FLAVOURS OF ILOILO

It's still an "unexplained tradition" for me why native delicacies are the staples when Pista Minatay comes. Some say it's "Filipinizing Halloween" that instead of candies and other sweets, we have these native delicacies to share as treats and not as tricks. And it started in the rural areas where the abundance of rice and coconuts, among others has made these traditional eats as the "undying" staple this annual celebration of remembering the departed. So, let's start our native delicacies gastronomic journey with IBOS or more commonly known as "SUMAN" in other areas. Click for IBOS Recipe This is probably what comes to mind when one says "kakanin" as this is made with sticky rice and often partnered with ripe mango, native chocolate or just plain sugar, whether refined, brown or muscovado. There's the SUMAN which others refer to as BIKO. A delicious treat of glutinous rice oiled in coc...

Bangus  or milkfish is one of the most abundant and versatile fishes around. It can be cooked in so many way - sinugba, pinirito, sinigang, paksiw and relyeno, among others. One of the easiest yet delectable is cooking it paksiw Ilonggo-style called pinamalhan . It rooted from the Hiligaynon word " mala" meaning dry. Here's a simple recipe for Pinamalhan nga Bangus.

Back in 2019, I remember having lunch at Cafe Belmont during one of my Manila trips.   It was that serving dish of crabs that had me at first glance and it never faded in my memory.  Now, five years later, it’s the breakfast buffet that would tickle my gastronomic fantasies.  We stayed at Belmont Hotel Manila for my parents 50th anniversary and for  two days we had our fill of delicious breakfast. Check out more photos on Facebook From the staples like bacon, ham and sausages to Pinoy faves like tuyo, dilis and danggit. I just love this kind of spread of which local faves go side by side with contemporary fares.  As the first meal of the day where one stocks up carbo, I’m glad there was plenty. From rice, potatoes and pancit to pancakes, waffles and breads - I love the pudding. There’s an egg station where you can request how you would like your eggs cooked - hardboiled, sunny side up or scrambled You can DIY your omelette with lots of fillings to choose from w...

Bujawi (budjawi, budyawi) is what Ilonggos refer to the fruit of the buri or century palm tree . Abundant in many parts of the province of Iloilo, the buri has many many uses from the leaves to its trunk. It produces a fermented drink (tuba), alcohol, vinegar, syrup, and sugar. The trunk yields large quantities of starch. The bud (ubod) is used for salad or as a vegetable. The kernels of the young fruits are edible and are made into a sweetmeats. The mature seeds are used for beads? (rosaries) and buttons.  The petiole yields so-called buntal fiber of which, the famous Baliuag and Lucban hats are made, or which, when crudely extracted, is sometimes twisted into rope. Mature leaf is used for covering tobacco bales, rarely as a thatch for houses, while the ribs are used for making brooms. From the unopened leaf is obtained a very fine fiber, corresponding to raffia fiber, which is utilized in making cloth, fancy articles, and as string. Fibers ...