The district Jaro, Iloilo celebrates biggest fiesta in the region characterized by the pageantry and the grandeur of the occasion paying homage to Nuestra Señora de la Candelaria, the patron saint of Western Visayas. Every February 2, all roads lead to Jaro as Ilonggos celebrate the feast of Our Lady of Candles in different aspects - religious, gastronomic, enterprising, and more. (For) As early as December the Jaro Plaza is teeming with the Jaro Grand Carnival with activities like carnival games, food stalls, fruit stands and ukay-ukay, among others. It culminates on fiesta day with the coronation of the Fiesta Queen, chosen among the lasses of Jaro families.
For the second straight year, I was at the Jamerlan household (thanks Sir Eugene) to celebrate the gastronomic part of the Jaro Fiesta. And just looking at the spread alone, it is indeed a grand way of celebrating the fiesta with one of the prominent Jareño families.
And the gastronomic journey started with these appetizing fresh lumpia - nice blend of spices in the filling, all wrapped up in a thin and almost melts in your mouth wrapper.
The German guests were intrigued with these puto manapla that it was among the first items they picked up. Maybe it was the contrasting green and white color of these native delicacies that got their attention - most probably "Walang ganyan sa Germany".
They were told that these were rice cakes wrapped in banan leaves and is eaten with Dinugu-an which comes free with the order of lechon from Erning's. I had no idea whether they took their chances of having dinugu-an with the puto, though.
Not to be "outdone", the lechon meat was so delicious - even just by the looks and aroma of it. Juicy and full of flavour even without the dip - you can taste the real goodness and "freshness" of the pork without the "interference" of so many spices and herbs. And it's the way I love it - naga-uyog-uyog - "swaying to the beat"!
And of course, it won't be a typical Ilonggo fiesta without the "occasional" Ilonggo delicacy - valenciana. Served in almost all Ilonggo events and occasions (thus my terming it as "occasional"), valenciana is among the most popular and most missed Ilonggo dish especially those living abroad. A complete meal in itself having the Go,Grow, Glow food groups in just one bite!
Another delectable Ilonggo dish that appeared on the Jamerlan Fiesta fare was the Pancit Molo - and there's no better than Kapitan Ising's Pancit Molo. The aroma along can already make you feel you've tasted it since it smells rich and delicious. Of course, Kapitan Ising has been doing this for years and they are really from Molo.
The broth has a rich taste of shrimps - essential part of the soup, and the pancit molo balls - tamed yet flavourful meat filling and home-made Molo wrapper that's still intact even after minutes or even hours of floating on the broth. The secret they say is the balls are steamed and just placed in the serving bowl when it it ready to be served (not to be boiled in the soup.)
How about some Pancit Efuven? It is another tatak Ilonggo noodle that is slowly but surelt making its mark in the local food scene. It's a flat noodle that is used like pancit canton and bihon - dry to saucy pancit dishes with meats and vegetables. What sets this apart is how the noodle tastes neutral - it just absorbs the tastes of the ingredients and enhances the whole pancit dish.
We also had pangat, it is sort like the laing of the Bicolanos. After all it utilizes gabi leaves as wraps with the pork and other ingredients wrapped inside. It is then tied into squares then boiled in coconut milk.
Here's one you don't usually find during a typical fiesta. It is kaldereta, alright, but its not pork, beef nor goat, its karnero or sheep/lamb. As far as I know the Jamerlans have sheeps wandering in their farm and also the ones grazing the front lawn of the Nelly Garden Mansion.
It was indeed a feast, a very BIG feast, reflecting the gastronomic grandeur of Jaro and 'til we eat again next year for the annual Jaro Fiesta!
