made into yogurt? In Southeast Asia water buffalo milk is most widely consumed in the Philippines. There it's used in myriad ways, not least to make a range of fantastically rich confections.

In our latest article and slide show for food and wine website Zester Daily we take you to a 60-year-old confectionary in the Philippines' Pampanga province that specializes in some pretty amazing water buffalo milk sweets. We meet the proprietress and watch her make plantanillas, egg yolk crepes filled with water buffalo milk paste.

We challenge you to read and view, and not walk away hungry.

 

Water buffalo milk sweets for sale in the Pampanga, the Philippines

Comments

[Pepy @Indonesia Eats]

No, I didn't know that water buffalo was originated from Asia. Good to know. I always wondered what Pampanga means. I saw a Filipino cater's name Pampanga in town. Thanks for great info.

[Beth]

Awesome writeup Robyn. These folks are true artisans. The way they make the egg yolk crepes is ridiculously amazing and ingenious. I've been wondering for ages how they make it, and have tried in vain doing so in an oven. Goodness I should've realized sooner that there were no ovens in Spanish times, and that these types of native delicacies are made with the simplest of tools but with techniques a pro chef would consider genius. Silly me. Oftentimes, the old way is the best way.

[Mark @ Cafe Campana]

What are the milk treats? They look very cool but I can't imagine the flavour.

[jodi]

very cool article. :) Thank you

[Sunny]

I'm a huge fan of water buffalo milk and sweets made from it- but I've never had plantanillas. I will, however, soon drive over to Carreon's sometime soon and try them- and probably everything else they have.

If you haven't tried them yet, next time you're in the Philippines, try flan, ice cream, and milkshakes made with water buffalo milk. All good stuff.

Much as I love all of this stuff, though, my favorite way to enjoy water buffalo milk is to drink it plain, if possible not homogenized, and ice cold. Try it!

[Xander]

I have to admit I only learned very recently that true mozzarella was made with buffalo milk... that still surprises me a little. After having made such a strong mental connection between water buffalos and Asia, picturing them in Italy still kind of throws me. -X

[John]

Did you try the danke when you were in Tana Toraja?

They make buffalo "mozzarella" but they deep fry it like tofu and serve it with sambal. They curdle the milk with young papaya in coconut shells.

[Robyn]

John, we heard about it but didn't get to try it, unfortunately. In west Sumatra they make yogurt out of buffalo milk.

Xander - it is weird, isn't it? No one has come up with the definitive explanation of how water buffalo got to Italy in the first place.

Sunny - would love to try that the next time we're in the Phils!

Mark - hit the link for the story, which is posted at Zester Daily.

Beth - well, they had dutch ovens back then, the sort used to make bibingka, right? But these crepes are too delicate to be oven-baked anyway. It is quite astounding, isn't it? How does one 'invent' a technique like this?

[Oregano Essential Oil blogger]

I didn't know water buffalo milk was edible much less that you can make confectionery from it. The things you learn every day. God love the internet :-)