A Filipino Christmas is Violet and Yellow

So we were driving home after our jogging stint in UP when we passed by the go-to puto bumbong/bibingka lady inside our village.  It's just a makeshift tent (with no name) on the sidewalk of the main street (Sampaguita St.) with three palayok (clay pot)  burners for the bibingkas.  The smoldering coal just beckons to passersby with a promise of freshly-cooked traditional Filipino snacks.  Since I only moved into the area when Yuri and I got married, which was 5 months ago, I've only heard stories of this fabled puto bumbong and bibingka stall.  Yuri and my brother-in-law rave about them all the time.  Unfortunately, we haven't had a chance to sample any of their tasty treats since they opened in December.  Yuri and I were completely slammed with catering gigs last December, so we always got home late.  Each time we drove by Sampaguita St., the stall would already be closed OR on the off-chance that we did make it home early-ish we'd see cars queued up along the sidewalk waiting for their bibingka and/or puto bumbong orders.  During those times we were just too out of it to wait and line-up.

So earlier, we were pleasantly surprised to see that the stall was still open, especially being it past December and all.  Puto bumbong/ bibingka stalls are usually already closed by this time of the year so we thought for sure that our village lady had disappeared by now.

I was not passing this rare opportunity up.  I demanded asked Yuri to turn the car around so that we could FINALLY buy some.  The ones I sampled during the Christmas season were really icky versions of the two said snacks.  It made me feel like something was still missing from my Christmas experience... up until today that is. :) You see, puto bumbong and bibingka are the quitessential Filipino Christmas delicacies.  The scent of puto bumbong and bibingka from the street vendors marks the nearing of the holiday season just as snow does for the Western world.

We ended up buying one of each.  It's just an easy two-minute drive from the stall to our house so they were still hot when we got there.  

Puto Bumbong is simply a bamboo-steamed rice cake topped with muscovado sugar and shredded coconut.  I got mine for Php 40.00.  It's simply galapong (glutinous) rice soaked (and then dried) overnight with violet food coloring.  The rice mixture is then placed inside the bumbong (bamboo tubes) and then cooked in the lansungan (heat steamer) which is filled with water and pandan leaves.  A laborious process that is usually taken for granted by most Filipinos.

The rice cake itself is lightly seasoned bordering on bland.  The muscovado sugar and shredded coconut complete this snack.  I just love the velvety and gooey texture of puto bumbong.  Vendors usually add a good dose of margarine on top of the puto bumbong but mine had only a touch of it which I prefer.  It's shelf life is just 2 days.  This isn't a big deal at all since everyone I know eats it on the spot or at least as soon as they get home.

A bibingka is a soft and spongy cake made with rice flour, coconut milk, and eggs.  It's usually cooked with slices of salted egg in the middle and then topped with shredded coconut.  The cake is cooked in banana leaves with pre-heated coals under and above it giving it a wonderful smoky char on both sides.  The heady aroma of toasted banana leaves is also something to look forward to.  The smell immediately filled up the whole car as soon as my bibingka was handed to me.  It's really fluffy and moist when done right and best eaten while it's still piping hot.  This cost me Php 60.00 which I was happy to spend.

These two delicacies are intrinsic to Filipino family traditions.  I always get warm fuzzy feelings when I get to eat them.  Simple, hearty, and uniquely Filipino fare.

I'm hoping that they're still open til the end of February.  Crossing my fingers.  Or at least until I get back from my Kalibo trip.  Which reminds me... I need to start packing.  Ugh.  Well, good night then.