The Taste of Pamora Free-range Chicken

Going to the market, buying foods, preparing family menu and cooking for them are my favorite mommy tasks. Just like most parents preparing healthy and nutritious foods for family meal time is very important.  Chicken is one of the popular meat products that we buy in the market. As a mom I prefer healthier meat products. Aside from organic rice, fruits and vegetables, I became interested about free-range chicken so when I was invited to know more about free-range chicken by the Pamora farm brand, I get excited.

Mr. Gerard Papillon and Tina Morados – the owner of Pamora farm welcome us at the restaurant in Brasserie Cicou Greenhills for the Pamora Bloggers lunch last April 27, 2013. The sumptuous menu was prepared by Chef Cyrille Soenen. First we had Baggette, Assorted Pamora Pates served with Green Salad, Pickles and Mustard.

The Pamora  pâtés are French “home-made” pâtés from their free-range chicken. Pâté is a mixture of various parts of the chicken (liver, gizzard, meat) blended (with herbs, black pepper and sea salt) into a paste and sterilized in glass jars. Pâté is a traditional practice in France of preserving meat of any kind. The following six (6) varieties of Pamora pâtés are creations of Mr. Gérard Papillon using old-fashioned recipes from his grandmother.

• Chicken Liver Pâté
• Chicken Breast & Liver Pâté
• Chicken Gizzard Pâté
• Chicken Liver & Gizzard Pâté
• Chicken Breast Pâté
• Chicken Breast & Gizzard Pâté

The Roasted Coquelet with Rosemary and Garlic served with Mashed Potato is truly grandeur. The taste of the Pamora free-range chicken  in the roasted Coquelet is very flavorful. Compared to the commonly commercial chicken, Pamora free-range chicken are more flavorful and the bones are thinner. I tried to cook the Pamora free-range chicken at home with Tinola as the menu and my family just loved  the taste. While cooking it smells so good.

For the dessert, we have tasted the mouth-watering Trio of Crème Brulee (Vanilla, Chocolate and Green Tea). The main ingredient of Crème Brulee is the Pamora egg which came from the Pamora free-range chicken. To taste the trio of Crème Brulee, Mr. Gerard Papillon suggested to take the Green tea first followed by the Vanilla flavor and lastly the Chocolate.

More  information:

What is free-range chicken?

Free-range chickens are raised for a longer period than commercial chickens. They are allowed to develop natural habits and grow the way a normal chicken should — scratching the ground and roaming the barnyard. They are grown for their flavorful taste.

The Pamora free-range chicken came from the Pamora Farm, Inc. which is a Filipino-European joint venture that operates a free-range chicken farm in Barangay Garreta, Pidigan, Abra. Pamora free-range chickens come from a coloured breed from France. This breed is a slow growing type of broiler. Quality F1’s or first generation offspring are being raised in Pamora Farm.

What is the advantage of eating free-range chicken versus regular commercial chicken?

With free-range chicken, you will eat 100% chicken. Flavorful, healthy, no guilt. With regular commercial chicken, you eat chicken with all the residues of the chemicals given to the chicken. With the short period of growing time, there is no opportunity for the chemicals to be withdrawn from the system of the chicken. In a commercial operation, a 40g day-old chick grows to an average of 1.3kg in 26-30 days.

Free-range chickens are grown 70 days minimum based on Philippine National Standards (PNS) for organic poultry. In Pamora farm, we grow our premium chickens longer, 81 days based on the French Label Rouge standards.

All about the Pamora free-range chicken (Frequently Asked Questions)

When did Pamora start?

Pamora Farm started as backyard business in 1997, when my mother returned to our province Abra. The chicken production started in early 2000, after I attended a seminar on raising free-range chicken in December 1999.

Where is Pamora’s farm?

Pamora farm is located at Km. 396, Brgy. Garreta, Pidigan, Abra. North of the Philippines, about an hour away from Vigan. The 4-hectare property includes a dressing plant.

Describe the facilities and the environment. 

The development of Pamora Farm started with topography observation for the rain water flow, wind and sun rays direction. We didn’t change much of the topography of the property, we followed its natural shape by building chicken houses and farm facilities adapting to the terrain level. Since year 2001, we started planting wood trees in the rough portions of the property as part of our reforestation program. Today, we have about 4,000 Mahogany trees, some 200 Narra trees, and about 1,000 of different species and fruit bearing trees as well.

In June 2010, we inaugurated our modern poultry dressing plant. The property is located on a foot of a hill in Barangay Garreta.

What is Pamora’s process of growing the chickens?

Pamora follows the french label rouge standards.

We allocate a minimum 1 square meter per bird for the ranging area, and 1-2 square foot per bird in their house facility. Birds are grown with feed intake designed for free-range chickens where their diet consist of organic corn (70%), organic soya (20%) and a (10%) mix of vitamins and minerals like salt, limestone powder, coconut oil, enzymes and toxin binder like charcoal powder which are produced by Mamora farmers.

Pamora chickens are brooded from day 1 to 21, and depending of the weather season, sometimes a week longer or a week shorter, afterwards, chickens are set free to the open to follow their natural instinct. Harvest time will be done only when the target weight is achieved and the growing time is met. No short-cuts.

What are your different products?

Whole dressed chicken, choice-cuts like legs, thighs, wings, and lollipop. We also have chicken burger, eggs and pâté of 6 variants. The six varieties are creations of Gérard Papillon using old fashioned recipes from his grandmother Jeanne Papillon. They are: Chicken Liver Pate, Chicken Breast and Liver Pate, Chicken Gizzard Pate, Chicken Liver and Gizzard Pate, Chicken Breast Pate, Chicken Breast and Gizzard Pate, Chicken Gizzard Confit.

Where are your products available?

Pamora chickens, eggs & pâté products are available at:

1. Santis delicatessen

2. Terry Selections

3. Rustan’s

4. Shopwise

5. Metro Market! Market!

6. RFI Farm Outlet (Holy Spirit, QC)

7. Joji Berry (Crossroad 77 Mother Ignacia, QC)

8. NCCC – Davao

9. Champetre restaurant (BGC)

10. Brasserie Ciçou (Greenhills)

12. Resorts World Manila

13. Ilustrado Restaurant (Intramuros)

14. El Nido resorts

15. Amanpulo

16. Saturday Market, Ayala Alabang Village

17. Golden Acres Farm, Inc. (distributor)

Pamora free-range chicken price list:

Pamora chickens, eggs & pâté products are available at Santis delicatessen, Terry Selections, Rustan’s Supermarket, Shopwise, Metro Market! Market!, RFI Farm Outlet (Holy Spirit, QC), Joji Berry (Crossroad 77 Mother Ignacia, QC), NCCC – Davao, Champetre restaurant (BGC), Brasserie Ciçou (Greenhills), Resorts World Manila, Ilustrado Restaurant (Intramuros), El Nido Resorts, Amanpulo, Saturday Market, Ayala Alabang Village and Golden Acres Farm, Inc. (distributor).

For more information, log on to www.pamorafarm.com or call (02) 759-2678 / (02) 506-1082 / (0917) 537-5639 / (0917) 591-7391.