Every February 2, all roads lead to Jaro as Ilonggos celebrate the feast of Our Lady of Candles in different aspects - religious, gastronomic, enterprising, and more. As early as December the Jaro Plaza is teeming with the Jaro Grand Carnival with activities like carnival games, food stalls, fruit stands and ukay-ukay, among others. It culminates on fiesta day with the coronation of the Fiesta Queen, chosen among the lasses of Jaro families. The district Jaro, Iloilo celebrates biggest fiesta in the region characterized by the pageantry and the grandeur of the occasion paying homage to Nuestra Señora de la Candelaria, the patron saint of Western Visayas.
And for the 3rd straight year, I found my self in the "oasis" of the Jamerlans enjoying the the gastronomic grandeur of the Jaro Fiesta. Though I wasn't able to take photos of the individual food like last year's fiesta, it was still full of taste memories until now having to look at my limited photos.
With just one go, I made a "photogenic" plate consisting fresh lumpia, empananda, callos, lamb caldereta, paella, chicken galantina, lechon baboy, macaroni salad and pancit molo, to name a few. But it was the lechon skin that made a mark since it was one of the most sinful ones I've tried. It was as they say "melts in your mouth" as the combination of the crisp skin and that indulgent pork fat that made it all good.
It was ordered from Erning's in Villa as I later found out and like the other dishes, it was through a suki system where each food were ordered. Like the callos and chicken galantina from the Magalonas who own Uncle Tom's and the fresh lumpia and empanada from Molo.
Another Jaro Fiesta has come by and amidst the religious, secular and commercial aspects of it, it is the gastronomic side that I am, as always, willing to be part of it!