Yummy

http://www.yummy.ph 108 December 2016PHOTOGRAPHY:``````HANS FAUSTO.``````STYLING:``````IDGE MENDIOLA.``````SITTINGS:``````ANNA FELIPE.``````THE PERSON: Judy LaoTHE PRODUCT: Timeless holiday treatsJu.D’s Fruitcakesand PastriesJU.D’S FRUITCAKES ANDPASTRIES are available inGreenmeadows, Quezon City.Contact tel. no. 633-1188 orvisit http://www.judfruitcakes.comfor more information.HER STORY: Judy Lao oncereceived fruitcake for Christmas.This isn’t unusual, exceptthat she got a classic Ju.D’sfruitcake—which came out of herown kitchen, as it has for the past41 years. “I didn’t mind!” shelaughs, eyes twinkling.That says something abouthow central to the fruitcakebusiness Judy has becomeover the years. In fact, if therewere such a thing as a fruitcakeeconomy, Ju.D’s might very wellbe the central bank, the sourceof all this Christmas currency. “Isay I’m my biggest client. I don’tgive any other gifts. But whenI give people fruitcake, I don’tsign my name. Bahala ka if youwant to regift it,” she says.Like many people, Judyherself didn’t like fruitcake inthe beginning, but she changedher mind when, during a tripto Switzerland, she was servedfruitcake à la mode which shethoroughly enjoyed. So shedecided to start making it at…œ“i]wÀÃÌvœÀ…iÀv>“ˆÞ]>˜then for an ever-growing circleof friends-turned-customers.That was in 1975 and, slowly,it became a seasonal businessthat Judy has continued withsuch dedication to quality thatit’s made her name synonymouswith the product.“If you see the history of ourfruitcake, it’s like the history ofthe Philippines. There was a timewhen we weren’t able to get```raisins because that was whenthere was no importation. Duringthe brownouts [of the early£™™äÃR]Üiw}ÕÀiœÕÌ̅>Ì̅iÀiwould be electricity at night, sowe would make the fruitcakethen. You really have to gothrough a rollercoaster to survive40 years,” she remembers. Hasshe ever been tempted to changethe recipe to make it easier onherself? “No, never. Never ever.”And so she’s kept on churningout “real” fruitcake—heavyloaves, chock-full of candiedfruits and walnuts, made rich withliqueur. The only major changeJudy has made has been toˆ˜ÌÀœÕVi˜iÜy>ۜÀÃ\iÈiÃ̅iclassic variant, there is a GoldenFruitcake made with apricots,cranberries, and candied ginger;Õ°Õi]܅ˆV…ˆÃy>ۜÀi܈̅Blue Mountain coffee and Kahlualiqueur; and a prune fruitcake.Off season, there are also cookies>˜˜œÕ}>̜v`ˆvviÀi˜Ìy>ۜÀðEvery year, she tells herdaughter that she doesn’t wantto go through the grind again,but she knows deep down she’sonly kidding. “I have a classmatefrom New York who said, ‘WhenI see fruitcake, I think of you.’See, that’s nice,” Judy says. Andanyway, she won’t forget thattime when her daughter said, “Iwant to wake up in a house thatsmells of fruitcake.” And now, forhalf of the year, their house doessmell of fruitcake. It smells likeChristmas.```