12 Gifts for Christmas

Ilonggos are surely busy preparing for the holidays - where to bring the family for some treats, what’s on the menu for the Noche Buena and what gifts to buy and which goes to whom – the never ending questions of the holiday rush. And you should already have answers to these for Christmas is just around the corner. But don’t fret if you haven’t for I’ll be listing down of my personal favorites as well as the “IN” gastronomic gifts and giveaways for the Yuletide season.

DULGIES' ALFAJORES AND RASPBERRY CHEESECAKE SATINE. Make an impression with these insanely delicious one-of-a-kind cookie treats. The former is a Dulce de Leche filled short bread cookie smothered with confectioner’s sugar while the latter tastes as good as a real cheesecake! (PhP 190/20pieces and PhP160/dozen respectively). Don't forget their heavenly cheeseroll and ensaimada too!

THE CHOCOLATIEST CHOCOLATE CAKE. There are many good tasting chocolate cakes in the city but only Uncle Tom’s could claim being the “chocolatiest”. With a cake that’s all moist and full of real chocolate goodness plus an extra super thick chocolate icing - what more can you ask for? (PhP 150).

UBE HALAYA AND LECHE FLAN. It’s one secret I am willing to give away since sharing is the essence of the season. Rich and creamy, the Ube Halaya can almost be mistaken as ice cream and the Leche Flan is the way it should be – smooth and sweetness is just right (PhP100 each. Call or text Ninen Guyod 0930-218-4384.)

MARIDEL'S SNICKER'S PIE . Forget the chocolate bar and experience indulgence in this melange of assorted nuts, soft nougat and rich chocolate. Among the best sellers at Maridel’s Desserts and Pastries at Plazuela, this pie gives life to the popular choco bar. (PhP830/whole cake)

CHEWIES AND CRUNCHIES. With assorted cookie variants that comes as chewies or crunchies and made with peanuts, pinipig, mango, tsokolate, cashew or combinations, these eye catching boxful of gourmet treats from Mama’s Kitchen will certainly bring colour and flavour to the season. (From PhP90-120)

UBE BRAZO DE MERCEDES. It’s hidden in plain sight among the breads and pastries of Lapaz Bakeshop in Tienda Lapaz. An offshoot from the traditional Brazo de Mercedes, this one has ube haleya filling embraced by an ube hued egg white meringue mix topped with powdered milk. It’s one ube-riffic treat that will surely be a big hit!(PhP22.50/slice)

ASSORTED MINI BUNS. The list seems endless at Daily Buns - pork floss, cheese-pesto, garlic parmesan, pepperoni with cheese, chicken pesto with walnuts, ham and cheese, tuna, ube, mango, coffee, chocolate bun and a lot more. Don’t’ forget to add some Food for the Gods!

TABLEA, BATIROL AND TSOKOLATERA.What’s more desirable than a cup of hot drink to beat the cold December morn? A “Tsokolate Experience”set sold at the Camiña Balay nga Bato in Arevalo is a must buy. It comes with a tablea, batirol and tsokolatera for a good native chocolate treat. (From PhP1,100-1,300. Call 336-3858 or 336-5075)

BOTTLED GOURMET GOODIES. Afrique’s recently launched its range of bottled goodies – all in a stylish bottle perfect as gifts or giveaways for the holidays. Take your pick from Labahita in Oliva, Chorizo Cheese Spread, Adobo Cheese Spread, Smoked Bangus Spread and Quezo de bola Tartufo. (From PhP250-345 each.)

SPECIAL ENSAIMADA. These top of the line ensaymada from Bluejay Coffee not only is a good partner for a cup of coffee but makes perfect giveaways or presents for the holidays. Beat the rush for they usually are sold out! (PhP40 each)

SUPER GOOEY CARAMEL PIE. A home-made specialty from Amular Photography and Café at Plazuela de Iloilomade with a Graham base smothered with very generous amount rich and gooey caramel. It’s the sweetest gift you can give this Christmas, literally. (PhP450/order)

TINAPAYAN CHRISTMAS DELIGHTS. Bring out the child in you or your loved ones and give them this exceptional treat – a Gingerbread House! And indulge in the rich and mildly intoxicating goodness of the Dark Fruit Cake made with high quality fruits, nuts and wine. These are just among the many of Tinapayan’s Christmas Delights for 2011 (PhP895 and PhP450 respectively)

An edited version of this blogpost was published in my column

FLAVORS on THE NEWS TODAY Dec. 16, 2011.

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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