Iloilo Supermart: Opening with a big bang in Villa

I was invited to the grand opening of Iloilo Supermart Villa last Friday Oct. 15, 2010 but I wasn’t able to attend. Good thing my friend Waffy was able to be there and seeing these pictures, I am now somewhat am regretting not giving effort to attend such momentous event.

Iloilo Supermart Villa is the 6th branch of this proudly Ilonggo grocery chain that is fast becoming a foodie stop and mini mall as more locators establish their food businesses alongside this grocery chain. To name a few, Iloilo Supermart – Villa has Coffeebreak, Waffle Time, Rice n’ More and Tinapayan.

Foodies can now enjoy a delicious gastronomic experience with the opening of Iloilo Supermart – Villa last Oct. 15, 2010. Aside from the grocery, IS-Villa hosts Coffeebreak, Waffle Time, Rice n’ More, and Tinapayan.

When you’re looking for the perfect break snack, be delighted with the specially-prepared yummy waffles by Waffle Time. Delicious and unforgettable, the waffles are available in such exciting flavors as the favorite, American Hotdog, German Cheese Franks, Ham & Cheese, Tuna Salad, Cheese Delight, and a lot more.

Hurrying for lunch? Try something mouth-watering and affordable and make that quick stop at Rice n’ More, a fantastic rice toppings food kiosk that captures the growing market for affordable to-go food. It boasts fast rice meal and wraps preparation with a variety of sauces to choose from.

Students and coffee lovers at Villa will rush with excitement to Coffeebreak, a first-rate gourmet coffee company which offers a wide selection of delightful coffee beverages, relaxing teas, tempting cakes, pasta, and pastries.

And take home the quality goodness of the baked goodies from Tinapayan. Choose from its wide array of breads, pastries, cakes, dessert bars and slices and a whole lot more. Quality this good comes at a very reasonable price so you can have more. So, whether at lunch, snack, coffee time or something to bring home, make your day truly special by making that terrific stop at Waffle Time, Rice n’ More, Coffeebreak and Tinapayan at the newest branch of Iloilo Supermart in Villa.

Photos courtesy of Waffy Torotot

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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