Iloilo history over Li-it's baye-baye and Coffeebreak's green tea frappe ...

An unlikely combination indeed but it was more than these gastronomic delights that made today another not-so-ordinary day. For three weeks in a row, I had been (sort of) a local tour guide in and around Iloilo City. First it was for a former officemate and wife, then for someone who needed sometime to make "muni-muni" (lol) and today for a backpacking couple who had an early Visita Iglesia (lol). The last two are from a PinoyExchange forum thread about Iloilo whom I sort of made my own (around 50% of the posts are mine-lol)

Anyway, we met a place likely most tourist should visit when in Iloilo City, Deco's Pasalubong Shop at La Salette building. After brief introductions, we then proceed to Jaro (to continue their Visita Iglesia) for some photo ops of the landmarks of this heritage district, it's cathedral, belfry and the image of Nuestra Senora de la Candelaria among others.We then took a jeepney all the way to the town Pavia to have another church visit. This town is famous (not only because of it being the hardest hit by Typhoon Frank more than a year ago nor with the never ending word-war between it's mayor, Arcadio Gorriceta, and Tesda Chair Augusto "Buboy" Syjuco) for a rice-based native delicacy called baye-baye. In fact numerous baye-baye stalls line up the highway to/from the airport.

So it would not seem right to pass over this sgnature native delicacy when you're in town - as they say. So we trooped to one of the more famous baye-baye makers, Li-it's. It was also my first time to actually be there (I just acted confident in front of them hiding the fact that I asked a friendly sari sari store owner where the place was - lol). I bought 20 pieces of Li-it's special baye baye; for them to taste this native Ilonggo delicacy and for me to, what else, blog about separately (soon).

Our last stop was Sta. Barbara, though, nothing on the gastronomy side. It was a more on the history and the landmarks of my hometown. Lucky that day that the gigantic flag was waving at us (thanks to the Congressional District Sports Association? meet that ended today), it was a fitiing start of our tour. Then we toured the historic Sta. Barbara church inside-out, the site of the Cry of Sta. Barbara that eventually led to the first flag raising outside Luzon. This historic event will be again commemorated this coming Nov.17.

Our historic tour ended at another landmark, the oldest golf course in the Philippines (and they also say in Southeast Asia) - Iloilo Golf and Country Club. We were only limited near the Club house since it was "play day". We don't want to get hit by the golf balls flying around. There was also some sort of political happening since some big name politicos were there.)

Then we headed to the Iloilo Airport but it was still early for them to check in so we passed time at Coffeebreak (with my ever present order of "green tea frappe without cream please!") mostly talking about their 4 days & 3nights Negros-Guimaras and Iloilo adventures and more (NGI! - lol).

As usual it all ended with everyone tired yet satisfied not only with the gastronomic delights but also of the historic, religious and cultural landmarks Iloilo has to offer (reluctant) tourists. As we all say Iloilo offers 3F's to tourists and locals alike :

Faith - with it's churches among others,

Festivals - with Dinagyang at the helm and of course

Food - need I say more?

And by the way a 4th F is inevitable and that is for Friendship which this three straight weeks of being a "guide" has gained me. So who's next? :)

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 cooking weed called Lupo

Lupo is a weed that is commonly found in ricefields and roadside in provinces. It is most prevalent in Ilonggo cooking compared to others as it is mostly the Ilonggos who can recognize lupo , though maybe called differently in other places. Most commonly used in laswa or monggo dishes to add greens like kamote tops, it also makes a good partner in sinabawan na isda recipes. It has hints of bitterness but don't expect it to be ampalaya-bitter like. It is mostly sold in wet local wet markets by the tumpok .

FLAVOURS OF ILOILO

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