Froodie: The Cool and Casual Foodie: Local delicacy

Showing posts with label Local delicacy. Show all posts

My very first foodie blog post mentioned tupig among the first things I think about when I hear the phrase "Pinoy delicacies."

"The tupig which hails from Norte (Pangasinan, Cagayan region, Ilocandia) is another kakanin that eventually grew on me. It’s not as yummy as the puto bumbong but it has that peculiar authentic taste. Besides, a lot of people earn their living selling these rice cakes made from glutinous rice and grated coconut. Since I was usually assigned to go up North during the election campaign period, almost every stop from Nueva Ecija to Cagayan or Baguio will have the inescapable tupig vendor offering you a bunch of these rice cakes. The way it’s cooked – over live coals – also contribute to the distinct taste."

It has been more than 2 years and I still favor tupig among other rice cakes peddled on the road. The nutty and coal or wood-fired flavor entices me, amid my penchant for sweet things.
'Tis the season to be jolly...and sugar-crazy. Yes, I've spent the holidays baking and snacking on sweets but I'm still craving for my favorite dessert (for 2012): the famed Napoleones of Bacolod.

This year I visited my lola's province Negros Occidental for the first time in my life. I spent the days by the beach or the family lot, watching chickens, ducks and goats, and of course munching on various local delicacies. While I had fun learning how coconut-based sweets and dried fish were made, it was the commercially-produced box of Napoleones (bought at the airport) that caught my heart.

Soft, sweet and crunchy all at the same time, I didn't mind the fact that the two pieces I ate probably exceeded the suggested daily sugar limit of 8 teaspoons.

Napoleones is a puff pastry with a flaky crust and layered with custard cream and glazed sugar. Interestingly, the ones we bought with the brand Merci had custard with jam-like consistency. Still, it tasted terrific. Maybe one of these days I'll attempt to bake home-made Napoleones.

While the best Napoleones are from Bacolod (land of sugar cane and therefore most things sweet), you'll find some pasalubong outlets in Manila offering the local delicacy.
CNN Go came up with a nice article enumerating the "50 foods that define the Philippines."

Never forget puto and other kakanin

Here's a run-down of the list:
1. Adobo (read about the real history of adobo)
2. Lechon
3. Sisig (find out where you can find yummy crispy sisig)
4. Crispy Pata
5. Chicken Inasal
6. Taba ng talangka
7. Pancit Palabok (we actually had 5 diff. kinds of pancit at this party)
8. Bulalo (you have to taste this - the best bulalo steak)
9. Arroz Caldo (arroz caldo in the US)
10. Fish Tinola
11. Kare-kare
12. Kamaro
13. Ilocos Empanada
14. Sinigang
15. Tapa
16. Dinuguan at Puto (among our must-have fiesta food)

Lumpiang shanghai is not really from the Philippines
(probably why it didn't make the list) but it's a party staple

17. Betute
18. Laing
19. Pinakbet
20. Sinugno
21. Bagnet (bagnet from Vigan!)
22. Pancit Habhab
23. Pork Barbecue (among our must-have fiesta food)
24. Longaniza
25. Lumpiang Ubod
26. Bicol Express
27. Relyenong Alimango
28. Balut
29. Inihaw na panga ng tuna
30. Fish kinilaw
31. Kuhol sa gata
32. Sinanglay
33. Inihaw na liempo
34. Empanada de kaliskis
35. Tinolang tugac
36. Camaron rebosado
37. Bibingka
38. Suman at manga

Yummy bulalo steak!

39. Champorado
40. Halo-halo
41. Buko pie (among our must-have fiesta food)
42. Ensaymada at tsokolate
43. Pastillas de leche
44. Puto bumbong
45. Turon
46. Pan de sal
47. Taho
48. Tablea tsokolate
49. Halayang ube
50. Leche flan

Actually, some commented (in the CNN article) that their favorite Filipino food was not included. How about you? What is your favorite Filipino food?
Location: Vigan

My brother was nice enough to buy a couple of orders of bagnet while on a field trip in Vigan (I know, 3-day high school field trip in Vigan! Envy.). Bagnet is said to be the Ilocano version of lechon kawali (crispy pork belly). It is basically like lechon kawali but it's extra crispy, almost like chicharon (pork rind).

It's a little hard to bite into but the meat/fat is very tender and flavorful. I heard the bagnet is fried longer (1-hour at low fire) and is even deep-fried for a second time. What my mom did is to just chop it all up (they come in big slabs of pork!) and mix it with tofu in seasoned soy sauce. Yummy. I'm not a fan of pork but I like bagnet.
Last sighted: Anonas St. cor Aurora Blvd., Quezon City

We were on our way to the jeepney terminal one night when we came across a colorful array of...puto (steamed rice cake). They looked so soft and warm we just had to buy some.
Location: Cebu

New "pasalubong" from officemates. Cebu is known for having among the best mangoes in the world. It is therefore not surprising that they have several spinoffproducts, from the popular dried mangoes to the interesting mangorind and the tasty mango chocolate.

Mangorind

Mango + Tamarind = Mangorind

That's the simple logic behind this local product. And it tastes exactly like that. Pretty yummy. :)

Mango Chocolate

Please, if you are in Cebu make sure you buy a box of Cebu Best's Mango Chocolates. They are the best! The best! You just won't get enough of the dried sweet mango covered in dark chocolate. Sigh. Unfortunately, my officemate informed me that it's not something that is usually seen around Cebu. We think it is only available in the airport. I also read some online posts that it's on board PAL. As seen in the screenshot above, they export.

Dried Mangoes

Unfortunately, the Dried Mangoes brand that they bought was a disappointment. It tastes...well, there's no taste. They look pretty good but not enough taste in there. Don't buy this brand.
2 Responses to “Cebu’s Mangorind, Chocolate Mangoes and Dried Mangoes”
1. Hi! Just want to ask how much is 1 box of your chocolate mango. Appreciate we could receive your response as soon as possible.
  
  Thank you.
  
  Sheila Bantugan said this on November 20, 2012 at 6:51 am | Reply
  
  Hello. Please read carefully. This website is not a shop. It’s a personal blog. As I said in the post, I am also clueless as to where they are sold. Thank you for dropping by anyway.
  
  tine said this on November 20, 2012 at 7:26 am | Reply
Location: Camiguin, Misamis Oriental

Through the course of my work, I have been exposed to various local delicacies. But there are only a few that has that "agawan" factor (meaning, people beg to get more). There's the delectable silavanas from Nueva Ecija (w/c I featured in my personal blog) and of course, the yummy Pastel or yema-filled buns from Camiguin.

From myfreshcrumbs.com
Location: Cebu

The banana is among the Philippines' staple food crops. Out of all the countries, the Philippines is second only to India in banana production. This is why there are a lot of banana products out in the market, including the standard banana chips.

I'm not really a fan of banana chips but the ones my officemate brought home from Cebu (brand is Bacaoco's) was the best I've had so far. The chips were thinly cut and really crisp. The sweetness was just right. It looks fresh too - nice bright yellow color.
Location: Daraga, Albay

Here's another yummy treat from Albay...

Wrapsody's pilinut-filled pastries. Definitely world class. :) As their tagline goes: "Uniquely baked for your discriminating taste!"

I'd say it's one of the best pilinut desserts ever. It's basically like baklava, layers of pastry filled with nut and syrup.
Location: Mandaue, Cebu

Masareal is among the special local delicacies of Mandaue City in Cebu. Off white and crumbly in texture, people love it because of its nutty and sweet taste. It is said that it is made by mixing dough, peanuts and sugar or syrup. There are a lot of home-made versions sold in Cebu but they say that the best (and the original) is from Didang's.
One of the small reasons why I love my work is that officemates often bring "pasalubong" from different islands of the Philippines.

The Pilinut candy is the OTOP of Albay. OTOP refers to the One Town One Productprogram of the government. Through the said program, cities and municipalities identify and help develop a specific product or service (like local delicacies). Unfortunately, the OTOP program is now unfunded. :( Now enough of politics for a while. Here's another photo:

According to Wikipedia:The Pili nut (Canarium ovatum) is one of the 600 species in the family Burseraceae.

Although they are grown as ornamental trees in many areas of the Old World tropics of Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines, only the Philippines produces andprocesses pili nuts commercially. Production centers are located in the Bicol region, provinces of Sorsogon, Albay, and Camarines Sur, southern Tagalog, and eastern Visaya. There is no commercial planting of this crop, fruits are collected from natural stands in the mountains near these provinces.

The Department of Agriculture - Bicol was nice enough to have recipes of Pili delicacies.

PILI CHOCOLATE CRUNCH
Ingredients:
½ kilo pili nut
1 kg. chocolate premium
Procedure:
1. Toast the pili nut in an oven at low temperature.
2. Cool and set aside.
3. Melt the chocolate bar in a double boiler.
4. Distribute the nuts in moulders.
5. Pour the melted chocolate while hot to coat the nuts.
6. Place the mixture inside the freezer for a few minutes or until the moulder becomes cloudy.
7. Unmold
8. Wrap using chocolate wrapper.
9. Pack and store.
PILI TART
Ingredients:
Crust Filling
1 kilo ordinary flour ½ kilo ground pili
2 bars fresh butter 1 can condensed milk
1 cup sugar 1 cup sugar
1 cup cold water
Packaging Material: Colored cellophane
P.E. Plastic
Procedure:
1. Measure ingredients needed for crust and filling.
2. In a bowl combine sugar and flour, with a pastry blender or two knives, cut in fresh butter until it is the size of small peas.
3. Add cold water a little at a time, moving to the side the pieces of dough as they hold together.
4. Form into balls. Roll each ball into 1/8 inch thick.
5. Press dough to shape of tart. Prick sides and bottom.
6. Bake for 20 minutes.
7. In another bowl, combine condensed milk and sugar. Mix well.
8. Fill up baked crust tart top with sliced pili.
9. Bake until golden brown.
10. Let cool before wrapping, pack.

PILI KISSES (Note: I personally love this one)
Ingredients:
1 cup pilinut-roasted
2 pcs. egg white
½ cup refined sugar or confectioner sugar
¼ tsp. cream of tartar
Procedure:
1. Grind the pilinut.
2. Separate the eggwhite from the yolk.
3. Beat eggwhite till fluffy.
4. Mix cream of tartar.
5. Continue beating until mixture form bubbles or foam.
6. Add sugar gradually while beating the mixture. Beat until stiff foam is formed.
7. Add the ground pilinut and fold the mixture.
8. Place small cones in baking sheet.
9. Bake for 40 minutes at 135 degree Fahrenheit.
10. Cool and pack.More recipes here.