Special PBA cupcakes from Tinapayan

One of the gastronomical highlights of the Philippine Blog Awards Visayas 2010 was this wonderful logo cupcakes courtesy of Tinapayan Bakeshop. It was two days before the event when we casually met with the owner of the bakeshop who surprised us with her plans for the awards nights. Though I have seen these type of cupcakes in the bakeshop, I haven't really though it would come out this good. To think, they just based in on the poster we made for the event.

It proved to be another photo op for the attendees as most bloggers waited for their turn to have their pictures taken with the cake. No one dared to touch even an icing in fear of protest from those who haven't had their photo ops. The honour was reserved for Juned Sonido, President of the Philippine Blog Awards, who got the first cupcake and had the first taste of the "success" of the Iloilo leg of the PBA.

Admittedly I had doubts whether they would taste as good as they looked like since I haven't tried Tinapayan's cupcakes (I'm not event sure if they are commercially available) but when the VIPs themselves said that they were very good, I sighed with relief! Oh me of little faith in Tinapayan! - lol

Then everybody got a cupcake that eventually "destroyed" this work of art but it was a minor "destruction" compared to what I've done (together with someone I just know based on looks). We "pierced" the cake by getting cupcakes in the center of it - I got the one with the star on it.

It was then the secret was revealed that, obviously it had two layers of icing, a white base (on top of the cupcakes) to make it easier to design the top layer with the Philippine flag motif. Even without the icing, the cupcakes were really good. Soft and delicious, even after being inside the fridge (we took home boxes), they were still yummy even the day after.

These cupcakes echoed the success of the two events we had that time, though there is still a big room for improvement. But at least we know that whatever our next events would be, we can count on something surprisingly good from Tinapayan.

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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