Bibingkang Mandaue - A native treat from Mandaue

Mandaue city- home of the bibingkang Mandaue (Filipino version of rice cake), is famous for its native delicacy. After about a century, the famous bibingka of Mandaue still remains as the delicacy that Mandauehanons can truly call their own and they can really be proud of.

During the Spanish colonial era, natives in Mandaue started to cook their own version of rice cakes for special occasions like fiestas in plazas and during Christmas season outside the churches after the Misa de Gallo (traditional night mass). The sweet, delicious rice cake was called “bibingka”, which came from a Chinese word “bi” or unripe grain. The natives’ own version of bibingka has become so popular; the rice cake was then called bibingkang Mandaue.

Eventually, the bibingkang Mandaue has become a sweet treat for those who have already tasted it. Since then, bibingka has been a popular roadside food for people in Mandaue and even tourists coming to the city. It is sold by vendors who are usually located beside highways or streets where people can actually just buy a freshly cooked bibingka whenever they wanted.

For many years, bibingka has been part and parcel of the culture of Mandaue. Bibingka gave the Mandauehanons a source of income. They cook and sell the rice cake their city has been proud of. And because Mandaue have been proud of their bibingkang Mandaue, just recently, May 5, 2011 the people in Mandaue gathered and were united to cook the biggest bibingka they could ever produce with a measurement of one hundred eighty two square meters in area and a diameter of fifty feet and thickness of three inches. It was an attempt to put their bibingka into the Guinness Book world of records. It is amazing to think that through the bibingka, the people in Mandaue were brought to unite into a successful event.

So what makes bibingkang Mandaue so special?

Of the many versions of bibingka in Cebu, bibingkang Mandaue had always been famous among others because this type uses manually pounded rice instead of the commercially ground rice and it contains tuba (coconut wine) which is used as a substitute of yeast. Most of the bibingka cooked in other places use rice flour or baking powder as ingredients of bibingka, which are not the traditional ingredients for bibingka. And they use yeast in order to increase the size of the rice cake, unlike in Mandaue, the vendors use tuba which adds a slightly acidic taste to the bibingka.

The bibingkang Mandaue is a soft and spongy flat cake made of basic ingredients. It is a Filipino kakanin and is one of the top ten best kakanin in Philippines. The traditional bibingka which is usually offered in Mandaue is made with pounded rice, coconut milk, white or brown sugar and the native tuba. The pounded rice used in bibingka is usually pounded manually but some vendors already use commercially ground rice for bibingka. The native tuba, on the other hand, is one of the ingredients that really make bibingkang Mandaue special because it gives a slightly acidic after taste and the Mandauehanons were the first to use tuba for bibingka. Nowadays, the tuba is often replaced with yeast to increase the size of the rice cake.

Aside from the ingredients used for the bibingka, traditional bibingkang Mandaue also uses round pieces of banana leaves which are used to wrap or line the bottom part of the bibingka. The pieces of banana leaves add to the unique toasted aroma to the bibingka especially when it is freshly cooked. And in the process of cooking bibingka, clay pots with burning charcoals on top and under the clay pot is used. This is a very unique way of cooking a kakanin (rice cake) because the kakanin is being cooked in both top and bottom parts to really make the bibingka cook well. With the basic ingredients and tools, a very special cake is then made.

So indeed bibingkang Mandaue is just made with basic ingredients, but how to cook this heavenly treat?

There are different styles on how to cook bibingka and it is very interesting to know how bibingkang Mandaue is cooked. Because of that, I went into Mandaue; searched some bibingka vendors and I tried to observe how to cook the famous bibingkang Mandaue. Along the streets of Ibabao, Mandaue city I found Mang Victor Baynosa. Mang Victor was in the process of making the bibingka when I approached him and asked him to demonstrate to me how to make the rice cake.

First thing he did was to prepare the bibingka mixture that will be cooked. He prepared the ingredients which were a kilo of pounded rice, three-fourths kilo of sugar, and one and a half kilo of coconut shreds and three small packs of yeast. Next, he placed the coconut shreds into a basin with two cups of water. He squeezed the coconut shreds until the coconut milk was extracted from it and placed into a separate container. The coconut milk extracted from the coconut shreds will be used for the bibingka mixture. 



After extracting the coconut milk, it was placed in a pan and heated into a low flame. While the coconut milk is being heated, sugar was added into the pan. After the coconut milk and sugar was mixed, it was cooled for ten minutes. After that, Mang Victor added the pounded rice into the mixture. He mixed the mixture and added 3 small packs of yeast into the bibingka mix. He placed the bibingka mixture into another container and covered it. Mang Victor said that the mixture should be stored for two hours before it is cooked. He also shared that he doesn’t use tuba anymore to increase the size of the bibingka because it is not usually available in the market.

After the mixture has been prepared, Mang Victor started to cook the bibingka. He placed a round piece of banana leaf over preheated burning coals on a clay pot. He then quickly added a cup of bibingka mixture into the clay pot, taking care not to spill the mixture in the container itself. He also quickly added coconut strips into the clay pot. He said that coconut strips add texture to the bibingka once it is eaten. Then, the clay pot was covered with more preheated coals. The bibingka was cooked under a lower flame as the cake is being cooked. It is to make sure that the top and bottom part of the rice cake is not charred. But Mang Victor said that the heat on top of the clay pot is stronger than the one below the clay pot. Mang Victor checked the bibingka from time to time to make sure that the bibingka would be cooked just right. Then, gradually the bibingka was cooked and was gotten out of the clay pot and was placed in a on the table covered with banana leaves.

Mang Victor Baynosa’s way of cooking bibingka was just like the traditional way of cooking bibingka and it tasted so good. Nothing tastes like a freshly cooked bibingka. Though Mang Victor’s bibingka don’t have toppings in it but still it tastes sweet and delicious as it is. Though there are some vendors who would put margarine, sprinkle some sugar and grated coconut on top of the bibingka to add more sweetness and texture to the rice cake.

Because of this undeniably sweet treat; bibingka has always been present in many special occasions in Mandaue. During fiestas in Mandaue, bibingka has always been part of the menu of many homes. During Mantawi festival, bibingkang Mandaue is always shared to everyone who wants to taste the sweet rice cake. According to my friend, nothing completes her celebration of Mantawi festival without eating her favorite bibingka.

Also, bibingkang Mandaue is popular during Christmas season which can be found outside the churches after the traditional night mass or Misa de Gallo. People would usually buy bibingka sold outside the churches during the Christmas season since there is no alternative to a freshly hot bibingka cooked over burning coals and eating it to get people warm from the cold air of December.

 

Indeed, bibingka Mandaue is a succulent delicious treat only found in Mandaue. It will always be one of the foods that Mandauehanons will be proud of. If one visits to Mandaue, no one could ever miss to enjoy the sweet taste of Mandaue’s version of bibingka. One could not leave the place without tasting Mandaue’s bibingka. 














facts and figures: http://globalnation.inquirer.net/
personal interview: Mr. Victor Baynosa october 12, 2011

assignment comm1 tf 10:30-12:00

1.

Mark Twain is the author of Huckleberry Finn.

Huckleberry Finn is a classic American novel.

Mark Twain's real name was Samuel L. Clemens.

He lived in Hartford for several years.

• Samuel L. Clemens, who was also known as Mark Twain and lived in Hartford for several years, was the author of a classic American novel called Huckleberry Finn. 

2.

Mark Twain's house was very elaborate and elegant.

It was on Farmington Avenue.

It was in an area called Nook Farm.

He was a neighbor of Harriet Beecher Stowe.

Harriet Beecher Stowe wrote Uncle Tom's Cabin. 

• Mark Twain was living in an elaborate and elegant house which was located on Farmington Avenue in an area called Nook Farm with Harriet Beecher Stowe, the author of Uncle Tom's Cabin, as his neighbor. 

3.

Mark Twain's home has a large side porch.

Windows and a balcony overlook the porch.

Today, people say the windows and balcony remind them of a steamboat.

In his youth, Twain piloted steamboats on the Mississippi. 

• Twain's home having windows and a balcony that overlook a large side porch, which was  inspired by Twain's childhood experience of piloting boats on the Mississippi, presently reminded people of steamboats. 

4.

Mark Twain was one of the first three people in Hartford to own a telephone.

The telephone was first used commercially in nearby New Haven.

There was practically no one to talk to.

Mark Twain never really liked this newfangled gadget. 

• Even though Mark Twain was one of the first three people in Hartford to own a telephone, which was first used commercially in nearby New Haven, he never really liked his newfangled gadget because there was practically no one to talk to. 

5.

Mark Twain loved industrial inventions.

He lost a fortune investing in them.

One of these inventions was the elaborate Paige typesetter.

Unfortunately for Twain, this machine was developed at the same time as the Linotype.

The Linotype machine was much simpler and less expensive.

• Because of Mark Twain's love for industrial inventions, he lost a fortune investing in them -  like the elaborate Paige typesetter which was developed at the same time as the Linotype machine and which was much simpler and less expensive. 

6.

Mark Twain's beloved daughter, Susy, died in the Hartford home.

She died of spinal meningitis.

Twain never felt the same about the house again.

He soon left the house and Hartford.

He returned only once.

He came back for the funeral of his friend, Charles Dudley Warner.

• When Mark Twain's beloved daughter, Susy, died in the Hartford home caused by spinal meningitis, it caused him to leave the house and Hartford because he never felt the same  about the house again and returned only once to Hartford during the funeral of his friend, Charles Dudley Warner. 

Report in Comm1 TF (10:30-12:00)

 "Scarborough Fair" lyrics

Are you goin' to Scarborough Fair? Parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme.
Remember me to one who lives there, she once was a true love of mine.

Tell her to make me a cambric shirt (On the side of a hill in the deep forest green).
Parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme (Tracing a sparrow on snow-crested ground).
Without no seams nor needlework (Blankets and bedclothes the child of the mountain).
Then she'll be a true love of mine (Sleeps unaware of the clarion call).

Tell her to find me an acre of land (On the side of a hill, a sprinkling of leaves).
Parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme (Washes the grave with silvery tears).
Between salt water and the sea strands (A soldier cleans and polishes a gun).
Then she'll be a true love of mine.

Tell her to reap it in a sickle of leather (War bellows, blazing in scarlet battalions).
Parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme (Generals order their soldiers to kill).
And gather it all in a bunch of heather (And to fight for a cause they've long ago forgotten).
Then she'll be a true love of mine.

Are you going to Scarborough Fair? Parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme.
Remember me to one who lives there, she once was a true love of mine.

More lyrics: http://www.lyricsfreak.com/s/simon+and+garfunkel/#share

http://www.lyricsfreak.com/s/simon+and+garfunkel/scarborough+fair_20124689.html

Report in Comm1 TF (10:30-12:00)

Herbs and Spices: Natural Weight-Loss Food 
 

There are dozens upon dozens of herbs and spices, from commonplace black pepper to more exotic turmeric and cardamom. But all share two unique features -- they add incredible flavor and aroma to food, especially low-salt dishes where flavor can sometimes be lacking.

Herbs and spices are necessities in the fight against fat. Too often, they are relegated to attractively labeled but rarely used bottles on revolving spice racks. This is unfortunate, because using the right blend of these taste enhancers produces delicious, low-calorie dishes that will make it easier to stick with your new weight-loss-friendly eating habits.

Health Benefits

Most dried herbs and spices are low in calories, providing about 4 to 7 calories per teaspoon. So feel free to use them even if you are following a low-calorie regimen. Some are surprisingly good sources of nutrients. Paprika is an excellent source of vitamin A, parsley is rich in vitamin C, cumin is an unexpected source of iron, and caraway seeds even contribute a little calcium to your diet.

New research findings suggest that several herbs are also rich sources of antioxidants that may possibly prevent the growth of cancer cells and protect delicate arteries from oxidizing damage that begins the buildup of plaque. Among them: allspice, basil, clove, coriander, dill, fennel leaves, mint, nutmeg, parsley, rosemary, and sage.

Aside from their nutrient and antioxidant contents, there are many health claims made for individual herbs. Here are but a few: Mint relieves gas and nausea; cinnamon enhances insulin's activity; oregano has antiseptic properties; sage contains compounds that act as antibiotics; thyme is said to relieve cramps. Most, however, have not been scientifically proved.

Selection and Storage

In our opinion, fresh is best. But it's not always easy to find fresh herbs. Farmers' markets are your best bet. Supermarkets may carry them year-round in small, clear plastic containers or bags. You may find them through internet Web sites, or you can grow your own windowsill herb garden. In any case, buy fresh herbs only as you need them. Wrap them in damp paper towels, place in a plastic bag, and refrigerate or store in their plastic containers. They should last a few days to a week.

When fresh aren't available, dried will do. Store dried herbs and spices in airtight containers, away from heat and light (over the stove is the worst spot). Dried herbs will keep for a year. Whole spices, like cloves or cinnamon, keep much longer. The flavor of dried herbs tends to fade faster than that of dried spices.

Preparation and Serving Tips

Becoming acquainted with herbs and spices is a must if you're committed to low-salt cooking. When you remove salt, a lot of flavor goes with it. That loss of flavor can be masked with herbs and spices.

If you're a novice at using herbs and spices, start by using only one or two per dish. If you're using fresh herbs, don't be shy. Their flavors are often subtle, and it usually takes more than you think to flavor a dish. With dried herbs, however, a little often goes a long way, so use judiciously. Start with about 1 teaspoon until you get a better feel for the amount you like in dishes. If you're cooking with fresh herbs, wait until the end of the cooking time to add them, so they'll retain their delicate flavor. Dried herbs and spices, on the other hand, hold their flavor well -- even under intense heat.

If you're looking to add herbs and spices for a genuine multinational dish, try using fresh cilantro for a distinctive Mexican flavor. For Asian flavor, use fresh chopped ginger. Get Italian flavor with fresh basil.

To flavor your food, reach for herbs and spices rather than high-sodium table salt. Be sure to read the labels of seasoning mixes because some contain salt.


source:  http://health.howstuffworks.com/wellness/food-nutrition/natural-foods/natural-weight-loss-food-herbs-and-spices-ga.htm

Indian Food

The writer presented Indian food as a reflection of Indian culture itself. He said that Indian food is influenced with many civilizations and yet it is still unique when it comes to taste and the way it is cooked. The writer also specifically identified different Indian foods in different parts of India whether it is north, west, east, or south India. Like for example north Indian food is influenced by central Asians and their dishes are prepared, most of the time, with rice and food made in wheat. The writer also described west Indian food as more on pickles or preserved food because there are less fresh vegetables in western India and there are also dishes made of meats of fishes. East Indian food, on the other hand, is famous for Hilsa and South Indian food focuses more on spices, fishes and coconuts. He was able to group different Indian foods on where they are usually prepared in relation to the ingredient's abundance on a specific place in India. 

Calories in Food by Dr. Philip S. Chua

Dr. Chua's article was very informative. It tackled about how important calorie intake is because it gives energy which our body would need inorder to  make physical activities. Calorie intake also determines a person's current weight and health status. He even showed how to calculate a person's total calorie requirement (TCR) by multiplying the ideal body weight (height in cm minus 100 less 10%) with the amount of calorie burned by a particular physical activity a person does. Dr. Chua gave many examples of activities and the average calories burned for each activity like walking slowly for 30 minutes will burn 106 calories or shopping for 30 minutes would burn 102 calories. The article was also well researched because there are a lot of data. He gave calorie counts for some vegetables like 90 grams of cooked okra and upo provides 16 calories. There are also calorie counts for some fruits like one slice of pineapple will yield 40 calories and calorie counts for other meats like one slice of bacon contains 45 calories. And most especially he was able to find calorie counts for some favorite Filipio delicacies like puto bumbong, sapin-sapin, biko, cassava cake and many more. Dr. Chua was able to give his readers a lot of information about calories which some people just ignore and he tried to inspire his readers to be more conscious on what to eat. 

connotation and denotation

Nostalgia for Kerala (and its food) by Pete Cherches

1. There are beautiful beaches and backwaters, places of great historical interest, reflecting the region's varied colonial past, and an overall sense of contentment and well-being among the people.

2. The instrumentation is Indian, the melodies slightly Arabic, and the combination is beautiful.

3. The dancers have perfect control of all face and body muscles, and the make-up is striking and elaborate.

4. It was a lovely, idyllic place, and I felt a bit like Gaugin arriving in Tahiti.

5. The sauce for the kingfish curry had a nice, tangy bite, and the beef fry had an aromatic dry masala that reminded me a bit of Indonesian rendang.

Turn out the lite....by Anderson Digby

1. There is a word that usefully captures this trend to the insipid and denatured, and it is "Lite".

2. Lite is insipid, weak, denatured, flat, diluted, and easy: food for cowards and children.

3. He is ignorant, timid, squeamish, and childish.

4. Our morality is Lite, childish, and diluted.

5. Our religion is insipid, and undemanding.