The Adventures of Iñigo Boy

Vacation Bits 07: Sweets from the Philippines!

Here are some of the unique foods I got to try when I was in the Philippines!

YEMA is a type of custard candy made from eggyolks, condensed milk, and crushed peanuts cooked to form a firm custard, shaped in a pyramid or sperical manner, then wrapped in colorful cellophane. Think of it as like a creme caramel or creme brulee candy.

PASTILLAS DE LECHE, if directly translated from Spanish means “milk tablets” or “milk pills” which basically describes this Filipino sweet delicacy. Pastillas de leche are sweet milk candies are made out of carabao (water buffalo) milk shaped into small cylinders, it is hardened by evaporation and addition of sugar during the cooking process. (angsarap.net)

KAIMITO is a round fruit with a unique and delicious flavor. Filipinos usually translate its name into English as star apple. Its other names in English are cainito, caimito, abiaba, pomme du lait, estrella, milk fruit and aguay. The plant is sometimes called golden leaf tree; its genus name is Chrysophyllum, which is Greek for “golden leaf”. The flesh of the kaimito is white.

PUTO-BUMBONG is a type of puto or rice cake named after the bamboo tube in which it is steamed. It is unusual among puto, being sticky and having a long thin shape and purple color. The elongated shape results from the method of cooking while its color comes from the violet pirurutong rice it is made of. It is served with grated coconut and brown sugar. Along with bibingka, it is often served outside churches around Christmas time.

SUNDOT KULANGOT (literally “poke the snot”) is a bizarre but funny name for a simple Philippine candy that is packaged in small, nutty shells. Patience is needed to coax the enjoyment out of this rather esoteric candy. This candy is uniquely made in Baguio City.

The taste and texture of sundot kulangot is similar to the more popular matamis na bao or coconut jam. Sticky and sweet (like the coco jam), the rather absurd name ‘sundot kulangot’ obviously refers to the tedious way one has to open and eat (or sample) this candy. Sample or sampling  since the nutty shell only contains a teeny-weeny bit or less than a thumb size portion of the coco-jammy substance. One has to literally poke the sticky stuff out of the unusual packaging, similar to poking one’s nose for … you-know-what! (365greatpinoystuff.wordpress.com)

SUMAN and RIPE MANGOES is a great combo. SUMAN is a rice cake  made from glutinous rice cooked in coconut milk, and often steamed wrapped in buli or buri palm (Corypha) leaves. It is usually eaten sprinkled with sugar. (wikipedia).

Nothing can be sweeter than fresh Philippine MANGOES. Our national fruit has made its mark in the world with its unique sweetness, fruity aroma and buttery flesh fit to call ‘a food for the gods’. (choosephils.com)

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I’ll always come back for more of all these!