Philippine Snacks: Negros Island's But-ong

In the Negros Island in the middle part of the Philippines, we call it but-ong, , a delicacy made of sticky rice that is wrapped in banana leaf in conical shapes then cooked in coconut milk.

Its taste has a ginger flavor because small pieces of ginger are cooked with it, giving it that distinct local signature.

                  (Sticky rice being cooked in 
               coconut milk with other ingredients)

                      (Packed in a conical shape)

Cooking 'but-ong' is in itself an artform. Funneling the semi-cooked sticky rice into the banana leaf, which is then shaped into a cone and tied at the top with a thread.

This is what I love about local delicacies: they are environment-friendly! I guess, even before the Westerners set foot in the Philippine archipelago, we were already conscious about the environment. We used biodegradables and only consumed what we needed.

Then the Westerners came and introduced, well, the end of the world. Ha-ha-ha!

(Freshly cooked but-ong; 

still warm and smelling good)

I am not sure if the 'suman' delicacy from Luzon (northern part of the Philippines) is the same as 'but-ong'. The common ingredient among the two is the sticky rice and coconut milk. But I guess the difference lies in the presentation and the ginger flavor.  

The common 'suman' is usually wrapped flat for an easy packing. But-ong, on the otherhand, is given a artful form. 

                         (All mine to enjoy!)

(But-ong alongside the best puto in the Philippines)


But whether you call it suman or I call it but-ong, I am thankful to the neighbors who made these breakfast delights from scratch. Yes, it's best eaten for breakfast with hot table tsokolate or fresh mangoes. It's heavy to the tummy and best enjoyed while still warm.

Now, who wants to join me?

It's More Pan In The Philippines!

Yes, it is absolutely more 'pan' (bread) in the Philippines, so to speak!

Most Filipinos have sweet tooth. And I am one of them. Like everyone else, I grew up enjoying different kinds of breads, cakes, and other sweet pastries and delicacies. 

             (As usual, my domestic in-flight snacks of 
                 'salab' and mamon from El Ideal)

That's why when I fly home, I make sure I get to enjoy all of them, plus a few other favorites. I really don't mind gaining more weight. After all, it's only my luggage that gets weighed in at the airline's check-in counter, and not me. Ha-ha-ha!

                   (Brunch at Bizu in Greenbelt 3! Thanks, Tina!)

                              (Macaroons from Bizu!)

And while I usually enjoyed chocolate cakes, brazo de mercedes, ensaimadas, fruit cakes and other sugary recipes on land, I also bring my own snacks on my flights back to Manila and then to Seoul, to make sure my enjoyment continues...up there at 30,000 feet, or higher!

                                    (Puto kutsinta and 
                     ready-to-fly-to-Korea ube halaya!)

                               (Dolor's sapin-sapin and 
        Cafe Mary Grace's chorizo and green olive pasta!)

My check-in luggage would always be full with sweets, aside from my clothes and toiletries. Perhaps, if the Customs would x-ray my suitcase, they'd always find that half of it is garments, and the other half is...diabetes. Ha-ha-ha! But I can only bring so much, which would only last for a couple of weeks. 

(Checking in my luggage with all my brazo de mercedes and              sweets; my weight allowance was 30 kilos.)

        (A sunny afternoon flying out from Manila to Seoul)

        (The best in-flight snacks ever: turon, sapin-sapin and             Jamaican beef patty. And soda with ice, of course!)

But thanks to thoughtful friends, I am able to enjoy these goodies in Seoul a few times in a year. And just last week, I enjoyed the best cheese rolls in the Philippines again! Thanks to Cielo and Mary Grace for bringing me some Mary Grace cheese rolls, suman and banana chips. A shout-out also to Marlu for the Salazar hopia, which I'm digesting as I upload this blog. Ha-ha-ha!

                     (And maybe Salazar hopia and 
                      Bizu macaroons before landing.)

(And I won this pouch during CebuPac's in-flight game!)

Just like the cool spring weather in Korea, these delights are always welcome any day...and night! I sometimes microwave a piece of the ube-pinipig suman for midnight snacks! The cheese rolls were reserved for breakfast and a pack of the Salazar hopia was for afternoon snacks.

               (Mary Grace cheese rolls arriving in Seoul!)

          (Mary Grace cheese rolls as breakfast in Korea)

Although there are also a lot of sweet delicacies and fancy pastries here in Seoul, having these goodies I enjoyed growing up is an entirely different thing on its own. The local desserts and snacks here just can't compare.

From ensaimadas to otap to piaya to panara; let's throw in bibingka, barquillos and empanada, puto manapla and hopia...I could go on and on, but I'm salivating now! I have to stop! Ha-ha-ha!

With all that variety of baked, steamed or fried goodies, it's indeed more pan in the Philippines!

                   (Mary Grace goodies arrive in Seoul!)