Have you ever been to a Fiesta in the Philippines? If you haven’t then you’re missing a lot. As in a lot of food. If there is one thing that Filipinos love, it’s food. Filipinos love to cook for other people. They love to eat as much as they can and eating with other people is basically the best way for them to have fun. Food is the ultimate icebreaker, showcase item, and centerpiece attraction for Filipinos. A fiesta is a day were everything comes together for them. This is the day when they can have it all: eat, brag about their cooking and make people happy with their food.
Fiesta food varies a lot but there are still some constants that you can expect from each Fiesta. One could say that it isn’t really a fiesta with these kinds of food in the buffet table. I know you’re getting hungry, so here are some of the food that you often would find in a Filipino Fiesta:
1) Lechon
The Lechon is the king of all Fiesta food. For sure there are more expensive food that can be brought in a fiesta like the also popular Lechon Baka, but they do not come close to the affinity of lechon baboy has with fiestas. It’s never truly a fiesta indeed without the lechon.
To be clear, the term “lechon” is akin to roasting. The most popular depiction of cooking lechon is with the use of two sticks where a larger stick with the pig is hanged length wise over an intense fire. Mass production of lechon however prohibits such and therefore, the mechanical roasting spits are now used by the top lechon houses.
As lechon is basically a way of cooking, there is also lechon manok (chicken) and lechon baka (calf/cow). However, when one speaks of lechon, thee is no need to qualify it because lechon basically pertains to the pig variety.
Lechon is one of those things that Spain brought us and is therefore not distinctly Filipino. But there are some ways of cooking Lechon that are. In fact, one of the varieties of lechon that has been gaining ground as of late is the Lechon Cebu.
The Lechon Cebu is different from the common lechon as it does not have lechon sauce to eat with. The marinade itself is different and is exquisitely delicious despite not having the advantage of a good sauce.
The best parts of the lechon is ultimately the crispy skin which people often fight over. This reddish or orangey color decidedly excites any food lover and the crunchy and salty taste is a sure fire hit. Other than the skin, as for the meat part, the best parts are those on the nape of the pork and the stringy sides near the belly area. These are the tastiest and juiciest parts of the lechon and make sure you get to taste some of them before others eat it all up.
2) Menudo
This is basically another pork dish but it is essentially less popular than lechon. Menudo itself isn’t so special of a dish as it is often a regular viand for dinner meals. Menudo is basically mad up of pork, potatoes and tomato sauce. Filinos love to eat rice so this isperfect for such meal.
While menudo isn’t the best viand there is, it is about as staple as a viand could possibly get. One would usually get rice and, even if there are other special viands in the table, would get at least a couple of spoons of menudo on the side.
Menudo is slightly salty and sweet because of the tomato sauce and usually, Filipinos like to pour some of the sauce on the bland rice. This in itself is a good combination for Filipinos and already makes for a hearty meal.
3) Dinuguan
If you want to know what Dinuguan translates to in English, I’ll tell you. It means Bloodied. Yes. It means bloodied or at least something that refers to blood. Why on earthwould it be called that name? Simple, Dinuguan is basically pork blood.
Dinuguan is this dark brownish concoction with only one added color which is that of the green chili. That’s it. It’s either brown or black. It is basically a very dark pork stew. That’s not the only ingredient of course. The other contents of this delightful dish are none other than intestines and other pig guts as well. It is sometimes hot because of the chili but you can decide to not have that at all. It is particularly tasty and best to go with rice as well as the sweet delicacy called “puto”.
Dinuguan can be a bit saucy but it can also be quite on the dry side. It really depends on your preferences whichever you like because they should taste very similar. Personally, I like both equally as each presents a different way of eating it.
A lot of Westerners do not like this dish if only because they could imagine themselves basically drinking fresh pig’s blood and that, I admit, is highly unappealing. They are shocked by what the sauce contains and what the other ingredients are. If only you would give it a try then I am sure that you will love it as much as Filipinos do.
The Lechon is the king of all Fiesta food. For sure there are more expensive food that can be brought in a fiesta like the also popular Lechon Baka, but they do not come close to the affinity of lechon baboy has with fiestas. It’s never truly a fiesta indeed without the lechon.
To be clear, the term “lechon” is akin to roasting. The most popular depiction of cooking lechon is with the use of two sticks where a larger stick with the pig is hanged length wise over an intense fire. Mass production of lechon however prohibits such and therefore, the mechanical roasting spits are now used by the top lechon houses.
As lechon is basically a way of cooking, there is also lechon manok (chicken) and lechon baka (calf/cow). However, when one speaks of lechon, thee is no need to qualify it because lechon basically pertains to the pig variety.
Lechon is one of those things that Spain brought us and is therefore not distinctly Filipino. But there are some ways of cooking Lechon that are. In fact, one of the varieties of lechon that has been gaining ground as of late is the Lechon Cebu.
The Lechon Cebu is different from the common lechon as it does not have lechon sauce to eat with. The marinade itself is different and is exquisitely delicious despite not having the advantage of a good sauce.
The best parts of the lechon is ultimately the crispy skin which people often fight over. This reddish or orangey color decidedly excites any food lover and the crunchy and salty taste is a sure fire hit. Other than the skin, as for the meat part, the best parts are those on the nape of the pork and the stringy sides near the belly area. These are the tastiest and juiciest parts of the lechon and make sure you get to taste some of them before others eat it all up.
2) Menudo
This is basically another pork dish but it is essentially less popular than lechon. Menudo itself isn’t so special of a dish as it is often a regular viand for dinner meals. Menudo is basically mad up of pork, potatoes and tomato sauce. Filinos love to eat rice so this isperfect for such meal.
While menudo isn’t the best viand there is, it is about as staple as a viand could possibly get. One would usually get rice and, even if there are other special viands in the table, would get at least a couple of spoons of menudo on the side.
Menudo is slightly salty and sweet because of the tomato sauce and usually, Filipinos like to pour some of the sauce on the bland rice. This in itself is a good combination for Filipinos and already makes for a hearty meal.
3) Dinuguan
If you want to know what Dinuguan translates to in English, I’ll tell you. It means Bloodied. Yes. It means bloodied or at least something that refers to blood. Why on earthwould it be called that name? Simple, Dinuguan is basically pork blood.
Dinuguan is this dark brownish concoction with only one added color which is that of the green chili. That’s it. It’s either brown or black. It is basically a very dark pork stew. That’s not the only ingredient of course. The other contents of this delightful dish are none other than intestines and other pig guts as well. It is sometimes hot because of the chili but you can decide to not have that at all. It is particularly tasty and best to go with rice as well as the sweet delicacy called “puto”.
Dinuguan can be a bit saucy but it can also be quite on the dry side. It really depends on your preferences whichever you like because they should taste very similar. Personally, I like both equally as each presents a different way of eating it.
A lot of Westerners do not like this dish if only because they could imagine themselves basically drinking fresh pig’s blood and that, I admit, is highly unappealing. They are shocked by what the sauce contains and what the other ingredients are. If only you would give it a try then I am sure that you will love it as much as Filipinos do.
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