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Dive into the decadent selections of The Rockwellist Confections, a chocolate journey beyond the ordinary
It’s no secret that the Philippines is incredibly rich in culture, heritage, and cuisine. Wherever your feet take you, it always seems there is so much more to discover. In a similar way, Rockwell only continues to reinvent its distinguished brand of ingenuity, reaching further than the mundane and redefining the extraordinary. It now indulges us with a one-of-a-kind chocolate experience through an exciting collaboration between CMV Txokolat’s chief chocolatier Christian Valdes and a team of culinary talents from all around the country.
See also: You're in for a Treat this Christmas, Rockwellists!
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Offering six delectable chocolate bars with distinct tributes to the regions where Rockwell has proudly made its mark, The Rockwellist Confections delights with both novel and familiar flavours that captivate in every bite. Valdes, who was born and raised in San Francisco, compares it with his unceasing exploration of his Filipino roots, be it through the diverse food, people, traditions, or landscapes that he encounters every day.
“I thought I knew what it was to be Filipino but I had not even scratched the surface. It wasn’t until I moved here that I realised that there is so much more to the Philippines,” shares Valdes. “These new concoctions really help paint a colourful picture of life in the various cities by highlighting the best that they can offer. I believe that the ingredients we incorporated will spur conversations about origin stories, heritage stories, or even nostalgia. Some of them are so unique that it really becomes a conversation piece.”
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Spearheaded by Valdes, the journey of The Rockwellist Confections begins in Manila with an inventive collaboration with chef Josh Boutwood of The Test Kitchen, Helm, Savage, and Ember, before it takes us to the metropolis of Cebu through a decadent ode to fresh mangoes with chef Nicole Alegrado of Azukre, San Sebastian Seafood Specialties, and Oyster Bay, and then to Bacolod through a sweet recipe made with chef Rhea Garcia of Firehook Boulangerie and Patisserie.
See also: 12 Chocolate-Filled Recipes From 12 Famous Food Personalities
A creamy execution done with pastry chef Gel Salonga then highlights a representative ingredient of her hometown in Laguna, while chef Judy Uson of Pampanga’s Cafe Noelle pays homage to a local dessert with a delightfully surprising crunch. Last but not least, Valdes and cookbook author, Philippine Cuisine lecturer, chair of the National Food Showdown, and former Foodie Magazine editor-in-chief, chef Myrna Segismundo, explore the land of barako coffee through an exquisite creation that will surely appeal to Batangueños and coffee lovers alike.
Know more about each exclusive chocolate bar below:
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Manila
The country’s capital teems with sweeping bustle and wondrous polarities. Eliciting chef Josh Boutwood's flair for bold arrangements of flavour as well as Valdes's mastery of all things chocolate, the Manila Bar is a surprising blend of 55 per cent dark chocolate with the timelessly popular chicharrón. Further infused with vinegar and salt, each tangy bite delights with well-rounded chocolate notes, an undertone of acidity, and the textural crunch of the chicharrón.
Above Photo: Courtesy of Rockwell
Photo: Courtesy of Rockwell
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“The chicharrón and vinegar are two completely different components that work so well together. A synergy of sorts, much like the representation of the city in my mind," Boutwood says. As he furthers his own craft, Valdes adds that it can serve as a reminder that chocolate doesn’t necessarily have to be sweet: “It can be its own entity; it could be somewhere in between.”
Cebu
With a beautiful mix of cityscapes, islands, and mountains, the Queen City of the South boasts a vibrant culinary scene that reflects this natural and abundant richness. Having grown up in Cebu, chef Nicole Alegrado draws inspiration from the sweet sigay mangoes of her childhood and the Cebuano version of her favourite mango sticky rice: the budbud pilit.
Above Photo: Courtesy of Rockwell
Photo: Courtesy of Rockwell
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In this reconstructed rendition by Valdes and Alegrado, Cebu’s famous dried mango is combined with candied coconut meat, puffed rice or pinipig, and 45 per cent dark milk chocolate. The splatter design on the bar is also an ode to the electrifying Sinulog festival. Alegrado further remarks, “This chocolate bar was created with the hopes that you will taste something familiar, something that brings you home, just done in a different way.”
Bacolod
Celebrated as the country’s sugar capital, Bacolod has a long list of local delicacies and ingredients that appeal to anyone with a sweet tooth. As chef Rhea Garcia illustrates the abundant dessert spreads of her childhood, the Bacolod Bar's chosen highlight is the warm and flaky piaya.
See also: Bacolod Travelogue: Everything You Have to Eat (and Where to Get It)
Above Photo: Courtesy of Rockwell
Photo: Courtesy of Rockwell
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Capturing the taste and feel of the freshly made snack, 55 per cent dark chocolate couverture is paired with muscovado sugar and 35 per cent milk chocolate, then folded in with toasted sesame seeds and topped with crushed barquillos to evoke the piaya’s crisp exterior. Varied tasting notes ensue, says Valdes, including flavours of caramel from the muscovado and a hint of vanilla from the barquillos. Garcia also relays, “The whole process made me realise that the food industry has limitless possibilities and is constantly evolving. Local delicacies can be transformed into quality products that can compete both nationally and globally.”
Pampanga
Pampanga is a known gastronomic hotspot for both unique and familiar fare. “When I think of Pampanga, the words and images that come to mind are good food, homemade cooking, and grandmothers over the stove passing their treasured recipes to the younger generation,” recounts chef Judy Uson. “That’s what made Pampanga an iconic centre for good food. It was all about passing on the love and joy of eating, cooking, and sharing with the people close to our hearts.”
Above Photo: Courtesy of Rockwell
Photo: Courtesy of Rockwell
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At once a tribute to this culture and Uson’s Kapampangan ties, the Pampanga Bar deconstructs the region’s widely enjoyed tibuk-tibuk, a silky and jelly-like pudding made from carabao’s milk and glutinous rice with toasted latik on top—a recent discovery, and thus a welcome challenge, for Valdes. He and Uson combined flakes of dulce de leche with coconut sugar and dehydrated latik in 32 per cent white chocolate to achieve this proud testament to Pampanga’s ever-exciting growth as a culinary destination.
Batangas
Premium liberica coffee, better known as barako, is all but embedded in the identity of this southern locale. Chef Myrna Segismundo enthuses, “Barako means robust and strong—qualities of the brew and of the hardworking, self-effacing Batangueños.” As ground barako is traditionally boiled and tempered with lots of sugar, Segismundo and Valdes confidently marry it with 72 per cent dark chocolate to craft the perfectly bittersweet Batangas Bar.
See also: Tatler's Guide to The Best Coffee in the Philippines
Above Photo: Courtesy of Rockwell
Photo: Courtesy of Rockwell
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Roasting the beans proved to be a crucial step in harnessing the depth and earthy tones of true barako coffee. Valdes also highlights the underlying fruity and nutty notes that express the intrinsic freshness of Batangas’s vast cuisine and produce.
Laguna
There is so much more to Laguna than its famed buko pie and hot springs, says chef Gel Salonga of her hometown. “Our proximity to Metro Manila can be double-edged. While it is great that most of our towns are just an hour or so away from the metro, we get skipped too often, especially our lesser-known towns,” she relays.
Above Photo: Courtesy of Rockwell
Photo: Courtesy of Rockwell
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Thus for the Laguna Bar, she and Valdes zero in on the keso puti’s use of carabao’s milk as well as the cashews sold in shops and thoroughfares across the province. Incorporated with the complexities of green cardamom, the milk is transformed into foam and dehydrated before everything is tied together by 55 per cent dark chocolate. Roasted cashew nuts are made into exquisite pralines, adding a mild and textural component to every bite.
With a dynamic approach to each piece in this collection by Rockwell and CMV Txokolat, Valdes's hope of conveying the country's beautiful diversity truly shines through. "There is something here for everyone—the Philippines has it all," he beams. "You don’t have to go so far for something exciting or a new adventure. Our country is, in fact, just like these chocolates. They’re fun, interesting, and rich."
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He finally reiterates his role as a chocolatier and a member of the local dining industry in inspiring fellow chefs to champion local ingredients: "There are so many trends going on and different ingredients that everyone’s bringing from abroad. While that’s great, I also believe that the Philippines has such a huge variety of ingredients that we can use and scale up to show everyone in the domestic and international community that these ingredients can set standards worldwide."
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Credits
Photography: JV Rabano
Production: Bianca Simeon, Nick Valera
Trained as a student journalist, Mac’s knack for writing was a serendipitous discovery. Years later and she can’t imagine doing anything else. When she isn’t typing away on a story, she revels in being lost in a new city, revisiting a cosy film or sitcom, and idling away with her dogs.
