Local traditions and culture in City of Manila

1 more image

Christmas is one of the best season to visit Manila because there will be lots of decorations, shopping sales and other Christmas activities happening in the city because Philippines is predominantly a Catholic country. I was in Manila in late November 2007, and already could feel the Christmas atmosphere (and the Christmas trees and decorations are great!).

However, there will be no snow but you get lots of beautiful beaches here :)

filipinos often add the word "po" (poh) in the end of their sentences when talking to other persons, especially the elders, as a sign of respect. "Opo" means yes. It also wouldn't hurt to say "Manang" for women or "Manong" for men as titles when speaking respectfully to strangers - cab drivers, vendors, etc.

the act of "mano po" is taking an elder's hand, bowing down and touching it with your forehead while saying "mano po." the elder would then say "bless you."
it's a traditional way of greeting the elders.

1 more image

Pancit Bihon (aka Bijon) is what foreigners traditionally associate with the word "pancit": very thin rice noodles fried with soy sauce and some citrus (kalamansi) and possibly with patis (fish sauce), and some variation of sliced meat (chicken and pork), wooden ear mushrooms, squid balls and chopped vegetables. The exact Bijon composition depends on someone's recipe but usually, Chinese sausage and cabbage are the most basic ingredients in a pancit bihon.

"Pansit" is stir-fried noodle dish, common in the Philippines, though of Chinese origin. This food is second in popularity to rice in the country. It's similar to Pad Thai thai noodles or yakisoba Japanese-style stir-fried noodles. The word pancit is derived from the Hokkien (Min Nan) word pian i sit, which literally means something conveniently cooked fast

The first pancit that landed in the Philippines is likely to have been made from wheat noodles brought as provisions by a Chinese traders from Fujian Province. Sometime later, another Chinese merchant probably tried his hand on making his own noodles when his provisions ran out. With inquisitive natives by his side, he may have experimented with batch after batch until he produced something that looked like what he may have had in his homeland. But since rice, not wheat, was on hand, he made rice noodles. Rice starch differs in nature from wheat, having less gluten that provides that familiar “bite.” Rice noodles are whiter in color and have less “muscle” in body. But that may not have mattered much to the homesick Chinese trader; pancit was pancit, and anyway rice noodles could be had in China as well.

There are lots of Variations for Pancit like Molo, Luglog, Palabok, Canton, Habhab, etc. it depends on the region or town you are going.

3 more images

bibingka is a Popular Filipino Cake, it was originally eaten only during the christmas season wherever the Dawn Masses (Misa De Gallo) would start but it spread in it's popularity that it is available today all year round. It is available into 3 types, the Bibingka made with Flour, The Bibingka Galapong, Made with Rice Flour and the Cassava Bibingka, made with rootcrop Cassava. It is also popular in Goa in India, East Timor and Macau where it is known as Bebinca. In the portugese version it is made with flour plus Ghee (a kind of indian butter).

In the Filipino method of preparation, rice flour or wheat flour is used and sliced salted duck eggs plus quesong puti, a semi-soft white cheese made from carabao's milk (similar to bufala mozzarella) are added into the batter before baking (the baking process is similar to that of the bebinca). Before being served, butter or margarine is spread and sugar is sprinkled over the bibingka. It is typically served with grated coconut.

baking the bibingka is no small matter. the batter is poured into a clay pot or coconut shell lined with banana leaf--the leaf is there to make it easier to lift the bibingka out, but it also imparts a wonderful aroma to the cake. the pot is placed on small clay coal-fired oven, and then a metal tray covered with more of the hot coal is placed on top of the pot, and the cake is carefully watched for a few minutes until it has gently risen, the cheese has melted, and the top has browned and blistered. once out, the leaf-lined cake is wrapped up in more banana leaves to keep it warm and toasty; then some newspaper, with a generous bag of grated coconut wrapped within, a final bind of twine and you are sent on your merry little way.

Via Mare Restaurant makes the best Bibingka!

1 more image

PASTILLAS DE LECHE originated from San Miguel and Bulacan. Its manufacture spread to Cagayan and Masbate provinces. In the beginning, it was home made by farmers rearing carabaos using carabao's milk. Then, a small-scale industry developed in the area to produce PASTILLAS DE LECHE. PASTILLAS DE LECHE is a sweet delicacy. Pastillas is a milk-based pastry. It can be made with just milk and sugar. The milk and sugar are boiled together until thickened, then cooled and formed by hand into little mini-logs that are often rolled in more granulated sugar before they are individually packed in cellophane and paper. If the mixture is allowed to boil to the point that it starts to get darker in color, almost moccha like, this is known as “tostado.It has the shape of a cylinder (1/2-1 cm diameter and 4 cm long). Its body is yellowish and has a sweet and fruity taste.

1 more image

Espasol (Rice Pastry) is a cylinder-shaped Filipino rice cake originating from the province of Laguna. It is made from rice flour cooked in coconut milk and sweetened coconut strips, dusted with toasted rice flour and can be given a distinct taste by adding favorite flavorings such as pandan (pandanus leaf), buko (young coconut) or langka (jackfruit) for a heavenly melange of flavors and textures. It has a sweet taste. It is coated with powder to lessen stickiness and prolong shelf life.

1 more image

Prepared from the finest natural ingredients rich in vitamins, minerals and protein-rich choice peanuts, real fresh butter, refined cane sugar and corn syrup. Goes well with coffee, tea, juice and even ice cream!

Brittles are confections, usually very hard and brittle, made of caramel, or near-caramel sugar syrup, and nuts. Peanut brittle is one of the numerous varieties of nut brittles, which consist of flat broken pieces of hard sugar candy mixed with nuts.

A mixture of sugar and water is heated to the hard crack stage corresponding to a temperature of around 300 degrees Fahrenheit. Peanuts are mixed with the caramelized sugar. At this point spices, leavening agents, and often peanut butter or butter are added. The hot candy is poured out onto a flat surface for cooling, traditionally a granite or marble slab. The hot candy may be troweled to uniform thickness. When the brittle cools, it is broken into pieces.

Romana's have some of the yummiest peanut brittle I have ever tasted. Finely chopped peanuts in a delicious wafer thin caramel and flavored with just a touch of butter that is cut and expertly packed into cylindrical plastic bottles and sell for 90 Pesos ( 2..2 US$) for 800grams… what a deal!