This ‘Ube Queso Pandesal’ is taking over Bahrain’s foodie Instagram!

From the numerous posts on food bloggers’ feeds, to the long queue you have to endure to get your hands on them – La Merienda’s ‘ube queso pandesal’ (purple yam and cheese bread) seems to have taken Bahrain’s foodie Instagram by storm!

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BAHRAIN // @lamerienda.bh // Who loves Ube?! I DO I DO! And the sweetest baker with her yummy treats showed up one day and made me smile! I’ve had a huge Ube void in my life since 2014 & this cheese & Ube pandesal was just the thing I needed! ???? ???? ???? Another exceptional dessert she bakes is the dark chocolate Nutella Babka! This didn’t last very long…we ate it all up! The bitterness of the dark chocolate & the sweetness of the Nutella was the perfect spread for the fluffy Babka! ???? ???? ???? Ube is native to south east Asia and is a purple yam and a form of tuberous root vegetable. Taro is also a root vegetable but it defers in looks and taste. When you cut open an Ube it’s like PURPLE, Taro on the other hand is white with specks of brown. Plus Ube is sweeter and thats why they use it more in desserts & such. Taro is sacred to native Hawaii in the Waipio Valley…ugh I wish I could visit someday…but I digress! Ube cravings satisfied! And will get more at @bh.indulge! DELIVERY IS AVAILABLE! ????????????

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Summer trips to the Philippines, when I was little, used to fall between July and August which also happened to be the country's monsoon season ???? Our dampened spirits were always uplifted by warm cups of tablea hot chocolate and fresh pandesal (soft dinner rolls) ???????????? I found myself nostalgically craving for some pandesal goodness and was so happy to have the craving fulfilled by @lamerienda.bh . Their ube queso pandesal was a household winner – gone in minutes! ???? I personally have never had babka before and am now asking myself, "what has taken me so long to come across this soft brioche goodness?" – one thing's for sure this won't be the last of it ???? I also love that the place is called "merienda", which means light afternoon meal, because all the goodies are perfect with a warm cup of afternoon coffee (or tea ????) ????

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Pandesal is the quintessential bread roll of the Philippines; it is soft and fluffy and covered with breadcrumbs. La Merienda’s version of the classic bread has an irresistible flavor profile and an IG-worthy presentation. Just recently, we had the chance to talk to Maria Veronilla, La Merienda’s owner to know more.

Can you tell us a bit about yourself? What inspired you to create “La Merienda”?

My name is Maria. I am 25-years-old and I’m the owner of La Merienda. ‘La Merienda’ started from my love for cooking and baking. The ube queso pandesal along with the other pastries I bake, used to be my meriendas (snacks).

When was the first time you remember baking?

I guess I was in 10th grade. I started baking chocolate cupcakes from scratch through the help of YouTube videos and online recipes!

Maria Veronilla

What is so special about your “Ube Queso Pandesal”?

The whole thing is special since everything was made from scratch. However, what stands out most is my homemade ube (purple yam) filling.

The yam requires time and patience to get the right consistency. It takes me around 40 to 60 minutes to cook the ube itself. Even my bread dough took me 20 tries to perfect!

There are a lot of home bakers in Bahrain offering their products at the moment, what makes you stand out from the rest?

Creativity and passion. I try to revive and recreate old recipes and give them a twist as much as possible. The goodies that I come up with in La Merienda are actually inspired by either what I have enjoyed eating in the past or something that is underrated in the market. I’m looking at what everyone else is doing and I do the complete opposite.

I do my best to be different, daring and inspirational.

Do you have any tips for aspiring bakers?

No one is born to be a great baker, one learns by doing. Experiment on old recipes and try to recreate them with your personal stamp. You’ll never get bored when you try something new since limitations only exist if you let them.

Where can our readers purchase your products?

My products are currently available at Foodlab in Riffa and Indulge in Arad, Muharraq.

On a different note, where is your favorite place in Bahrain and why?

Zallaq. I grew up here and I love how tranquil the place is. It’s like the perfect getaway from the hustle and bustle of the city, plus, I love the beach!

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