Filipino Delicacies: Mindanao

My grandparents lived in Mindanao before moving to Cebu .  They have a house in Lanao del Norte.  Before, we used to visit our house and farm there.  But now, it has gotten a bit dangerous.  I still remember our boat ride from Cebu going to Cagayan and then our bus ride going to Maranding.  And I still remeber  delicacies we enjoyed in MIndanao.

                    

Davao’s Durian     Camiguin’s Pastel             Iligan’s Peanuts

 I went to Davao for a conference way back in high school.  And in Davao one can buy durian in any form, shape or size. I love those thick durian candy bars.  Next on my list is the Pastel buns from Camiguin.  The bread is soft with the sweet and chewy yema (milk and butter) filling inside.  Yema Yummy! And when talking about greaseless peanuts, Cheding’s peanuts from Iligan takes the number one spot for me. My Dad loves these peanuts.

 

 

                                        

Jamon de Cagayan            General Santos’ Tuna   Zamboanga’s Spanish Sardines

Mindanao is well-known for its fresh fruits, fish and good quality meat.  There are big pineapple plantations in Cagayan with products are exported worldwide.  Aside from pineapple, Cagayan is also known for its Jamon de Cagayan. 

General Santos City is the Tuna Capital of the Philippines.  I remember my Tito (we call any older family friend as tito (men) and tita (women))  bringing tuna from GenSan.  We grilled it.  And it was BY FAR, the best, freshest tuna I have ever tasted.  There are three ways of preparing it SUTUKIL.  SUgba (grill)  TUla (broth) or KILaw (cooked in vinegar). Zamboanga’s Spanish sardines are also very good.  I like the Montano’s brand.  And one can  have the sardines in different flavors (sweet and spicy) and  different marinade (corn oil, tomato sauce, to name a few). 

There you go -  different specialties from different regions.   There are others that I haven’t included because I do not know what place it originated form or what place considers it its speciality.  This list includes puto, bibingka, suman, sapinsapin, cuchinta and other kakanin.

Compared to other countries, the Philippines might be small.  But we have one of the most plentiful, varied, unique and delicious delicacies in the world.

What can I say.. we love food!

Photos researched from the Internet.

Filipino Delicacies: Visayas

I am from the Visayas.  I was born in Cebu and raised by my uber Bisaya grandparents in Bulacao Talisay Cebu.  I have family and friends in the Visayas so I have sampled several delicacies from the Visayas islands. 

      

Cebu favorites: Rosquillos, nghohiong with puso, ampao  

Cebu’s dried mangoes, danggit and lechon are a given so I will write about other Cebu delicacies. Cebu’s Liloan Rosquillos are my favorite sweet biscuits.  It is perfect with coffee.  We have other snack items such as otap and barquillos.  The best ones are found in tiny stores in  Northern Cebu.  In Cebu city, you can order ngohiong.  It is chinese lumpia with hot sauce. Have some puso (hanging rice) and RC Cola with it, and you are snacking.. the Cebuano way! My favorite is the small store called “Chinese Ngohiong” across  the University of San Carlos where I studied before.  Going to Southern Cebu, one passes by Carcar.  Carcar is famous for its ampaw which are sweet rice crispies with peanuts and when in Carcar, one must try the highly calorific Chicharon Carcar – deep fried pork rind dipped in vinegar (preferably Sukang Pinakurat).

        

Bohol favorites: budbod kabog, kalamay and peanut kisses

Bohol is Cebu’s nearby province .  In Bohol, my favorite is the budbod kabog.  Budbod is called “Suman” in Tagalog.   It is made of millet and comes in different flavors.  I also love their kalamay.  I eat  the gooey brown sugar by itself or pair it with bread.  Bohol’s Peanut Kisses (egg white cookies )are are exported worldwide.

 

                              

Bacolod’s Piaya            Iloilo’s Pinasugbo or Consilva     Dumaguete’s Silvanas

My friend brings paiya from Bacolod.  They are the best.  The brown sugar with sesame seed filling is thick and is just sweet enough.  Pinagsubo from Iloilo  is good as a dessert after a meal of lechon.  Pinasugbo is made of slices of banana dipped in brown sugar. The best pinagsubo is just soft and chewy.  My favorite pasalubong from my friend from Dumaguete are several boxes of San Rival Bakeshop silvanas. So far, these are the best silvanas I have tasted.  Best refrigerated.

So there they are — Visayan delicacies.  Next: Mindanao.

Photos researched from the Internet.

Filipino Delicacies: Luzon

 I love food. I love Filipino delicacies. That is why I have decided to make a 3 series write-up on the different delicacies from different Philippine provinces.

A delicacy is defined as something considered choice to eat.  And here in this 7000+ island archipelago, we have many many choices.

My friend has just made me realized that I have traveled to different places in the Philippines albeit several years ago and I have sampled different Filipino delicies. Moreover, I have friends and family from different parts of the archipelago who bring pasalubong evertime they visit. So even if I haven’t gone to these places, at least I get to sample their food!

I’ll start of with Luzon. Right now, I am a Makati resident. Makati has no Makati delicacy to speak of. So I have to remember the time when I visited my uncle in Laguna, the many Manila-Bicol bus trips I had 5 years ago and the Baguio trip I had some years ago. 

                                    

Quezon’s Pancit Lucban             Bicol’s Pili Nut Candy         Laguna’s Buko Pie             

I used to take the bus to Naga twice a month several years ago.  We always have stopovers in  Quezon Province.  I like those stopvers because I get to eat their Pancit Lucban.  I pair it with their homemade Lucban biscuits.  And when I arrive in Bicol, it’s pili – pili nut candies of all sizes and shape.

My lola from my mom’s side lived in Laguna.  I remember visting her and my tito, again several years ago.  Every morning at 6am while we wait for our bus to take us to Manila,  we always stop by small stores selling the famous Laguna pies.  My favorite is the Buko pie, a close second is the ube pie.  I love that they use fresh young buko shreds and that the pie crust is freshly baked.

                                    

Pampanga’s Halohalo            Baguio’s Delicacies                     Ilocos’ Royal Bibingka

I haven’t been to Pampanga.  But I have been to Razon’s.  Razon’s is a restaurant in Greenbelt 1 that has the most delicious halohalo I have ever tasted. Its halohalo has slices of leche flan.  Unlike other halo halo where you can taste just the slivers of ice,  Razon’s halohalo tastes like creamy caramel without needing to vigorously mix the halohalo ingredients.

Baguio. I have been there a couple of time and my roommate before was a Baguio native.  I always love it when she brings Lengua de Gato back.  It is a light, thin butter cookie.  Baguios has the jams (strawberry being the most famous), but Lengua de Gato is still my favorite.  My officemate Frank has been to Vigan and he said that their Royal Bibingka is a must try!

There is still so many.  Pampanga’s tocino, Quezon’s longganisa, Laguna’s puto bumbong.. I can go on and on.  But I have to stop because there are still more delicacies in.. The Visayas!

Photos are researched from the Internet.