Cheesemaker Olive Puentespina owes a debt of gratitude to Marvin, Jolina and Rica –her late husband’s first pet goats. Pretty soon they had more goats – and more milk — that it got Olive experimenting on various milk-based products.

It took years as well as lessons both here and abroad - US, Mongolia, Canada, Switzerland, Italy - before Puentespina finally perfected her craft. Now sold under the Malagos Farmhouse brand, Puentespina’s artisanal confections can be found in delis and served in top hotels.

Malagos Farmhouse now boasts of 25 cheese varieties, such as goat milk ricotta, feta, along with cow milk-based confections like kesong puti and La Maria. Puentespina also introduced an interesting fruit series, like the camembert with mangoes or pineapples.