Saturday, September 29, 2007

Umuusok Pa

It is already September - the first of what Pinoys like to refer to as the "ber" months.

In the minds of many, it signals the start of the Christmas season ...
We were brought up like that
That is the culture
That is the body clock

So - characteristically my body is starting to look for "ber" stuff
Even more so today because they were playing Christmas carols in the mall as I walked through
I longed for some "ber" food
I needed a carbo fix
And just before I got to the jeepney terminal -there was the answer to my craving

Ferino's Bibingka has been one of the Philppines' leading bibingkas since 1938.
A long time ...
A long honored tradition




















Started by spouses Mang Ceferino "Ferino" and Aling Tinay Francisco with three clay stoves and a bench in front of their apartment in Juan Luna St., Tondo - this longtime favorite has stood the test of time ...

And the test of taste .
After all, it's been around since 1938
It's got to be good

Bibingka is a traditional dessert of coconut milk, rice. salted egg and "kesong puti", cooked with live charcoal over and above the batter resulting in a soft fluffy flatcake with a slightly toasted surface. Eaten hot with coconut pulp grating on top - this is greaaaat for those cool "ber" evenings.

So there I was ...
Enjoying the breeze
Listening to Christmas carols blaring from the monster sound systems of the jeepneys by the terminal
Watching Pinoys doing their after office pasalubong shopping
Enjoying bibingka

Before I left I just had to express my gratitude to the lady cook ...

"Haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay naku
Fresh na fresh
Mainit
Malambot
Umuusok pa ...
Ang sarap talagang kainin ang bibingka mo :-) "

She froze
Perhaps it was the cool Septem"ber" breeze ...

















6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Wow it looks yummy! You made me so hungry for bibingka. The last time I had some was in 1976 just before I left for the States.
I just came back from the Oriental Store here in Wichita Kansas. I bought a rice flour, frozen banana leaves, and coconut. I cooked it in panini oven as you know with heat at the bottom and on top. Well, it didn't taste quite like when charcoal is used. But I got my fix of some not so traditional bibingka.

Daguldol Tarakatac III said...

Good for you ...
You are so lucky to know how to cook.
I am sure it was delicious ..

Me? I only know how to eat
Have a good day

daguldol

Anonymous said...

i remember those bibingkas and the long, sticky purple ones. i like them both. too bad, i can't get any of those here in germany - where i live. oh well. i guess, i'll just wait when i visit phil.

rita

Daguldol Tarakatac III said...

Rita,
Yup - bibingkas are yummy.
The long sticky purple ones are called "puto bumbong".

I hope you visit the Philippines soon. There is much to rediscover ...

daguldol

Anonymous said...

"...There is much to rediscover ..."

you can say that again. evey time i visit the phil (which is every few years), i get culture shock. it's so funny. but i still have an awesome time and i do like the 24/7 nightlife.

rita

Daguldol Tarakatac III said...

Yup,
24/7 is fun ...
That reminds me - I should post more about "fun" places - not just foodie stuff. The zonked in the morning places ...

ok ok
Thanks

daguldol