FLAVOURS OF ILOILO

Tinapayan Bakeshop brings cheers to the Ilonggos with their Easter 2013 line up of delectable goodies. Gone are the traditional Easter eggs and in place are the Easter Chicks made from chocolates. Specially wrapped as if just hatched these will surely bring a smile to both the young ones and young once.  There are also chocolate Chickens to guide these chicks! But the bunnies are still in the Easter picture as they come in (milk) Choco Rabbits that will make you hop with satisfaction! And how about some mini cakes with the bunnies tempting you with their poses on top of the buttercream- iced cakes. Now whatcha waiting for? Hop to the nearest Tinapayan Bakeshop and enjoy these Easter offerings. Choc-O-Doodle Doo! Check all these Easter goodies at Tinapayan Bakeshop  located at Iloilo Supermart at The Atrium, Mary Mart Mall, Villa-Arevalo, Mandurriao, Molo and Tabuc-Suba Jaro. 

The "fiery" month of March had me start with a breakfast at the Rosend Mejica Museum in Balaurte in Molo. It was in celebration of the 150th Birth Anniversary of the Father of Ilonggo Printing Industry - Rosendo Mejica. At the same time, it was for the forthcoming 100th anniversary of Makinaugalingon Printers, in 2 months.  It was my first time to set foot inside the museum though I passed by the area many times and it was an area near my Lola's house which was just a few steps across the street.  Opened as a museum in 1998, the 19th century wooden residence also houses early 20th century printing machinery. The fact is, these equipment are part of the oldest printing press in Iloilo, the Makinaugalingon Press . Started in May 1, 1913 by Rosendo Mejica (1873-1956), original printing machines such as the minerva, letterpress, proof press, edger and cutter are evidently still functional in this 21st century. These machines were built to last.  Aside from the

Semana Santa in Santa Barbara, Iloilo, just like in many other towns across the Philippines is marked with spiritual and cultural activities. It starts on Palm Sunday with the blessing of the palaspas marked by the palaspas-making contest. Religious activities like Visita Iglesia, Last Supper re-enactment, Via Crucis, Veneration of the Cross and Santo Entierro Procession, among others keep the pre dominantly Roman Catholic Santa Barbaranhons occupied during the last four days of the Holy Week. But Semana Santa in Santa Barbara is one that also plays on a gastronomical note as the townsfolk indulge in the ultimate Lenten food offering - bingka . I grew up associating Lent with bingka and vice versa. I remember going to the plaza as a kid so that we can do some " pamingka " - that is having a picnic in the plaza eating nothing but bingka . It's been like this since time immemorial, that this year the Santa Barbara Municipal Tourism Office gathered the manug-bingk

In time for Dinagyang a few years ago, Bauhinia Filipino Cuisine launched more than 20 dishes that would make up  it Ilonggo Specialties menu dubbed as "Aton Guid Ini". With the themesong of Iloilo Supermart playing in my head right now, I remember that one gastronomic evening filled with homegrown dishes as we had our first look of this 22-dish menu . It was a galore of Ilonggo specialty recipes we had to taste that night and a few days ago I was back again at Bauhinia to reconnect my tastes buds with these delectable offerings For starters, Bauhinia serves Adobo Peanuts but the Senyorita I was with loves the popcorn from the adjacent Mojave Grill and Steak House, so my other companion the  Madame , made sure of it. The Madame , really loves the order that arrived first on the table - Adobo Ilonggo . It was Pork and Chicken Adobo in achuete oil. Savoury in every bite, it was the sauce that  made it irresistible that most of the time, I saw Madame  mix it with r

Celebrate Easter with a load of fun and excitement at The Avenue! On March 31, Easter Sunday, bring your kids at the parking lot of the popular Avenue Complex for a string of activities that will surely thrill your kids and make the occasion an enjoyable day!  The Avenue will prepare a lot of treats for participating children. Your kids will enjoy a bunch of Easter parlor games, cupcake decorating, easter art making, and of course the fun, fun Easter EGG HUNT! Get an invitation if you dine at Bauhinia, Amalfi, Mojave, Bourbon Street or Nothing but Desserts anytime until March 27, 2013.  For reservation and/or confirmation of attendance, call The Venue Function at 501-6262 or txt 09228803894 or 09328507496 (The Avenue Complex is located at Glicerio Pison Avenue, (Smallville) Mandurriao, Iloilo City) /press release

Special QR CODE cupcakes from Tinapayan bakeshop TOURISTS visiting Iloilo now have a handy guide to places to go and things to try as Philippine telecommunications leader Smart Communications, Inc. and new media startup InnoPub Media unveiled its digital tourism program in the province.  Special markers containing QR or quick response codes have been placed in select heritage and tourism areas in Iloilo. When scanned with a phone or tablet, the QR codes trigger the download of information about the tourism site. To be able to download information, however, the gadget needs to be connected to the Internet and have a QR code scanner, which can be downloaded for free in the phone’s application market. The program also includes a mobile guide to Iloilo, which contains a listing of places to go and things to try as well as important contact numbers. The guide can be accessed via phone scanning of special posters and standees at the airport, Iloilo City Gallery and various