The Organist Baker of Ballesteros
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Dondon Catli with a birthday cake
Owner Dondon Catli is both a baker and an organist, and he plays both roles effortlessly. He can be seen with his customers in his bakeshop, and, in a few hours, he can be onstage with a band, entertaining a crowd.
How does he mix baking and music? “In both fields, one needs to strive for excellence,” he replies. “In baking, a cake should look good and attractive, as well as fluffy, spongy, and moist. On the other hand, an organist should feel at ease and perform fluidly. In both fields, creativity is involved, and there is always a room for improvement.”
Catli (organist) and The Ballesteros Gakkas
Sweetness abounds in Ballesteros. The town is renowned for patupat, a rice cake shaped into a pyramid and wrapped in a banana leaf. There is, however, a demand for cakes to celebrate special occasions, like birthdays and weddings. And Catli has filled the niche. Trained in culinary schools, he has baking down to a science. Now, all his townmates virtually turn to him for the best cakes.
When he makes elegant towering wedding cakes, which are his specialty, it is not uncommon for people to post photos in social media. Mariesol Gamiao, one of his customers, says, “Dondon’s wedding cakes are a sight to behold! A lot of times, brides and grooms are upstaged by them.”
Wedding cakes are a collaborative endeavor. Catli confers with the bride and the groom and asks them about wedding colors and what cake styles they like. Also, they look at photos of cakes online. A wedding cake can’t stand alone. It should fit in with the rest of the reception’s décor. And, above all, it should taste good; that’s why Catli provides a tasting of the cake, including the frosting.
Baking wedding cakes is no bed of roses. One time, a three-layer cake was accidentally dropped after delivery. Panic in Ballesteros! Catli was the one and only first responder! “A very stressful moment!” he recalls. “I had to redo the design on the spot!” All’s well that ends well. The rescued wedding cake was a big hit nevertheless.
Aside from wedding cakes, other popular items at Don Catli de Ballesteros Bakeshop are cheesecake, custard, chocolate cake, and orange chiffon cake.
Catli working on a chocolate cake
How does he manage being an organist while running a bakeshop? “It’s all in the planning,” Catli responds. “I strictly follow my appointment book.” He can’t help play music because it’s in his genes. His father and grandfather were musicians. He started playing guitar at an early age. Now, he mainly plays the organ, free-lancing in different bands. There had been wedding receptions in which he played in a band, and the wedding cakes on display were his creations.
Busy as he is, he finds time to relax. He enjoys puttering in his vegetable garden, practicing farm to table. The veggies on his dining table are mostly from his garden.
Cakes, music, and vegetables . . . Ballesteros is a small town, but Dondon Catli dreams big: “I would like to turn Don Catli de Ballesteros Bakeshop into a café. Of course, I shall be playing organ in the background,” he remarks with aplomb.
Don Catli de Ballesteros Bakeshop
Centro West, Ballesteros, Cagayan
Philippines
Dondon Catli can be reached at donlcatli@yahoo.com.
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Merlita Usita Campañano
Merlita Usita Campañano is a native of Ballesteros, Cagayan. She would like to invite everybody to visit her hometown, which is the “Gakka Capital of the World.” Her myriad interests include cooking, dancing, and gardening.
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