FLAVOURS OF ILOILO

Having been based in Manila for almost 7 years, this was my first celebration at home since 2001. It was just a simple combination of homecooked and ready to eat fares forthe usual crowd of 12. It was very hectic that day for I spent almost the whole of it just preparing for this dinner. It was another everything-by-me dinner (i.e. planned, bought, prepared, served, etc) In the morning, I bought Crema de Fruta from Goldilocks, garlic bread from Tibiao bakery and a 15-piece chicken bucket from KFC. Just to get away with the usual lechon kawali and to make it "riceless" plus I really love this Goldilocks dessert, one of the few actually. Around noon, I prepared my coleslaw and fruits so they can be cool enough when served. The former just being another made-up-in-my-mind recipe for I havent really tried in making one before. Then my whole afternoon, preparing my two pasta-two sauce combination and the usual mixed vegetable side dish. I got linguine and fusili for pasta while ...

A discovery courtesy of Ate Jam, its my attempt on a barbecue recipe never meant to be barbecued! The liempo was marinated in barbecue mix and instead of going straight to the grill, it was slowly boiled in its marinade until cooked. Centerpiece in one of our birthday lunches, this pata tim "ring" tasted much better than it looks. Everybody loves adobo, the longer it stays the better but this one never made it even to dinner when served during lunch. Part of our fiesta fare last December this one was just ordered so that it would lessen our preparations at home. Served during our Thanksgiving party ( for my sisters passing the Nursing board ), this one was actually cut into bite pieces before frying. Got this pre mixed sisig cube in the grocery. I simply just crushed it into the pan and added oil and onions. Contrary to the belief, it was actually good despite that is not sizzling. A simple recipe from FOOD magazine, that called for sauteeing longganisa, adding it pasta o...

Ocean city is one restaurant which became more popular after having a major overhaul. After transferring to Gen. Luna street from their former riverside location, it seemed business to have improved being along a busy street and a gastronomic strip. The restaurant is divided into two sections, an airconditioned order by the menu and an open air turo turo style. Its usual for us to take out their specialties for home meals especially their kansi (Ilonggo bulalo) but their KBL (kadyos baboy langka) surprised us recent since it was actually good for the price half of that of the kansi. Kadyos baboy at langka Kansi

A native delicacy, which other regions also have their own version, linupak, as what I remember is a mixture of boiled unripe cooking bananas (saba), grated coconut and sugar. These bananas are pounded using large native mortar and pestle.

One Sunday while I was lazily wandering in SM Megamall, I passed by the Krispy Kreme store. Before I could even think what I had for lunch, I found myself going straight home with a dozen doughtnuts, majority of which are original glaze and new york cheesecake. I had four in just one sitting that time and the rest I brought to the office the next following day. I didn't have any lunch that Sunday, by the way. In a span of around 5 months since its opening, I bought around 20 dozens of Krispy Kreme, 6 of which I brought back home here in Iloilo.

The color of summer ..... at least in our house. Japanese sweet corn locally grown, bought on the cob and boiled for around 10minutes, its a simple treat when ever. Yellow "sandiya" or watermelon used to be a hard find but not anymore, thanks to a steady supply in the local market. A kaing full of mangoes from our very tree (in the backyard.) Fresh pineapples , the highlight of which, actually just one, from Del Monte farms we brought back from our Mindanao trip last month. We had a plump langka taken days ago with the excess being sugar preserved, perfect for halo halo.

The March 2008 issue of The Augustinian Mirror, the official student publication of the University of San Agustin features what this blog is all about, food trip! De Leonian coffee 1 De Leonian coffee 2 Nang Palang's Buko Pie Deco's Original La Paz batchoy 1 Deco's Original La Paz batchoy 2 Karenderya haven Tib's Rock Articles and images scanned from the March 2008 Issue of The Augustinian Mirror

A puto made mainly from desiccated cassava and shredded coconut.

Random post about an old chinese restaurant in the heritage district and a relatively new one in the nightlife strip. The Summer House From its original location in JM Basa St, it now forms part of the lobby of Iloilo Midtown Hotel along Solis street and still is a favorite Chinese restaurant even after many years. This was taken when a bunch of friends visited Iloilo for the 1st time. We had lechon kawali, chop suey, pinsec frito and bihon, which they really raved that time. I didn't really have an appetite that time since I had a fever. (due to excitement, I assumed) Red Paprika This restaurant at the Riverside Boardwalk comes with both good view and good food. Well, the latter, that’s when we had lengua and lechon kawali. With bands performing on some days but if you prefer a nice and quiet ambiance, just troop upstairs for a good view of the river and Molo district.

My mother's birthday Festive enough just for the usual crowd, it was another family dinner with the usual dishes plus some magazine-based recipes. With pork barbecue, grilled liempo and squid as centerpieces plus rellenong bangus and lapu lapu with mango "salsa" as the healthier meats. Ginisang monggo with ubad and laswa served as vegetables with sotanghon for long life and ampalaya salad as appetizer. Finally for dessert, we had mango float and mango-pandan. The arrival of a box of mangoes from the town of Leon last week made us prepare mango-based desserts, appetizers and side dishes since then. (There's 3rd mango based dessert in the fridge, by the way). My nephew's 4th birthday After weeks of planning and countless experiments of recipes from FOOD magazines' Kiddie cookbook, finally my nephew's 4th birthday fare was laid for everybody to enjoy. Starting with the birthday cake from Tinapayan (clockwise, centerward), valenciana, marshmallowjumble, pin...

Courtesy of FOOD MAGAZINE April 2008 Issue Introduction * Full article

Craving for sweets brought me to Dulgies Cafe at La Salette building. Though they also serve pasta and sandwiches, it’s their cakes that keep patrons coming back for more. For this visit, I had my sights on a cup with cake-like brownies topped with icing and their specialty, caramel filled moist chocolate cake. Thanks to Exploreiloilo

Even before the emergence of the dessert-ng-bayan, mango float , it was this dessert that always makes it in our menu. Using Theresa's bakeshop's broas with fruit cocktail, cream and condensed milk, our version of iced box cake was always to look forward to. After having discovered the availability of almond jelly powder in groceries, we tried our version of this famous dessert in Chinese restos. We just mix fruit cocktail and lychees with this gelatin and resulted to another favorite dessert. Weird as it may sound, our potato-fruit salad, has now taken over as the dessert . Using our macaroni salad recipe, we simply replaced macaroni with potato, and added pickles, shredded carrots and onions. Now I'm planning of making it into "chicken-potato-fruit". Having not able to buy from Goldilocks for our Media Noche prompted this attempt in making a cathedral window. Little did I expect that the food coloring will bleed to this level but overall it was just okay consi...