FLAVOURS OF ILOILO

Got a surprise delivery from Punot Restaurant just in time for dinner hours ago and I  can still taste what I've eaten everytime I burp... 😋 And just the mere thought of it makes me salivate for the yummy leftovers that in the fridge and hope I can survive this temptation. Punot Restaurant is always my first stop whenever I find myself at the Riverside Boardwalk which is just beside the Iloilo River and the popular Esplanade. With the exciting view  it offers, also comes a lot of excitingly delicious dishes. From local Ilonggo favorites to fusion Filipino and other cuisines, it is always a good and fulfilling gastronomic experience at Punot. Good thing that they have already re-opened and to make their specialties more convenient, they also offer delivery and pick up services. And that brings us to the two dishes that were delivered just a few hours ago. First was the BAKARETA. This beef version of kaldereta has very tender and almost fall off the bone me

Tired of always having Paksiw when there's much Lechon left-over? Tweak that gastronomically tiresome dish  for a simpler but still delicious lechon left-over recipe. Celebrations at home like fiestas or reunions tend to always be lechon baboy as the gastronomic centerpiece. And chances are there would be left-overs the following day/s or even weeks. But if you're too tired of Lechon Paksiw recipe, how about a "dry" lechon paksiw or I would  christen  it as  pinamalhan nga lechon ?  An off shoot of the  lechon paksiw  recipe, it's left over lechon, simmered in vinegar and onions and cooked until dry. And there's no standard recipe as one can tweak it to his own delight!  Add some chillies and you'll have a spicy version. Place it on sizzling plate, add some sauce and you may have lechon sisig. The possibilities are endless but it all started with a lechon paksiw made dry -  pinamalhan nga lechon !

No pasta? No problem! Let's create your favorite lasagna recipes using the Classic White Bread from Gardenia! But let's first talk about Gardenia! Among the most popular and widely available brands in the country, Gardenia is famous for its Classic White Bread - its signature product. GARDENIA Classic White bread is not only known for its freshness, softness and oven-baked aroma but also for its nutritive value. It is made with high-protein flour, is folate-enriched and has vitamins (A, B1, B2, B3 and C) and minerals  (calcium, iron and iodine) It is also cholesterol-free, has zero transfat, zero saturated fat and bromate-free! And definitely, one loaf is not enough! So always stock up whenever you do your grocery shopping. With a lot Gardenia breads in my midst (again madamo gid nga salamat, Gardenia ), I was up for another challenge - creating a Gardenia recipe which is not a toast nor a sandwich. GARDENIA TOAST TOPPINGS CHALLENGE After some quick check of what's ins

Celebrate an exquisite Valentine romance with your special someone with a medley of enticing flavors in a curated five-course dinner with wine and music at Seda Atria Iloilo. Under the helm of hotel’s new chef de cuisine, Chef Neil Ledesma has prepared this special 5-course dinner that will surely make another memorable Valentine’s Day. An exclusive preview, food-tasting session was arranged by Seda Atria for the members of the Iloilo media and bloggers. Here’s a taste or what’s to come this Valentine with Seda Atria’s Flavor of Love. As you get cozy at the Straight Up Bar, your Valentine Dinner begins with a delightful appetizer - a stack of savory crabmeat, refreshing mango and creamy avocado. With a visual play of colors, a burst of flavors and textures, this sets the bar high for your romantic gastronomic night. Setting to continue your dinner’s sophistication is a local touch to a Mexican culinary invention - Caesar Salad. Seda Atria’s version consists of lettuce, g

KBL  or kadyos baboy langka is a ubiquitous Ilonggo dish found in most households and restaurants in Iloilo and beyond. Like adobo as to the whole of the Philippines, it is also one of those dishes that comes in the basic recipe but little tweaks are still acceptable.  The basic recipe calls for the baboy (pork) usually the pata (hocks) to be broiled. Then together with the langka and kadyos beans, they are boiled until the last two ingredients are cooked - the langka is easy to bite, the kadyos is soft and the baboy. I liked it if it almost melts in the mouth esp the fat and skin portion. This way of cooking adapts the vernacular method of having the meat subjected to direct heat as to preserve its flavor more and the same time gives the broth a rather smoky taste. Finally,  batwan  fruit is added as souring ingredient. The greens usually kamote tops or in this case malunggay leaves, adds color, texture and more nutrients to the "heal