Christmas Noche Buena Special : a journey of culinary delight

Christmas here in the Philippines start early as September as Christmas carols start playing in your radio and the malls. A few lighys, some ornaments start to creep in. Just a garland or two, a Star of David, some Santa Claus figurine and some green vines.

After November 1 then is suddenly an explosion of colors and lights as if to give reverence to the dead first and then start celebrating life. The lights are almost blinding as the streets and houses glow with Christmas lights and decorations. Even trees are decorated and lit up!

The malls that are usually just lit up with white florescent lights are changed ranging from winter wonderlands, gold and silver accents, red and white candy land to blue havens depending on the declared color of the year.

You cannot help but get into the holiday spirit as all the lights seem to push away the darkness. People start becoming a whole lot nicer, smiles are easier to be given and received and you often find yourself singing in your head a Jose Marie Christmas song unconsciously. It just happens haha.

More than the songs and the lights what I really look forward to are the food! Food is such an integral part of who I am and if you see my other social media accounts it is a bane to those who are dieting because all I post are food photos.

So often found near churches and different street corner you would take a whiff of freshly made Puto Bumbong. It is made of steamed glutinous rice mixed with purple yam powder and soaked in salt water and then left to dry overnight. This Puto or glutinous rice cake is then poured into bamboo tubes or what we Bumbong and steamed till done hence the name Puto Bumbong. It is served with butter slathered all over it and then topped with grated coconut and sugar.

It usually paired with Bibingka which is made with the same glutinous rice mixed with coconut milk, margarine, sugar and traditional topped with a piece of salted egg. However there are various variations and here is one expensive one I had in a hotel. It was Bibingka with green matcha spread all over and then topped with white chocolate buttons.

Here is a more traditional version.

Another staple in our house during Christmas is roasted chestnuts. My Matriarch loves these nuts and would often buy them in the mall. I love the woodsy and nutty aroma as you crack one and then pop it in your mouth.

Source

All of these tasty treats are a prelude to the main event, Christmas Noche Buena. Noche Buena is translated into Good Night. Coming from our Spanish heritage due to being colonized by Spain for more than 300 years. It has influenced us in a lot of our culture as the Filipino language and other dialects are riddled with Spanish words, the names of our cities, provinces and of course the name of county itself is derived from the name of the Spanish king Phillip II. The name given then was Las Islas Filipinas. Even surnames take a very distinct Spanish flavor as we have so many Cruz, Santos, De Leon and Villanueva just to name a few.

Source

Christmas Noche Buena are usually eaten with the family and friends after the late evening mass called Misa de Aguinaldo on the eve of Christmas on December 24.

Taking center stage would often be a roasted pig we call Lechon. This would be either a suckling piglet for smaller parties or a whole big one for events. Spitted and roasted for hours over charcoal and often basted with either coke or their own specialized sauce to give a caramelized and super crunchy texture for the skin. People actually fight over the skin! Haha

Source

I would highly recommend Cebu Lechon in particular Zubuchon and Hukad. My Cebuano readers please don't kill me haha.

Another staple would be ham or as we call it by its Spanish word Hamon. Often glazed with sweet maple syrup or pineapple glazed and heated in the oven and presented cut into thin slices.

Source

Hamon is often paired with the very distinct Queso de Bola which literally means ball of cheese. I am not a huge cheese fan but my Matriarch is and she never forgets to get this. It is an Edam type of semi hard cheese. We often have a slice of this with the Hamon and made into a sandwich as we wait for the proper time to eat Noche Buena.

You of course would have rice. Tons of rice! As it is not considered a meal here in the Philippines of you did not eat rice. Strange as it we will also have Spaghetti. It is not a party of without spaghetti!

My favourite part of Noche Buena! Dessert! We usually will have Ube Halaya which is primarily made with Ube Yams, my sister usually makes a mango float refrigerator cake, I make leche flan a caramel custard made from eggs, condensed milk and some vanilla extract, ice cream, fruit salad and of course so many cakes!

Source

Source

My family has one sweet tooth addiction haha! All of these wonderful food are washed down with our own Tsokolate Batirol. Why go through the hassle of doing something physically draining? Well tradition and because it taste so good. Sure anyone can hear a pot and put chocolate powder to make hot choco but once you had Tsokolate Batirol everything else tastes flat.

I use Davao sourced Chocolate Tablea and place it in a pot of water bring it to a boil and wait for it to melt. Once boiling thats when you take the wooden stirrer or Batirol and spin in between the palm of your hands! You'll see air bubbles mix into the drink and giving it a foamy texture. This is bliss!

Whew I am so excited for Christmas Eve and all the food preparation we will be doing. Christmas is a time for us siblings to come home and see each other and prepare dishes with loving care. It is a time for us to partake of the traditions and revel in the company of each other. So what are some of the foods that you prepare for your family on Christmas Noche Buena?

I am encouraging everyone to kindly vote & support @surpassinggoogle
By typing @steemgigs as your witness

Here we are last year and hoping for a good one this year.