Perfect Christmas giveaway from Afrique's - Labahita in Oliva and more

Two Sundays ago, I got samples of Afriques' latest offering - Labahita in Oliva, which is among the special goodies collection Chef Miguel Cordova has released in time for the upcoming season of gift giving. Indeed, Christmas is just around the corner and if you're a gourmand then this is something you'd likely to be interested in.

I chanced upon Chef Miguel at Esca's Garden Restaurant finalizing his concoction which is made with dried and salted labahita fish (can't be sure if it's what locals call as lison - that big type of pinakas one sees at the markets), garlic, peppercorns, bay leaves and chili flakes among others, all drowned in quality olive oil. (Sorry for the candid shot, Chef).

From the looks of it with this angle, it looks like pork adobo swimming in oil since it has big chunks of labahita and flakes at the same time. the aroma of the olive oil is very evident plus with the spices and herbs mixed into it, the smell alone is enough reason to raise curiousity that would end up into craving.

Now, I have to "blame" Chef Miguel since he ruined my planned diet (lol) since even the herb and spices infused olive oil packs in the flavour with a subtle hint of saltiness of the labahita. It's the flakes that I always get first since they easily mix well with rice and I save the chunks for the indulgent last bites. Just like most Spanish style bottled fishes, this Labahita in Oliva gives every bite a lingering taste of the of olive oil mix and the salted and dried labahita gives a better texture and taste.

And I just made a Labahita con Oliva Pasta and it tastes so good. In fact, I'll be making a bigger batch very soon.

And did I mention that it comes in a stylish bottle that makes it a perfect Christmas gift of giveaway or even a nice pasalubong with a brand that is popular in Iloilo City. Each bottle costs Php250 and also included in the Afrique's bottled goodies selection are the Chorizo and Cheese Spread (PhP285), Adobo Cheese Spread (285), Smoked Bangus Spread (PhP250) and Quezo de Bola Tartufo (PhP345). Now a perfect lineup of giveaways this Yuletide season!

These goodies are available at Afrique's Restaurants in Castilla Street in Jaro (509-2811), Robinson's Place (336-3421), Valeria Street (509-6092) and Smallville (509-4900) plus at Esca's Grden Restaurant in Aurora Subdivision ( 3383477)

An Ilonggo favorite - Valenciana

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Easy Century Tuna Recipes

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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.

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