Something new at Dulgies ...and more

Ever since Chymera (of http://www.exploreiloilo.com/) raved about Dulgies' latest offering, banana-strawberry cake, I immediately checked on my calendar and planned my Dulgies trip.

Today, I had to pass by the cafe again and again to check the crowd; the smaller the better since I am going to take pictures. Finally I decided enter the cafe an hour before closing time upon seeing only two customers.

Good thing there's still few slices left of my "cake of the moment". I also decided to have another cake, pecan-caramel cheesecake, since it was the only one I haven’t tasted yet among their display.

Banana-Strawberry Cake
Made with layers of banana cake and white icing and topped with strawberry preserves. The banana cake layer tamed the sweetness of the icing and strawberry, but it still too sweet for me that I didn't finish the icing and toppings. For me it was good but not spectacular.

Pecan-Caramel Cheesecake
It’s just the usual cheesecake with pecan and caramel topping. This is what I like about Dulgies cheesecake; they don’t "shortchange" you on the cheesecake. It comes thick and always worth it. I finished this one but felt my blood sugar was at alarming level.

Rants (for the first time)
I was dismayed with this Dulgies visit! My order took too long to be served! I've been there many times not to notice the difference.

When I asked for additional water, I was given water at room temperature with no ice! I did not ask for cold water nor ice since my head was sort of spinning. Too much sweet in just one sitting!

I also felt the staff were eager to go home and they see us customers as hindrance.

And lastly, for the first time I sort of regretted my orders and wish I just had their D Club sandwich and I could have went home happier!

(Can’t believe I said this about Dulgies, maybe I had too much sugar intake until now)

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.

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?"

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.

FLAVOURS OF ILOILO

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