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Thinking out of the (pasalubong) box
For many transplanted Ilonggos like myself pasalubong from visiting friends and relatives ease homesickness and cravings, particularly over Ilonggo food. Some of the more predictable “pasalubong” from Iloilo are barquillos (wafer rolls, good with ice cream), biscocho (butter toast) and pinasugbo (dried, candied banana on a paper cone) all available in Jaro.
If the pasalubong giver ventures farther into Molo, we’d get the chance to savor Panaderia De Molo and Molo County treats such as bañadas, hojaldres and other traditional cookies, packed in trademark cans or boxes small enough to be cabin baggage.
Pancit Molo and Batchoy are packed in air tight plastic ware and hand carried on the plane. So much effort for soup. But these days, Molo balls are available in most Metro Manila grocery stores (besides we can really just make our own) and Batchoy chains have spawned here as well. We don’t miss these soups that much anymore.
I am also less appreciative of butterscotch, which I think is not really an Ilonggo invention. It’s like laying claim to brownies, which is baked in kitchens all over the world. To this day, I still don’t understand why and how it got associated with Iloilo. It’s one “local delicacy” I will never miss.
But if you really want to make a transplanted Ilonggo happy (and well-fed), here are some special items you might want to throw in that pasalubong box:
KADYOS. Very rare in Metro Manila. The traditional KBL (Kadyos, Baboy, Langka) is really a treat. On days when craving is intense, we drive to Tiendesitas Verde in Pasig to get our fix from a food stall “Freska”. It sells KBL at P 80 for one small styro bowl. Sadly, that serving contains lotsa soup, just bits of pork (mostly fat and skin), langka (julienne strips thinner than French fries), and about 5 kadyos beans that you’d guard with your life.
BATWAN. The world doesn’t really know what it’s missing. Where I live now, sampaloc is the popular souring ingredient. I was told Batwan (important part of an Ilonggo’s cooking arsenal) is endemic in the Visayas and if ever it grows elsewhere, non-Ilonggos just don’t know the many eating pleasures it offers. A couple of batwan on KBL and you’re “solved”.
ROBERTO’S KING SIOPAO. If really hungry (and deprived) I can finish two in one sitting. Roberto’s King Siopao has pork, ham, chicken and a whole boiled egg! Far cry from the Manila siopao which contains mostly extenders, cornstarch, singkamas (?) and lots of factory grade catsup.
JOANN’S FISHBALL. Bits of “carajo” balled using cake flour with yellow sauce. This one you’d find only in Molo, particularly in a corner of Plaza Molo.
PANDESAL NI PAA. Sometimes sold by ambulant vendors outside Jaro Bakery near Plaza Jaro in the morning, Pan de Sal ni Paa is a pre-war bread recipe, the true pan de sal because it’s not sweet. Sal means salt people!
TEREN TEREN OF TIBIAO. You may buy this bread with milky filling by the bag. I call this the “Ilonggo Roti”. Bread strewn like “trains” hence “teren teren” can be reheated and will stay fresh for days.
UNCLE TOM’S FRIED CHICKEN. There’s something about this subtly spicy, crispy fried chicken that tastes superb with its own gravy and cole slaw and smoking steamed rice. Any trip to Iloilo is not complete without an Uncle Tom’s stopover. Forget the diet and have a few slices of Uncle Tom’s chocolate cake or cassava pudding to complete the experience.
SHRIMP KROPECK. Available in local grocery stores, my obsession for this orange, shrimp crisps dates back to the 80’s.
NANG PALANG’S BUKO PIE sold in Oton is also a must try. Stop by for BINGKA SA MOHON on your way back to the city from Nang Palang’s.
For food to go, TRS SPECIAL AT TIB’S ROCK would make a good gastronomic treat for the talaba lover (although I doubt if it can keep for long), or TATOY’S KINILAW, whose flavor it owes to grated, semi-ripe mangoes.
