A galore of native delicacies for Pista Minatay/Undas

Chances are, you might already be munching and enjoying a lot of native delicacies in your province as today, Nov. 1 is when most Filipinos go visit their dead in cemeteries despite the fact that it's actually All Saint's Day and All Soul's Day is still a sleep away. It's an unexplained tradition why the mix up just like why native delicacies are the staples of the season.

Some say it's Filipinizing the Halloween that instead of candies and other treats, we have these native delicacies to share. they say it started in the rural areas, with the abundance of rice and coconuts, make these kakanin's the staple. And that this tradition may have caught up with the urbanites who at some point of their lives have took part of this traditon, adapted it in the big city.

Whatever the case or occasion maybe, these native delicacies are always anticipated as it brings back not only the the taste memories one had in his younger years but they are really good eats in the first place. One of my personal favorite is suman latik [topmost photo] where its glutinous rice and coconut milk is cooked wrapped in banana leaves. But its the latik [sweetened coco strips] that often serves as "cherry on top", literal and figurative, as it creates a sweet note on the native treat.

Then there's suman [2nd from top] which Tagalogs call as biko. A delicious treat of glutinous rice oiled in coconut milk and muscovado sugar with calamansi and vanilla giving some taste and aroma dimensions. Then there's ibos which is the suman of the Tagalogs and often partnered with ripe mango, native chocolate or just plain sugar, whether refined or muscovado. But Ilonggos would always recommend their ultimate native delicacy which is baye baye, above.

Made from ground toasted glutinous rice with coconut and sugar, its among the must taste local delicacy when in the region of the Ilonggos which is Western Visayas. A delicacy centered in the Cabugao Sur areas of Sta. Barbara and Pavia, Iloilo. But there's another variety made with corn, above from the southern towns like Miag ao and San Joaquin.

A not so popular native delicacy for the Ilonggos is ube halaya. Made with purple ube mixed with a lot of dairy, this is usually served together with halo halo. Also called ube jam, thus it takes the "nativity" [being native that is].

There's more native delicacies to choose from like muasi or palitaw, alupe that is made from cassava, aripahol or puto lanson, and maybe bibingka which knows no time in my opinion. And what's good is that they are now as convenient as modern treats as they only now found in the markets but in the malls as well. Like Sabor Ilonggo, which has almost 50 native treats to choose from and many branches conveniently located in most malls.

But nothing comes close to home made delicacies despite the tedious preparations and processes involved. A labour of love in remembrance of the dead for the gastronomic satisfaction of those still living and remembering them.

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FLAVOURS OF ILOILO

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