La Buona Cucina Italiana at Seda Hotel Atria

Few hours ago, we found ourselves lounging at the Straight Up bar atop Seda Hotel Atria. It was for the press launch for the hotel's upcoming gastronomic event called "La Buona Cucina Italiana".

So how would one translate "La Buona Cucina Italiana"? Among ourselves, we offered our own interpretation but literally and word for word it means "the good Italian kitchen". But before you imagine yourself scuffling around the kitchens of Seda Hotel looking for something Italian to indulge in, Google translates the whole phrase as "good Italian food". And everybody agreed or in Italian "concordato"

"La Buona Cucina Italiana is a travelling themed gastronomic series presented by the SEDA Hotel network across the country" opens up Angela Deocampo-Tan, Communications Officer of SEDA Atria. "It started at SEDA BGC at Fort Bonifacio in Manila and made rounds at SEDA Centrio in Cagayan de Oro City, SEDA Nuvali in Laguna and SEDA Abreeza in Davao City."

"And now in Iloilo, SEDA Atria welcomes Chef Salvatore de Vincentis" adds Angela. Chef Salvatore definitely brings authentic Italian flavors to this SEDA promotional event across the country. Born in Sorrento, Italy (a cliffside hanging resort town famous its lemons and limoncello liquer - thanks Rick Steves!), Chef Salvatore learned to cook the way all great Italian chefs learned to cook - at the side of his mother. “The most important thing is the tomatoes,” he says. With a sparkle in his eyes, an energetic spirit and an Italian accent that is much thicker than the sauce you’ll find ladled over your pasta.

At 15, he enrolled renowned Sorrento Culinary School at the same time worked at his uncle’s restaurant in Naples, an hour away. By the age of 19 he had graduated from the well-known culinary institute and had apprenticed regularly at the side of the masters. With his technical expertise and his practical experience Salvatore has traveled has lent his touch, his flair, his creativity and imagination at some of the most popular restaurants and hotels around the world. The lists includes Sheratons, Hyatts, and JW Marriotts and in places like Barcelona, The Bahamas, Miami, Dubai and Hongkong. And in In the Philippines, he worked with EDSA Shangri-La and Solaire Resort and Casino.

So what's in store for Iloilo? "Chef Salvatore will be preparing well-loved Italian regional dishes presented in modern, creative ways– a first for Iloilo." says Angela. These dishes, she continued, will be as pleasing to the sight as they are to the taste buds as the chef will use only the freshest of ingredients, including famous cheeses and lemons from his country to ensure distinct and authentic Italian flavors.

LA BUONA CUCINA ITALIANA at SEDA ATRIA, ILOILO
Chef Salavtore de Vincentis introduces LA BUONA CUCINA ITALIANA at Seda Hotel Iloilo. Read more >>> http://flavoursofiloilo.blogspot.com/2016/03/la-buona-cucina-italiana-at-seda-hotel.html
Posted by The PR & Events Circuit on Thursday, 17 March 2016

Diners at SEDA can experience La Buona Cucina Italiana at two venues - Straight Up bar and at Misto restaurant. These savory dishes will be served the “apericena” way (combination of “aperitif” and “cena” or evening meal) where dishes are in tasting portions in an appetizer buffet.

At Straight Up bar, these cocktails comes with an Italian "Wine Buffet" - yes, white and red wine to your hearts content! For Misto, it will be integrated within the existing buffet offering with its own Italian corner.

The menu includes an assortment of Italian Cold Cuts, Assorted Italian Cheeses - Pecorino, Fontal and Provolone, a Bruschetta station with assorted Italian breads and crostini with toppings (olives, anchovies, etc) and spreads, Heat Lamp station with Calamari, Italian Meatballs, Pasta in martini glasses, Risotto, Arancini (fried stuffed rice balls, coated with breadcrumbs and filled with mozzarella) and desserts - strawberry/blueberry panna cotta, choco mouse, tiramisu and fresh fruits.

To cap off the night of "good Italian food", Chef Salvatore shares his words of wisdom "I always cook with all my heart because diners can sense a chef’s passion in the way the food is presented. I wish for everyone to have a fabulous dining experience and my message is simple: sit, eat, and enjoy! Indeed, we sat under the starry Iloilo skies, ate deliciously crafter Italian specialties and enjoyed the night, while it was still young.

And to all who will also be trying this over the weekend, we say "buon appetito!"

Ultimate Ilonggo Favorite: KBL Kadyos, Baboy, Langka

K.B.L. or Kadyos, Baboy, Langka is the ultimate favorite dish of most Ilonggos. It is also one of the most missed native dishes as kadyos and the souring ingredient, batwan , are hard to find when outside of the Ilonggo region. Basically, it is boiled/stewed pork dish owing its "deliciousness" to the combination of the soft and tender pork, the tamed sourness of batwan and the malinamnam na sabaw . One of the "secrets" of the malinamnamn na sabaw , is the fact that the pork, whether just the plain meat or pata (hocks) are first grilled or broiled. This gives the broth a rather smoky taste that makes it more appetizing.. Learn how to make the Ilonggo dish KBL (Kadyos, Baboy, at Langka) with the recipe below. Ingredients 1 kilo Pata (pork hocks) or pork cubes, GRILLED and sliced into bite size pieces 1 unripe Jack fruit, cubed 2 cups pigeon pea (kadyos) 6-8 pieces batwan fruit (or tamarind powder) 1 piece pork broth cube (

An Ilonggo favorite - Valenciana

Found in almost all occasions like fiesta, birthdays, reunions and others, Ilonggos really love valenciana because most if not all have grown accustomed of having it in special gatherings at home. A complete " go, grow and glow " dish because it has the carbohydrates, protein and vitamins and minerals in just one spoonful, Valenciana is really an " occasional dish ". Here's the recipe for Valenciana

Takway

The gabi (taro) is just one of those plants which is edible from "roots to tops". The most popular of which is the tuber part which is used in a variety of dishes and mostly in combination with coconut milk. Its leaves, of course, is the main ingredient of a Bicol specialty, laing . It is dried then chopped and sauteed with other ingredients including, again, coconut milk. Then there is takway . The local term for its tendrils/runner, that part which is torn between being a stem or a root for it neither grows upwards nor downwards - it grows sideways . Scraped off of its outer skin, takway is often a key ingredient in vegetable dishes like laswa and the gabi tuber with coconut milk and local snails know as bago-ngon . It is also popular when cooked adobo style with guinamos , the local bago-ong . It is very popular in the region that even big supermarkets sell takway in style - cleaned and plastic wrapped in styro with some additions to make it easier to prepare.

A native (foods) welcome in Guimaras

Even after having breakfast less than an hour that time, we couldn't say no to this lot of native delciacies that welcomed us in Guimaras. First and foremost, Guimaras best known produce is their sweet mango famous almost worldwide. And it comes with it's best partner, ibos. This brown baye-baye variety is made from toasted rice thus giving it a more disctinct flavour compared to it's more "caucasian" cousin. I like the one wrapped in banana leaves compared with the one in plastic for it gives it a more native feel. So when you're in Guimaras, be sure to check out the markets for these native delicacies that can make your trip more gastronomically satisfying.

Batwan

Ilonggos know batwan or batuan by heart as the fruit is almost endemic to the Western Visayas. Its scientific name is Garcinia binucao, derived from the Tagalog name for the fruit, binukaw. It is a large green fruit with large seeds and its a favorite souring ingredient in most Ilonggo dishes especially KBL or kadyos, baboy, langka and the Ilonggo-style paksiw known as "pinamalhan". It is characterized by a tamed sourness compared to tamarind and kamias . The fruit is sold by pieces or kilo in wet markets and even big grocery stores. Batwan is the preferred souring ingredients for the Ilonggo favorite- KBL. The photo shows boiled batwan with skin and without skin (right) A favorite riddle when we were young - "Among the many fruits in the forest, but one (batuan) is the best. What is it?"

FLAVOURS OF ILOILO

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