Another Noche Buena is just around the corner as we prepare to usher in Christmas 2019 with this traditional midnight feast.
So, what's on the table for our Noche Buena 2019? It's trendy as well as the classic plus personal favorites!
No Noche Buena would be complete without the traditional Christmas Ham and Queso de Bola.
We got Purefoods Fiesta ham for the one we had from Iloilo Supermart was already "gone" days before.
We prefer Magnolia Edam cheese which is more palatable than the traditional queso de bola which is saltier and harder for our palates.
These two plus some loaf bread makes up the sandwich trio that makes our Noche Buena complete.
A personal favorite of mine is Tinapayan's Stollen Bread which is a German classic Christmas bread.
The best way to describe it is it is the bread version of a fruit cake for it has dried fruits filling and it is topped with confectioners sugar.
A mix between a native delicacy and a modern bread is this chiffon style bibingka which if I'm not mistaken is from Cesyl's in Pavia.
It's a far cry from the native bibingka we know but still a delicious addition to any occasion.
On the trendy side is the jiggly, fluffy and mouth-watering sponge cake from Jim's Recipe which just opened a few days ago at SM City Iloilo. Read more about JIM'S RECIPE.
More carbs for Noche Buena as we had a Tuna, Spinach and Mushroom Penne Pasta with lots of melted cheese (yummy!). It was a ready-made bottled sauce we got from The Marketplace at Festive Walk days ago.
I really can't remember the last time we served Valenciana, a classic Ilonggo favorite, during Noche Buena. It is usually during fiestas and other occasion plus whe times we just feel like it... but never during this midnight feast.
My mother's ultimate favorite and usual request - Tinapayan Crema de Fruta. And she finished half of it in the long run, as usual.
How about some Buko Salad with mixed fruits (cocktail) and sweet corn? I like this frozen so it cam be eaten as a very chunky ice cream!
Some chocolates on the side - Caramel-filled Cadbury and whiskey filled bonbons which I bought in HongKong last time.
Screamong for attention is this populat Ibos and ripe Mangoes combo for some native flair.
More fruits - apples and pears we bought from out last minute shopping at S&R for the hopes of scoring some Buy 1 Take 1 stuff but to no avail.
A pair of Welch's Sparkling juices - white and red grapes complete our simple but trendy and classic Noche Buena!
More fruits - apples and pears we bought from out last minute shopping at S&R for the hopes of scoring some Buy 1 Take 1 stuff but to no avail.
A pair of Welch's Sparkling juices - white and red grapes complete our simple but trendy and classic Noche Buena!
Have a meaningful and delectable CHRISTMAS!