SPOTTED AT MADRID FUSION MANILA: ONE-OF-A-KIND VINEGAR BLENDS FROM BASIMATSI TO FIRE UP EVERY MEAL
Press Feature — Pepper.ph • Madrid Fusion Manila
Spotted at Madrid Fusion Manila: One-of-a-Kind Vinegar Blends from Basimatsi to Fire Up Every Meal
Filipinos are more than familiar with the power the humble sawsawan can offer — the way fish sauce adds an umami depth to soups and stocks, the way piquant vinegars make fried foods sing. One brand aims to bring this to the world: to “every adventurous gourmand worldwide.”
Named after the core Filipino ingredient quartet of bawang (garlic), sibuyas (onion), kamatis (tomato), and sili (chili) — the first syllables of which form the moniker Basimatsi — this homegrown brand from Kitchen Witchery offers a line of sauces that combine local ingredients to create truly unique blends.
“All variants share the same blend of the three most common vinegars — exemplifying the unity and commonality among Filipinos. Then the different blends represent their unique characteristics, comparable to different regional ethnicities. There is no direct correlation between the flavors and the actual regional identities, [instead] a close analogy of the Ilocanos, Kapampangans, Tagalogs, Bicolanos and Bisaya — all being Filipino, but each with their own unique beauty of identity.”
Winfred Tan, Partner, Kitchen WitcheryA Sauce for Every Situation
Suka Liso
A blend of sugar cane, coconut, and palm vinegars — bright tang smoothed with a mellow sweetness. The most fundamental of the lineup and the perfect all-purpose base.
Suka Timplado
Suka Liso elevated with spices — a great way to balance out all things crisp and fatty. The go-to dip for fried favorites.
Suka Minatamis
Molasses gives this a sweeter, rounder edge. Goes beautifully with garlicky longganisa and slow-cooked dishes.
Suka Sinalabat
Ginger adds its characteristic zing — the natural choice for any kinilaw recipe. Clean, bright, and alive.
Suka Pinausukan
Smoky and aromatic — its smokiness heightens the flavor of charred bits we love. The essential companion for anything grilled or barbecued.
Suka Toyomansi
Soy sauce and calamansi-laced for a ready-made sawsawan. Perfect with fried fish, dimsum, lechon kawali, and crispy pata.
Labuyo Cerveza — The Revelation
A relatively thicker blend made with fermented bird’s eye chili — the making process of which Tan likens to beer-making. It tingles the tongue with an immediate release of heat that dies down in a flash, leaving behind an earthiness that lingers. A revelation on crispy fried eggs. Works with pizza, pasta, tacos, marinades, steak, grill, chips, dimsum, and noodles.
“The creation of vinegar may seem simple. But the infusion of flavors is complex. The assertive taste depends on the chosen base, while the delivery of the notes, aroma and tanginess is affected by the very origin and derivation of the material. The fermentation process of the different provinces greatly influences the outcome of the savory and exquisite flavor of the vinegar. There is no one way of fermenting vinegar in the Philippines, thus making it unique in our beloved archipelagic state.”
Winfred Tan, Partner, Kitchen WitcheryThe Basimatsi Promise
“Taste the Philippines in a bottle.”
As Seen at Madrid Fusion Manila
Shop Basimatsi by Kitchen Witchery
Seven one-of-a-kind Filipino vinegar blends — each a story of craft, culture, and regional identity.
Shop Basimatsi