FLAVOURS OF ILOILO

Ironic as it may seem but this Ilonggo native delicacy is called suman latik . Now where's the irony? Well, for the Ilonggos, suman  usually refers to sticky rice cooked in coconut cream and sugar and topped with coconut. It is more commonly called as biko especially in Luzon. Then suman ,     elsewhere refers to plain sticky rice wrapped in coconut leaves, cooked in coconut milk - which the Ilonggos usually refer to as ibos . Best partnered with muscovado sugar, tsokolate or ripe mango. Going back to suman latik,  it is made with suman (but not in the Ilonggo context) then topped with latik , which is coconut strips cooked in sugar and coconut milk which Ilonggos mostly refer to as bukayo; and wrapped in banana leaves . So in the end the popular Ilonggo delicacy which is suman latik , when taken into the Ilonggos context for each word may actually be lost in gastronomic translation. But who cares, as long as it tastes like the one we grew up with, it will stil...

I was in Davao City exactly this day a year ago, to be part of Unilever Food Solutions' Sooo Pinoy Food Trip . The goal of the Food Trip is to show that Filipino dishes per region have different identities based on the culture, lifestyle and history of the area.  The Food Trip also aims to show that there are many Filipino recipes from different regions of the Philippines, each having its own specialty that has to be recognized for the unique flavor it adds to the Filipino Cuisine. Lots of goodies at Lola Abon's As our eatinerary for the day begins late in the morning, we made use of the spare time doing our pasalubong shopping at Lola Abon’s. Among the most popular durian candy makers in Davao, this business started in 1948 when Abondia del Puerto Raakin made some pastillas de leche. When her sukis suggested putting some flavour to them, she thought of durian being abundant in Davao, thus the durian candy making business was born. In no time at all I filled my basket w...

I was in Davao City exactly this day a year ago, to be part of Unilever Food Solutions' Sooo Pinoy Food Trip . The goal of the Food Trip is to show that Filipino dishes per region have different identities based on the culture, lifestyle and history of the area.  The Food Trip also aims to show that there are many Filipino recipes from different regions of the Philippines, each having its own specialty that has to be recognized for the unique flavor it adds to the Filipino Cuisine. PATOK SA MANOK The promise of  sand, sea and surf, perked us all up on our third day of discovering Davao gastronomy. And it started with a break”feast” at Patok sa Manok – makers of Davao’s original Lechon Manok . I was expecting another grill type restaurant – smoky and al fresco. But seeing a nicely interiored food place with air-conditioning and big function rooms – a déjà vu of “being in the wrong place again”. But we weren’t, the mismatch just occurred in my thoughts that w...

It was yet another rediscovery the moment I stepped inside Deocampo Barquillos’ newly renovated pasalubong shop in Jaro weeks ago. The place was very touristy and was both eye catching and stomach grumbling. Everywhere one may lay his eyes upon its all goodies – barquillos, biscocho, galletas, pasencia, butterscotch, pinasugbo and a whole lot more. But the one item that really stood out was their sio pao . I’ve tried this before and dismissed it as just “one of those sio paos….” It was the fact that it had potato as extenders and a bit dry. My impression remained that way since then since most of the time it was just a take out and stood hours inside the fridge. But fate brought me one day to try their sio pao “fresh from the steamer” and the memories I had before were instantly erased. I had a warm sio pao with a “bun” texture I prefer – sort of “gummy” on the outside yet soft inside. More surprises came when I cut it in half and revealed a very filled sio pao. Pure pork meat - ...

I was in Davao City exactly this day a year ago, to be part of Unilever Food Solutions' Sooo Pinoy Food Trip. The goal of the Food Trip is to show that Filipino dishes per region have different identities based on the culture, lifestyle and history of the area.  The Food Trip also aims to show that there are many Filipino recipes from different regions of the Philippines, each having its own specialty that has to be recognized for the unique flavor it adds to the Filipino Cuisine. Our second day of nothing but food trip started with us appearing on a local morning show featuring our food trip the day before. It was a prelude to another gastronomic day as we were scheduled to have at least 6 restaurants for the day. Read more about our Sooo Pinoy Food Trip in Davao City Day 2 . PROBINSYA BUFFET RESTAURANT Buffets form part a large of the Davao gastronomic scene and I had my first at Probinsya serving Balbacua (a gingery version of the Ilonggo pata), Kare-kare, Lech...

Before I went home today, I passed by Short Stop bakery and blindedly ordered 20pcs of pan de leche . Then I saw this lukon or prawn shaped bread in the display and without much thought ordered one. Good thing it was only PhP20, if it would have been PhP 30 I would really some have some second thoughts.  So I went home eager to devour a gigantic prawn and her eggs.  I'm not stranger to these types of novelty bread as I have blogged them here and here before. But what made me overly "excited" about this lukon-shaped bread is that is has leveled up in the way it looked and the size - I'm sure you will agree 100% if you checked my links above. And the bakery staff confirmed that they have a new baker thus it renewed enthusiasm in making such novelty bread. As it tastes like any of the bakery's breads - the body tastes like the usual pan de leche (but the "eggs"  pan de leche were way better) and the extremities were almost like stick breads a...

I was in Davao City exactly this day a year ago, to be part of Unilever Food Solutions'  Sooo Pinoy Food Trip . The goal of the Food Trip is to show that Filipino dishes per region have different identities based on the culture, lifestyle and history of the area.  The Food Trip also aims to show that there are many Filipino recipes from different regions of the Philippines, each having its own specialty that has to be recognized for the unique flavor it adds to the Filipino Cuisine. On this day in 2012, it was my first time to set foot in Davao City and it was gastronomically overwhelming. We stayed at Microtel Inn and Suites, had a courtesy call with Mayor Inday Sarah Duterte and went around Davao with just one goal in mind - food! Read more about our  Sooo Pinoy Food Trip in Davao City Day 1 . DENCIO'S KAMAYAN My gastronomic baptism on Davao cuisine started with the grilled specialties of Dencio's Kamayan. We satisfied ourselves with the perfectly cha...