I ♥ CEBU FOOD-- Part 2

I ♥ CEBU food

Part 2

Writing this post is making me hungry by the second.

Why not? For once again I will be talking about food and as I have promised on my earlier blog post I ♥ CEBU FOOD-- Part 1 I will create PART 2 and this time giving you a list of the Top 10 most popular Cebuano food based on my interview on some people that I knew-- mostly Cebuanos, some from other provinces who have stayed in Cebu...and of course based also from my own preferences.

But yeah, just like how I felt, ranking and scoring to get the Top Ten was really difficult. There are some of my Top which didn't make it to the overall Top 10-- even if i was a little (only a little) disappointed, I have to post the list based on all my interviews...haha...however I have to admit, I have some biases, but in time you will surely agree that these food should make it to the Top 10 Favorite Cebuano Food.

Are you ready to rumble??? My stomach has already started to ...

Let's start on.....

10. Otap and Rosquillos

Waaa? two delicacies in one number... I admit, there's a tie on this one. Hahaha!

Both can be eaten as merienda / snack and as dessert!

Otap ~ is an oval shaped crispy biscuit. It's crispiness is from the fragility of its wafer like crust, it could actually be messy to eat. Hahaha! Made from flour, shortening and coconut, it is also sprinlkled with sugar. Otap originated in Cebu but is also popular in other provinces of the Visayas. It is one of the favorite pampasalubong. More of Otap? you can visit The Otap as A Snack

Rosquillos ~ are ring shaped cookies from flour, eggs, shortening, baking powder and sugar. Some are made chewy and some are mady extra crunchy or crispy. The most popular Rosquillos is from the town of Liloan, Cebu wherein they also have a Rosquillos Festival every end of May. For more information about Rosquillos and its history you can check out http://explorecebu.com/content/rosquillos-festival. ^_^

9. La-maw

What??? Lamaw? Yes, lamaw. It is a snack/drink/dessert from coconut juice or milk and buko or young coconut meat. Ok what's the difference between lamaw and butong? Actually, there isn't much except-- butong actually is misconcepted as lamaw where in fact lamaw has added sugar or milk while butong has no added sugar or milk. Really really? Yes, really... I learned that when I asked my Aunt about it... Aaaaah! Now I know! It is best served chilled while eating other snacks or meal, other fruits can be added to it too. ^_^ Fact is La-maw is the simplest form of buko salad. Perfect for summer! ^_^

More awesome Summer quenchers check out

8. Su-Tu-Kil

Oww! I just hit three birds with one stone. But hey, you have to agree that SuTuKil will always be a favorite Cebuano food trip. Mainly seafood on the menu, SuTuKil actually is Sugba- Tula- Kilaw.

Sugba/ Sinugba~ simply means broiled or barbecued

Tula/ Tinuwa~ is the food with hot sabaw or broth/soup cooked with spices

Kilaw/ Kinilaw~ a big favorite, is raw fish or other raw food mixed in vinegar and other spices

SuTuKil is very popular especially in Mactan Island of Cebu where there are seaside places that offer the SuTuKil way--- by choosing your own fresh fish or other seafood to have them Sugba, Tula, or Kilaw... ^__^ ♥ Seafood!!!

7. Dried Mangoes/ Mango Chips

Yeeeey! For me I have this in Number 1 in my own top ten list. And it's just the on the 7th? Noooo!!! Hahaha...Oh well, dried mangoes is an all time favorite...simply because Mangoes are number one favorite fruits amongst Pinoys. Drying the mangoes make it more sweet and have more texture. More so, it is easily carried around and eaten as snacks or treats. Mangoes are sun-dried after cutting them into slices or into chips. I so wanna have a big pack right now! ^_^

6. Carcar Chicharon

It has to be Carcar's for the place is not only known popular for their shoes and other footwear, but also for their delectable Chicharon. Curious how chicharon is made? First let's discuss what is it made of--simply pork skin fried and refried until it grows extracrispy. The fat and the skin combined with salt and sometimes other spices then dipped into plain vinegar or sometimes hinalang or more famous Pinakurat vinegar. Next time you come to turn in Carcar's Rotonda, you might wanna stop for a while and try chicharon .

5. Inasal Manok

Wait, isn't lechon manok famous in other provinces as well? Hmmm... let me make this clear....Inasal Manok is actually quite different from the usual lechon manok. The best recipe for Inasal Manok is the one from Dumanjug.

To those who don't know what manok means -- it's chicken. Haha...wanna know the recipe? I found the detailed one at this site http://www.pinoyrecipe.net/chicken-inasal-recipe/.

However Dumanjug's special Inasal looks like this. The difference? The Dumanjoans have a special way in preparing it and they use organic fed native chickens. ^_^ A must-try and best complemented with atsara.

4. Larsian's Barbecue

Why not? Okay let's say, you can find the same kind of food elsewhere in the Philippines. But to be eating at Larsian's famous for their barbecues is a different experience. There's Larsians near Fuente Osmeña as well as in Mactan. Eitherwhich, people love to eat in Larsian's. Issues rolled about sanitation and smoke and carcinogens, but hey, stubborn Filipinos. Hahaha! Really curious what's there? try reading here http://www.cebucentral.com/cebuinfocus/Larsian.html

"So unsa man? Larsian ta? Wai blema!"

3. Siomai sa Tisa

Wait, isn't siomai chinese? haha, well of course. However Tisa has a special way of presenting it, and instantly, it has become known as Siomai from Tisa. Hmmm, though I am not so crazy about Siomai sa Tisa, I have to say I really am a fan of siomai. But siomai from Tisa has a special distinct flavor, must be the sauce or it must be the ingredients to the stuffing. Don't really know, but it's very flavorful. ^__^ heehee Cebuanos really love siomai...i mean really...

2. Lechon Baboy

Crispy and crunchy brown scrumptous skin and savory juicy tender meat, lechon baboy is always present in festivities such as weddings, birthdays and other celebrations.

What makes Cebu Lechon Baboy different from other Lechon? Aside from being cooked over burning charcoals, it is later cooked over live fire...uhuh...now you know. Another thing, Cebuanos don't have sarsa sauce made up of a liver paste base, which is the usual sauce. Cebuanos just have vinegar with soy sauce and chili dip. ^_^

......AND!!!!

1. Buwad!!!

"buntag buwad, udto buwad, inig ka hapon mag sugba tag buwad!!!"

And Taboan is just the place to be!

There's nowhere else you can get the best kind and in many different kinds than here in Taboan Buwad Market Cebu City. Danggit? Dilis? Pusit? Pinikas? Buwad is any dried fish, salted or unsalted-- young and old, rich or poor, everyone enjoys it. Aside from being a side dish or a complement to other viand...Just have a saucer with suka (vinegar) and rice, and it's already a meal!

That's it! Phew! That's the Top Ten Favorite Food amongst Cebuanos! ^__^ hahaha

however, I have to present to you the ALL TIME popular Cebuano food...

It's not in the list because it goes well with most of them...

I am talking about nothing else but PUSO...yep...that's right! the Hanging Rice... ^_^ a staple cebuano food...

Thanks guys for reading! and to all my friends who helped me too! ^_^ Enjoy Cebu!

Keeping My Summer Cool

Summer season has just started and I can feel the heat prickling my skin already. What I would give for some Halo-Halo or maybe even just a sundae at McDonald’s.If you haven't got it yet, this post is gonna be all about food. Summer food. 

One of the cheaper and faster way to cool down during a hot summer day is go to the neighboring mini store and buy some ice candy. It's cold, its convenient, and it has a lot of flavours. It's also easy to make one at home. One satisfying treat if I must say so myself.

In my pre-college days, some classes or rather cleaning activities extended beyond March. And after those activities I always remember one or two peddlers selling those yummy looking colored liquid with floating jellies (gulaman). Memorable afternoon delights that lightened our tired moods.

Another summer treat that makes me reminisce my high school days is the Mais con Yelo. There was this place a few blocks away from our school that was everyone's favorite store to buy similar treats. Students also spend their afternoon dates there or hang out with friends.

When you're in the city area of Cebu, you can't really find an ice candy in the nearby store or a "clean" looking sago and gulaman on the dusty high way. If you're in a hurry and want something cold soon. You can always go to the nearest McDonald's or Jollibee and get a sundae. Hehehehe

But the best cold treat I choose would have to be the Halo-halo. Shaved ice combined with tropical fruits and beans, add some evaporated milk and top it off with a scoop of ice cream or maybe even 2. I have a lot of memories with this Filipino delicacy and I'm sure you have too.

Apart from the top choices, I'd also go for a gelato anytime.

Sheesh, writing this post is making me hungry... Off to find a sundae. Did I say it's also available 24 hours a day? ^_^

*all pics taken from Google

I ♥ CEBU FOOD-- Part 1

I ♥ CEBU food

Part 1

A short history.....

....on learning to love local food...

Ever since I was a kid, I have a high appreciation for food. It probably started off as me-- a kid forced by my parents to finish everything on my plate and whether I like it or not, I should eat. That was when I started to be more daring in my attempts in exploring new tastes. And what could be a good start to explore than those food readily accessible and easily prepared. As a kid, I prefer eating food that are homemade as snacks rather than junkfood and softdrinks. Credits go to my Lola Maria-- my grandmother...who took good care of us cousins and siblings when we were young. She was the first to introduce us to the many different kinds of originally pinoy food and pinoy style of eating.

*by the way guys, terms I will be using especially those in italics are in bisaya or cebuano terms...terms vary in different dialects, but since I am Cebuana, you can learn some Cebuano terms too... ^_^

Savory Sepia Moments...

Lola made us eat our meals with ripe banana or ripe mango-- like it is really included in each spoonful of rice and viand. Weird as it tastes at first, especially when you're eating it with inan-unan (a dish of fish cooked in vinegar, onions, garlic, ginger and sili espada), but eventually I got used to it, but kept on wondering why my Lola does that. All I remember is her explaining that it helps us in digesting the food that we eat, and how it will help prevent us from getting tummyache no matter how much and how many different kinds of food we eat at the same time. And it indeed works! As to the detailed chemical dynamics-- I am not so sure about the explanation. It could also be a psychological factor, but yeah, I don't get empacho or indigestion. Until now, I'd prefer to have banana with my meals. And though mangoes are quite costly these days, it's a special delight to have one in your meals.

Other foods I remember that my lola introduced to us were champorado, bibingka, banana-cue, camote-cue, linung-ag na camote and saging, sinugbang mais, puto (sometimes eaten with buwad and sikwati)... and many more...

As I grew older, went to school and etc. I learned about other pinoy delicacies in which I delight-- cassava cake, palitaw, budbud, linusak, pinaypay and others...( these were actually my favorite snacks after my swimming lessons back when I was in Grade 1 and 2)

Salty foods are one of my early cravings too like buwad, ginamos, uyap and mani. Fruits sold on the sidewalk ready to eat include indian mango, singkamas, bayabas, tambis, santol, kapayas and manggang hilaw...sliced and sometimes tinuhog with a stick.

....Kinamot

Yes-- a lot of pinoy food are on a stick, or in bite-sized servings. Reason is because Pinoys love to eat using their bare hands-- not using much utensils. Kinamot is a favorite way to eat and it's not really a hard skill to do. You just have to pick or punit the food and hungit-- place in your mouth. Okay okay...some foreigners find it hard..and that's most likely because they find it awkward-- it's not really about the skill that they find kinamot difficult.

So I will end my PART 1 here...just a little childhood background on the food I have tried. The food I mentioned above are also available elsewhere in the Philippines. But on the next article.. I ♥ CEBU food PART 2 , I would begin focusing on CEBUANO food...

... Mabuhay!

^___^