Coffee Seminar at La Roasteria in Molo

It was caffeine overload that day and I literally almost woke up and smelled the coffee. La Roasteria hosted a whole-day coffee seminar yesterday and we ended up making our very own espresso from scratch.

The smell of freshly roasted coffee beans was everywhere and it perked up our senses even more for us to appreciate the coffee connoisseurs brought in by Mr Bodi Mijares - master roaster and owner of La Roasteria.

Lanz Mirondo Jr. (above) Lanz P. Mirondo Jr. was the 2009 Grand Barista Cup National Champion and represented the Philippines in the 2nd Asia Barista Championship. He was a finalist in the Greenfields Latte Art Challenge at the Singapore National Barista Championship in 2011. Currently Lanz is the head barista at 40 Hands Coffee in Singapore.

Kevin Israel Fortu is the 2013 Philippine Barista Champion and is the barista of The Curator, the newest third-wave coffeeshop in Makati. He will represented the Philippines in the 2013 World Barista Championships in Melbourne, Australia and just recently in Milan, Italy for WBC Expo.

The invitation only seminar was an informal gathering of coffee enthusiasts and had us experience cupping of four single origin Philippine Arabica coffees. It also showcased different brewing methods as well techniques for espresso, cappuccino and latte art. A public micro workshop was held later that day at Caffe Itallianni at Robinson's Place Iloilo.

Lanz explaining how the time element affects the smell and taste of coffee

Freshly roasted coffee beans on display

Kevin demonstrating different brewing techniques

A hands-on experience was offered for the latte art and espresso making.

Freshly ground coffee ...

... must be tightly packed ...

... in order to have an even flow of boiling water ...

... in order to have a great tasting ...

... espresso!

Coffee connoisseurs Bodi Mijares (left), Kevin Israel Fortu and Lanz Mirondo Jr.

La Roasteria Specialty Coffee are available to go at their shop in Fundidor in Molo and at Iloilo Supermart at The Atrium. For details call Bodi Mijares @ 0908-878-7988 or 0999-887-7990 or visit La Roasteria on at Facebook.

More Photos on Flavours of Iloilo on Facebook.

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 (

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.

Batwan

Ilonggos know batwan or batuan by heart as the fruit is almost endemic to the Western Visayas. Its scientific name is Garcinia binucao, derived from the Tagalog name for the fruit, binukaw. It is a large green fruit with large seeds and its a favorite souring ingredient in most Ilonggo dishes especially KBL or kadyos, baboy, langka and the Ilonggo-style paksiw known as "pinamalhan". It is characterized by a tamed sourness compared to tamarind and kamias . The fruit is sold by pieces or kilo in wet markets and even big grocery stores. Batwan is the preferred souring ingredients for the Ilonggo favorite- KBL. The photo shows boiled batwan with skin and without skin (right) A favorite riddle when we were young - "Among the many fruits in the forest, but one (batuan) is the best. What is it?"

A native (foods) welcome in Guimaras

Even after having breakfast less than an hour that time, we couldn't say no to this lot of native delciacies that welcomed us in Guimaras. First and foremost, Guimaras best known produce is their sweet mango famous almost worldwide. And it comes with it's best partner, ibos. This brown baye-baye variety is made from toasted rice thus giving it a more disctinct flavour compared to it's more "caucasian" cousin. I like the one wrapped in banana leaves compared with the one in plastic for it gives it a more native feel. So when you're in Guimaras, be sure to check out the markets for these native delicacies that can make your trip more gastronomically satisfying.

FLAVOURS OF ILOILO

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