FLAVOURS OF ILOILO

Mention baye-baye and those familiar with this native Ilonggo delicacy would imagine rolls of pounded pinipig (roasted newly harvested rice) mixed with freshly grated coconut with hints of subtle sweetness. One of the most popular native snacks, baye-baye is a staple in local markets as well as pasalubong shops and native delicacies stalls in the malls. While most baye-baye are just plain, there's an innovation to this local delicacy that Ilonggos are starting to embrace. It's baye-baye roll filled with a mix yema and peanuts. It was in 2011 that I made a gastronomic contact with this baye-baye innovation when I judged in a competition featuring baye-baye innovation in the town of Pavia, Iloilo during a sidelight event of their annual Tigkaralag Festival . Entries came with sesame seeds, cheese, pandan and yema-peanuts which became the eventual winner. It  came with an innovation that captured our taste aside from the originality and the cre...

Chances are, you might already be munching and enjoying a lot of native delicacies in your respective provinces when this time of the year arrives. It's an "unexplained tradition" why native delicacies are the staples of the season. Some say it's Filipinizing the Halloween that instead of candies and other treats, we have these native delicacies to share. They say it started in the rural areas, with the abundance of rice and coconuts, make these the season's staples. ( Link to the recipes is posted at the end of the blogpost ) Let's start with linugaw , though it is made year round as ingredients are not seasonal, it is always during Pista Minatay that we make the biggest batch. A concoction of coconuts, kamote, ube, sab-a, sago and rice flour balls all simmered in a thick rice flour and coconut milk mix. A simple yet tedious cooking process makes this one of the most satisfying home-cooked meryenda for all seasons. And I like it c...

Chances are, you might already be munching and enjoying a lot of native delicacies in your province as today, Nov. 1 is when most Filipinos go visit their dead in cemeteries despite the fact that it's actually All Saint's Day and All Soul's Day is still a sleep away. It's an unexplained tradition why the mix up just like why native delicacies are the staples of the season. Some say it's Filipinizing the Halloween that instead of candies and other treats, we have these native delicacies to share. they say it started in the rural areas, with the abundance of rice and coconuts, make these kakanin's the staple. And that this tradition may have caught up with the urbanites who at some point of their lives have took part of this traditon, adapted it in the big city. Whatever the case or occasion maybe, these native delicacies are always anticipated as it brings back not only the the taste memories one had in his younger years but they are really good eats i...

Ilonggos celebrated the 115th Philippine Independence Day with much history and more baye-baye at SM City Iloilo! The Jaspe family and their gigantic gastronomic creation! Measuring 8x16 feet, more than 100 kilos of baye-baye were made by D' Original Jaspe Special Baye-Baye from Bgry. Cabugao Sur in Santa Barbara, Iloilo to create this gastronomic masterpiece. Baye-baye is among the most popular native delicacies in Iloilo. It is made from pinipig, which is pounded rice and mixed with coconut and sugar, among others.  It was among the highlights of the mall's Freedom Day celebration that had cultural, musical and gastronomic components. Santa Barbara Mayor Doc Dennis Superficial (left)  and Gilbert Domingo, Asst. Mall manager of SM City Iloilo led the ceremonial slicing of the giant baye-baye.  Afterwich mall goers had the chance to partake of the popular native Ilonggo delicacy.  Here are the SM ladies donning their Filipiniana attire overseei...

 Baye-baye is among the most popular Ilonggo native delicacy. It is made from roasted rice known as pinipig

It started last March during the Sooo Pinoy event of Unilever Food Solutions in Iloilo when I met Ms Maricar Erese, the Executive Producer of the TV show THE PINOY FOODIE . The show is hosted by the (self proclaimed she always say) "Adobo Queen" Nancy Reyes Lumen and shown every Sunday 830am on GMA NEWS TV . Plans of having the said show shoot in Iloilo began to take form and just last week, I co-organized the The Pinoy Foodie Iloilo Food and Heritage shoot with Mr. Eugene Jamerlan, among others, that spanned 3 days of non-stop eating, shooting and more eating ... It all began with a breakfast in Sta. Barbara, Iloilo hosted by the Municipal Tourism Officer Ms. Irene Magallon. Everybody digged in the delectable “pamahaw” prepared by Ms Irene consisting of kusahos (a local beef tapa version which is sundried for days), binodo (tuyo that has been “soaked” in salt for days then fried and finally having a vinegar as broth), linagpang nga bangrus with guinamos (grille...

Made with toasted ground glutinous rice (pilit) flour, mixed with sugar and coconut/coconut water, mixed and pounded until well blended and sticky, baye-baye is among the most ubiquitous native Ilonggo delicacies. Throughout the years, baye baye remained true to form – simple yet delicious. Usually sold in packs of five or special boxed orders, baye baye is still plain in form and in taste.  I found out for myself that baye baye can have a new perspective during the “ Baye-baye Night ” – a sidelight of Pavia’s 19 th annual Tigkaralag Festiva l. I was invited to be one of the judges to the first ever baye baye competition and it was a galore of this native delicacy from start to finish. It was a competition to reinvent of this simple native delicacy using simple other ingredients that at first, dont seem to match it. Together with Dr. Elvira Banico PhD, Head Teacher of the Technology and Livelihood Department - Pavia National High School and consiste...