FLAVOURS OF ILOILO

How many flavors variants do you see? Let's count them - mango, chocolate, strawberry, ube, vanilla. and some more hidden under this 9-scoop mound of home-made ice cream from Bambuko Bistro in Miag-ao, Iloilo. After our summer getaway at Kuliatan Marine Sanctuary in San Joaquin , we dropped by to cool off some more at this bistro/snackshop located at the junction to the main entrance of the University of the Philippines Visayas (UPV) in Miag-ao. Though they serve lots and lots of short orders like pancit, all day breakfast, sandwiches, snack items made to target the university crowd, we were there for the ice cream. At 5 pesos per scoop, its a less expensive way to beat the summer heat at the same time an enjoyable treat especially when you order as you are given a dilemma of which flavours to choose.  Given its very affordable price, we just order every flavour they got - mango, chocolate, strawberry, ube, vanilla, cookies and cream, vanilla-caramel, vanilla-ube ...

It was a post Valentine date with "me, myself and I" over this one of a kind pasta dish. Imagine the taste and aroma of angel hair pasta sauteed in cocoa butter with fried  longganisa , fresh basil, cacao truffle and topped with grated cacao de bola. And how about some chilled  tsokolate  drink with  hibiscus  essence on the side? These are just two of the more interesting menu items  during my  chocolatey  experience at  The Chocolate Chamber  in Cebu City.  On my second to the last day in my Cebu trip last February, I made it a point to visit this chocolate lovers haunt. I've passed up so many chances during my previous Cebu trips that its starting to haunt me.  As I was the first customer that day (I even knocked at the door since it was still closed), I had plenty of time to appreciate the effortlessly chic interiors and take lots of photos. The simplicity of the place gives it elegance - nothing more nothi...

I was no more than 10 years old when I first witnessed the Feast of San Jose ritual in my lola's house in Molo. I can still vividly remember the "role-playing" which had elements of washing, eating and "kissing". And it was only a few years ago (after decades of absence) that I "revisited" this personal experience - now aimed with more understanding of the traditions and rituals involved in the celebration. March 19 is the Feast day of St. Joseph and last Saturday, I was  Camiña Balay nga Bato in Arevalo to join in the traditional San Jose breakfast feast that also doubled as a family reunion of the Avanceña-Melocoton clans. In the Philippines particularly in rice producing provinces like Iloilo, many families keep a tradition in which an old man, a young lady, and a small boy are chosen from among the poor and are dressed up as St. Joseph, the Virgin Mary, and the child Jesus, respectively. They are then seated around a table set with t...

Few hours ago, we found ourselves lounging at the Straight Up bar atop Seda Hotel Atria. It was for the press launch for the hotel's upcoming gastronomic event called " La Buona Cucina Italiana ".  So how would one translate " La Buona Cucina Italiana "? Among ourselves, we offered our own interpretation but literally and word for word it means "the good Italian kitchen". But before you imagine yourself scuffling around the kitchens of Seda Hotel looking for something Italian to indulge in, Google translates the whole phrase as "good Italian food". And everybody agreed or in Italian " concordato " " La Buona Cucina Italiana is a travelling themed gastronomic series presented by the SEDA Hotel network across the country " opens up Angela Deocampo-Tan, Communications Officer of SEDA Atria. " It started at SEDA BGC at Fort Bonifacio in Manila and made rounds at SEDA Centrio in Cagayan de Oro City, SEDA Nuvali  ...