FLAVOURS OF ILOILO

So how to start a month the month of Love in terms of gastronomy? I didn't have to try hard as they come on their own terms.After the revelry of Dinagyang, the next big celebrations in Iloilo are the Chinese new Year, Jaro Candelaria Feast and Paraw Regatta. And it was on the mid celebrations (Jaro Fiesta) that February gastronomy marked its start.  I went to two fiestas during Candelaria - the rainforest inspired set up at the Jamerlan residence and one at Afrique's Jaro, where the restaurant business all began. But in between I just got a call informing me of a photoshoot happening at Days Hotel Iloilo and when I got there it was cakes, cakes and cakes all over. Tinapayan was readying for Valentine and the Heart Cakes were at the center of it all. The next day I was out to lunch at the Central Market and got to discover the old way of having Coffee on the Go at De Leonian Cafe . The month also brought in more discovery as for the first time I got to taste a hambu...

A few days ago , we dropped by Assumption Iloilo , to fetch someone and along the journey, the talk somewhat centered on the Assumption Tart . I just kept on listening to get an idea of what it is. A lot of tart photos swam in my thought as they talked about these pastries . And it was a very big surprise when we reached our destination that our host served us Assumption Tarts. How easy it was it to have my dreams fulfilled that time! So it wasn't really what I had in mind for a tart. Looks like baked pizza doughs arranged neatly in a container. A little Googling reveals that these are actually pie crusts served with guava jelly generously spread on top. But according to a reliable source, the Assumption tart was a cake that fell, you know, something went wrong in the preparation of the cake that resulted to a gastronomic catastrophe. Also, its a take off from short cake or masa podrida made with flour, lard, salt and sugar according to my source. More Googling reveals this Philipp...