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Celebrating the gastronomic grandeur of Jaro Fiesta

Every February 2, all roads lead to Jaro, Iloilo as Ilonggos celebrate the feast of Our Lady of Candles in different aspects - religious, gastronomic, enterprising, and more. 
It is the biggest fiesta in this part of the country characterized by the pageantry and the grandeur of the occasion paying homage to Nuestra Señora de la Candelaria - the patron saint of Western Visayas. 
As early as December the Jaro Plaza is teeming with the Jaro Grand Carnival with activities like carnival games, food stalls, fruit stands and ukay-ukay, among others. 
It culminates on fiesta day with the coronation of the Fiesta Queen, chosen among the lasses of Jaro families. But it was rather different this year though without the latter...


But what is/was consistent is that for the past 7 years, I was at the Jamerlan household (thanks, as usual Sir Eugene) to celebrate the gastronomic part of the Jaro Fiesta. And the gastronomic grandeur of the Jaro Fiesta is ever present in one of the district's most prominent families...
So let's the fiesta food trip begin with these very Ilonggo specialties - fresh lumpia and empanada. One can have it as a snack or side dish but I like it as an appetizer or a pre-buffet eat to start my appetite on what's to come.
The ever-present pancit molo from Kap Ising, is more than enough reason to be in the fiesta.


I think I had three bowls teeming with lots of pancit molo balls and I still think I didn't have enough LOL.
Another crowd favorite is the chicken galantina, which is can be simply compared to chicken relyeno ala morcon. I enjoyed the embutido style stuffing as well as the chicken meat itself in every bite.
While the ham of the holidays is still in my system, I couldn't resist a slice of this tempting meaty goodness waving at me. Maybe, I had two or even three slices then...
And the specialty of the house - Lamb Caldereta. It is a staple on the fiesta table eversince I joined in the celebration more than 5 years ago.
It is fresh from the farm lamb as the Jamerlans domesticate a number of sheep in their farm in Santa Barbara, Iloilo.
A new-on-the-fiesta-menu but very familiar to our tastebuds is the kare-kare. Supervised in the kitchen by Sir Eugene's friend, Ms. Sarah Baviera, this authentic Kapampangan-style version was easily the talk of the table. And it made me throw my so-called diet away...
The sauce was really thick - thanks to the combination of real ground peanuts and ground rice (malagkit?).


You can actually taste the labor of love and no shortcuts on this classic Filipino recipe.
And what's a fiesta without Lechon Baboy? Here it is in its chopped glory revealing all the works inside out. 
And the skin, so crunchy that despite my so-called diet, I had to take a piece. Okay two or maybe three... haha
Speaking of the works, how about some Dinugu-an, which always comes with an order of lechon. Have some puto manapla too!
Macaroni salad and ube brazo de mercedes complete this gastronomic celebration of Jaro Fiesta.
And like I always say it - 'til we eat again! Burp!


NOTE This blog post is a reposting of a previous article.

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