The day everything went PURPLE

Everything was set in purple - the church, flowers, suits, cakes, bridal car, etc for it was the most unforgettable day in the lives of Arvi and Edward.

The flowers and trimmings reflect the brides passion for the color of royalty.

Arvi arrives in a purple bridal car ....

She dons a head-turning purple gown which her mom specially designed and Edward sports a purple bow tie complementing the suit that almost has the shade of dark purple.

And after all the ceremonies and the smooching in the church it was time for the purple brigade to invade the reception.

The Venue Function Rooms served as the gastronomic kingdom for the royal couple was all garbed with the color of the day.

And the centerpiece was the three tiered and cupcakes-galored purple and white wedding cake which Tinapayan specially made for the newly weds.

And I didn't waste time to capture this "royal cake" in all its purple glory while everybody was waiting for the couples grand purple entrance.

With purple and white butterflies and flowers it was like a royal oasis and I almost took one away just for a taste test.

Still in their purple glory the newlyweds had their first dance as a couple and while Edward was looking at Arvi's tummy which will eventually become a vessel for Edward Jr.'s or little Miss Arvi's.

Then it was time for the ceremonial slicing of the cake (hurry up, please) ...

And I finally tasted the one food I've been dreaming all day - the cupcakes! Sure enough, they were as good as they should be!

With these herbs as the wedding giveaways it was time for us to give them our Best Wishes

- health, wealth and happiness,

- little Eds and Arvi's very soon (as in now na!)

- and togetherness through thick and thin (literally LOL)

But my personal wish ...

I wish I ate more cupcakes and took home some to share LOL

Best Wishes Arvi and Edward!

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 (

One bruschetta afternoon at Marco Polo Plaza Cebu

On my third trip to Cebu City this year, I was with friends and we mostly discovered the gastronomic delights of the Queen City of the South. From the famous lechon and other native dishes at CNT Lechon and the barbecue galore at Larsian (missing those grilled choriso) to the lure of Brian's Ribs at Casa Verde and the sophistication of the wines and croissants at La Vie Parisienne - it was a trip with food written all over it. And of course, any of my trips to Cebu with be incomplete without visiting Marco Polo Plaza Cebu. Be it an afternoon enjoying their Pizza Burger at El Viento , a morning treat of their signature (Christmas) Ensaimada , indulging with my (and everybody's) favorite - Malicious Cookies or simply eating my heart out at the buffet stations at Cafe Marco. A regular buffet or a themed one like the Swiss Alpine Festival Buffet - doesn't matter since its all delicious 'til the last bit and morsel. Cafe Marco Its was mid-afternoon w

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.

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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