Next week, the ’ber months begin. What better way to welcome the holidays than with bibingka and puto bumbong cooked on-the-spot right before your eyes?

Lisa Albiola (0910-7765489) has the best tasting bibingkang galapong. Hers is a soft fluffy pancake, fermented just right and blended with the exact sweetness to balance off the saltiness from the egg and quesong puti.

Her bibingka is very tasty, done in a refined fashion. It’s smaller, comparatively speaking. The small servings make one crave for them more.

Her puto bumbong cannot be dismissed either. It is soft, moist and chewy.

Kitchenware

Since the holiday season is just around the corner, isn’t it nice to see food served on fancy cups, glasses and bowls? This would make your guests feel like they’re being served as in a hotel buffet.

I have been tripping on Rosseto Liteware in my cooking classes. Food simply looks good in them.

My students have likewise fallen in love with them. An example is Anna Ong, who one day decided to serve breakfast on these fancy containers. The sardines looked divine and sosyal in them.

The dishes are eco-friendly and will fit all your entertaining requirements. The line includes recyclable disposable mini: dishes, cutlery, dishes, plastic champagne flutes, shot glasses, all sorts of environmentally friendly dishes.

Call Max Ideas’ at 0917-5283196 and stock up. Believe me, it’s a great and fun way to entertain with Rosseto.

More Albay cuisine

While in Misibis, I tasted two dishes that caught my fancy: a Bicol-style tinola made with native chicken, tanglad and corn; and a most sublime kilawin with young buko that tasted clean and fresh.

Both recipes are by Dan Gonzales, Misibis Bay’s executive chef.

The tinola is dedicated to Sen. Chiz Escudero, a self-proclaimed tinola fanatic. Little did he know that one of the best renditions of the recipe comes from his very own Bicol!

Bicol Chicken Tinola

1 kg native chicken (cut into parts or choice cuts of breast, thigh or wing)
2 ½ c young papaya or sayote
½ c dahon ng sili
Finger chili
5 c water
2 tbsp ginger (roughly chopped)
½ head garlic (minced)
1 medium onion (diced)
3 tbsp oil
2 tbsp patis
Pinch of salt and pepper
2 lemongrass stalks
In a casserole, heat oil and sauté garlic, onion and ginger.
Add the chicken and water.
Bring to a boil and lower fire, let simmer until chicken is cooked.
Pour in patis, salt and pepper to taste.
Add in papaya or sayote, and sweet corn. Allow cooking.
When ready to serve, put in dahon ng sili and finger chili.
Serve hot.

The kinilaw is for cardiologist Dr. Enrique Posas, who has a penchant for it. I promised him a recipe but do not have any spectacular ones of my own. So here’s chef Danilo’s. Hope you like it, Dr. P!

Kilawing Tanigue, Misibis-style

200 g fresh tanigue cut into cubes
½ c calamansi juice
1/3 c ginger
1 medium size of onion
3 pcs native tomato
4 pcs native Bicol chili
3 pcs finger chili
1 young coconut
½ c fresh kakang gata
1 tbsp sea salt
½ tsp white pepper
½ c native vinegar
Mix to combine.
Serve in buko shell.

Sunday Best Recipe Contest

Has life become so busy that, according to Maricel Manalo of San Miguel Culinary Center, most people cook at home only during the weekends?
Yes, perhaps times have changed, and so have our collective eating and cooking habits.
Having learned this, San Miguel decided to launch My Sunday’s Best Recipe Contest.
Make everybody’s weekend extra-special with your extraordinary recipe and win P25,000 cash, San Miguel Purefoods products, special gift packs from our sponsors, and more!
Manalo said: “Just by sharing with us your original recipe using selected San Miguel Purefoods products and taking a video of its procedure will give you the chance to be the next cooking superstar!”
Submit your entries to www.mygreatfood.com. The winner will be announced on the second week of September.