Real free-range chicken from Pamora Farm

Filipinos nowadays are leaning more into healthy organic food and my family is no exception. We try to buy and eat organic food as much as we can. I admit, it could be a luxury especially when you’re living in the city like we do. But what’s a few additional bucks compared to a sound and healthy body.

Some of the organic produce that are just within our reach are free-range chicken and eggs. There are now a handful of  brands, both commercially-known ones and new players in the industry,  that offer free-range chicken in the country today. One of these is Pamora Farm, a Filipino-European joint venture that operates in Pidigan, Abra.

My wife and I had the pleasure of sharing an intimate lunch with the couple behind Pamora Farm, Gerard and Tina Papillon.  Pamora is actually a combination of Gerard and Tina’s family names – Papillon and Morados. Tina’s mother is from Abra which explains why the farm’s 4-hectare property is located there. The chicken production started in early 2000 after Tina attended a seminar on raising free-range chicken.

Gerard was a very entertaining host, winning us and fellow bloggers over with stories of how Pamora Farm started. I especially admire his concern for our agricultural land and its farmers. He’s promoting farming and production of everything organic to uplift our local farmers. Pamora Farm actually has a partnership with the Abra State Institute of Science and Technology and students are trained on how to grow free-range chicken in the farm.

Why  choose free-range chicken when it’s way more expensive than usual commercial brands? Gerard insists that commercial chicken is cheaper because it has more water and fats. Free-range chicken has more meat and less fats because the chickens are made to forage at least 8 hours a day. You can read more information about Pamora Farm’s free-range method HERE.

Our meal at Brasserie CiÇou started with a serving of fresh greens plus a basket of French bread and a variety of Pamora Farm’s pâté. The six varieties are creations of Gerard using old fashioned recipes from his grandmother Jeanne Papillon.

Then, for the main course, we were served Roasted Coquelet (spring chicken) seasoned with Rosemary and Garlic and served with Mashed Potato and gravy on the side. At home, Gerard shares, he pops a whole chicken in the oven together with onions and garlic, season it with salt and pepper, and just roast it for 20-30 minutes at 170 deg. Fahrenheit. Simple and easy. I think I could do that, hehe. What I noticed about the chicken is that even that the meat is firm and tasty (even the breast part). The bones can’t be broken easily, too. And to think that this is just spring chicken!

For dessert, we had the Trio of Crème Brûlée made with Pamora Farm free-range eggs. Pamora Farm’s free-range eggs are pricier than other brown eggs sold in the market bt Gerard guaranteed that theirs are real free-range eggs and not just regular eggs that are made brown because of the carotene-enriched feed given to the hens.

Before going home, we were given samples of Pamora Farm products which include frozen free-range chicken, eggs, chicken burger, and  bottles of pâté.  There were also mangoes in the package given to us and we were told that inside the farm are a lot of mango trees and other hardwood trees.

We hope that you try Pamora Farm’s products to experience the difference between naturally raised and grown produce and those that are not. The Papillon couple guarantees that, as more and more people buy their products, the prices will surely go down and become more affordable for everyday consumption.

Pamora Farm products are available at Santis delicatessen, Terry Selections, Rustan’s Supermarket, Shopwise, Metro Market! Market!, RFI Farm Outlet, Joji Berry, NCC Davao, Champetre restaurant, Brasserie Ciçou, REsorts World Manila, Ilustrado Restaurant in Intramuros, El NIdo Resorts, Amanpulo, Ayala Alabang Village’s Aturday market, and Golden Acres Farm, Inc. (distributor). For more information of Pamora Farm, you can visit www.pamorafarm.com or call (02)759-26-78 / (02)(506-1082 / 0917-5375639 / 0917-5917391.

Like my post? CLICK HERE to receive my latest posts via email.