The legacy of empanada kaliskis

How Santos Buena's crispy snack from Bulacan became a household favorite through Casa Daza

- FOOD JUNGLE SANDY DAZA

It was the late '50s in UP Diliman. My mom was a teacher at the Home Economics department. Because she was an employee of the university, we were given a house to stay in on campus, in Area 14. She worked at the Vinzons Hall, where there was a cafeteria serving students of the university. One of the employees then was a gentleman named Santos Buena. He came from Bulacan and taught the kitchen staff what today is the famous empanadang kaliskis.

It was a tiny, crispy, oily but super delicious empanada with a stuffing of ground pork and beef with some cheese and raisins. It was a merienda best-seller at the cafeteria. This is where our family was first exposed to what my mom felt was a winning product.