FLAVOURS OF ILOILO

Filipinos have embraced the Chinese tradition of having a bounty of fruits to welcome the New year. Whether it's a dozen representing each month a year or 13 fruits (the extra one for the 1st month of the next New Year), the tradition continues as Pinoys scramble to look for these fruits for the belief it will bring good luck in the coming New Year. So in this tradition I will end 2014 and start 2015 with the bounty of fruits - that made 2014 another very fruitful year in blogging and hoping 2015 will be as bountiful or even more. BUKO From salads,  halo-halo  and  shakes  to chicken binakol  and native delicacies like linugaw , buko/niyog/coconut will always be an essential ingredient of Filipino cuisine. PERSIMMON I just had my first bite of persimmon a few days (available at Iloilo Supermart) and it tasted like a hard gelatinzed star apple or kaymito . CHICO We used to have five native chico trees in our yard and only one remains - but...

Until now, I just can stop savoring this very addicting treat. I chanced upon this while doing a last minute "Holiday" grocery shopping at Iloilo Supermart at The Atrium. It was just in one corner together with many other treats but the "Mango Marshmallows" got my attention. Curious what this would taste like, I grabbed two packs ( now i wished I grabded 2 dozens) and some others too like gummy bears, orange slices and gummy worms among others. It was like those candy stands wherein you weigh the candies of your choice and you pay by the gram/s or piece. But this one, its already packed and they were only Php22 each  I lost count how many mallows were there, though I estimate it to be around 25 or more. I just couldn't count every time I pop one mallow since the deliciously mango taste and aroma just gets into me - totally distracting. But next time, i won'e be distracted for I will buy more than enough packs for me to totally indulge in and enjoy...

Christmas comes only once a year so better make the most out of it. Parties there, reunions here - 'tis the time of the year when everybody temporarily forgets the word DIET. And chances are, there will be more than enough lechon baboy after every party and reunion. So its time for another Left-over Lechon Recipe and this time its a very simple one - Nilagang Lechon with green papaya and pechay. Just by looking at this, all you have to do is add some vegetables of choice to the leftover lechon. The skin is a must - if its good crisp and crunchy, there's also something delicious sipping some soup together with it.  This recipe is very simple, just boil leftover lechon with green papaya. No need for more seasoning - let the natural juices of the lechon flavor the broth. When the papaya is cooked, just add pechay leaves. Isn't that quick and easy? Extra rice please!

A perfect appetizer or snack, dilis cooked sweet and spicy often are in the market or bus stops as quick relief from hunger. But most often than not, it makes more hungry as the play of flavors tend to make you eat more than yo usually do. Now, that's really an Appetizer - with a capital A! I often experimented with this snack based on the taste memories I had of my last sweet and spicy dilis snack. Good thing, balingon or dilis is always available inside the fridge and so as the other ingredients. And making one is very simple, just frying and mixing - it's really that easy. So here's my very simple recipe which you can tweak to adjust to your own taste. I don't usually put in the measurement for most of the time I just thrown in what ever there is and adjust it during the process. Ingredients Dilis Sugar Catsup and/or Sweeet & Chili Sauce Chili Powder Oil Procedure Place oil in a pan and when the oil it hot, lower the flame and fry the dil...

Two Christmases ago it was the Mango Pavlova  from Tinapayan Bakeshop that became the most popular Noche Buena centerpiece based on my FB friends social media postings. This 2014, though its still around a week to go before the Christmas Eve feast, I tend to believe that Tinapayan's Red Velvet Cheesecake (PhP595) will become the most popular centerpiece. Festive and "IN" for the Holidays, this latest creation from Tinapayan makes the already tempting cheesecake even more irresistible with its fusion of a popular cake. With a bright red velvet cake base and body, it this then topped with lots cream cheese - this alone makes it already "worth it"!  Have one for Christmas and make your Noche Buena velvety and cheesier!

Kare-kare is a Filipino stew made usually with pork or beef with a peanut based thick sauce. As it is quite plain when it comes to flavour despite its thick sauce, it is often partered with guisadong bago-ong (sauteed shrimp paste) to get the full goodness of this favorite Filipino recipe. Here's a simple recipe for Kare-kare.

Served during this year's Mother's Day Buffet at The Promenade at Days Hotel Iloilo is what I love to call as Leche Flan Bites . At first I thought that leche flan and tocino del cielo are somewhat the same but then Googling about it, I was enlightened. Tocino de Cielo  literally means "bacon from heaven" but obviously it contains no bacon. The dessert originated in the Andalusian region of Spain in the town of Jerez de la Fontera that specializes in sherry production. In the sherry-making tradition, egg whites were used to clarify the Spanish wine With so much egg yolk at their disposal, they were donated to the nuns and with "God's guidance", tocino del cielo was born.   Very similar to leche flan but these two desserts are made with very different ingredients. Leche flan is made with whole eggs, and milk and/or cream while tocino de cielo is made only with egg yolks, sugar and water. The combination of (lesser) ingredients leads to an e...

There seems to be a beef liver festival in some restaurants in Iloilo City in the last few months. Almost every week, I see new beef liver dishes being advertised and I just couldn't say no these delectable gastronomic creations. To start with, there's Beef Liver with Tagalog Sauce at Bauhinia Filipino Cuisine . Almost like the beef steak or bistek , so to speak, its taste is easily recognizable thus making it deliciously familiar. The sweet and sour mix of flavors in the sauce plus the caramelized onions blends just right with the taste of the liver.   Here's another liver dish cooked in a very familiar way - Sizzling Sisig . A perfect pulutan whenever you find your self at Floyd's Famous BBQ  restaurants, but as for me, its a viand with garlic rice. Chopped and seasoned, it comes sizzling with egg! Extra rice please! (Floyd's also serve Sizzling Liver Steak ) And if you want something of an international flavor then head to Bourbon Street Restauran...

How about some special and one-of-a-kind cookies this Christmas? Nothing But Desserts at The Avenue Complex in Smallville, Iloilo creates special thin cookies but instead of having variants/flavour to baked cookie doughs, you ll get the 100% of the real thing. When you order Almond Thin Cookies, you get almond nuts shaped liked a cookie! Same goes if you're having Black Sesame and Squash Seeds cookies - you'll get them 100%! And they go in a special gift box perfect for the season of gift-giving. Grab them now!

Christmas is just around the corner and The Promenade at Days Hotel Iloilo makes it even more special with these seven mouth-watering treats. Starting today, Dec. 1,  enjoy delectable cheesecakes, scrumptious cakes and other heavenly desserts for a month long Yuletide celebration. How about some Nutella Cheesecake made with this popular Italian sweetened hazelnut-chocolate spread? If its looks good, it would certainly taste even better!  Those with sweet tooth will surely enjoy the Butterscotch Cheesecake - rich cheesecake topped with even richer butterscotch! Care for some fruity twist on your cheesecake? Try having it with strawberries! Christmas isn't complete without the traditional fruitcakes. Enjoy The Promenade's dainty  Fruit Cake with glazed fruits and nuts in a spirit soaked cake. Savor more of this "spirited" fruits and nuts combination with the Prune Cake and Walnut Rhum Cake. Finally, try the classic dessert of buttercream, m...

Known as the City of Love, there are many reasons to fall in love with Iloilo – majestic churches, colorful festivals, rich culture and heritage, hospitable people and of course, Ilonggo food. To really experience Iloilo cuisine – eat what the locals eat, at places where Ilonggos love to eat. And when in Iloilo, forget your diet. Read more at Looloo Insights

This is the Punot Ilonggo Brekky consisting of classic breakfast fares like pork tocino, beef tapa,  fried danggit and garlic rice. It was the among the highlights of the food tasting session organized by Andrea Arañador for the bloggers and media during the launch of Punot Weekend Brunch Specials.    Andrea, who just flew in from Singapore hours before, runs Punot Restaurant with her chef brother Tope who manages the kitchen and the menu. Inspired by her brunches in Singapore and abroad, Andrea collaborated with Chef Tope to introduce brunch at Punot. The results are the flavors of modern Iloilo - traditonal Ilonggo cuisine infused with international taste. Or interpreting international dishes using local ingredients. To start with, they serve us Ilonggo Toast - a local take on the classic French Toasts. A breakfast fare known to many but with an Ilonggo twist - served with the native local delicacy called B ucayo or sweetened coconut strips.  But one ...