From ‘kilayin’ to ‘biko’: Food as part of nation-building

National identity, heritage and “food as strength of the youth today” served as the themes of April as National Food Month in the opening ceremonies in Mabalacat City, Pampanga, a province known for its flavorful cuisine which can appeal to the palate of the gourmet, or to those who simply long for a good, appetizing meal.

The event was organized by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) in coordination with the city government of Mabalacat, led by Mayor Crisostomo C. Garbo; the provincial government of Pampanga led by Gov. Dennis G. Pineda; the Department of Tourism, Department of Agriculture and the Philippine Culinary Heritage Movement.

Speakers led by NCCA chair Victorino Mapa Manalo stressed the theme of food as local and national pride, part of heritage and nation-building and a kind of rallying point for the youth as expressed in the slogan: “Kalutong Pilipino—Lakas ng Kabataang Pilipino.”

Teaching the young

The ceremonies took place at the Tabnuan Mabalacat City Cultural Center, and activities included a workshop-food demo for students of Mabalacat Elementary School; food-laden booths from the different municipalities of the provinces; cultural performances (with the youths at the back of the audience screaming because a Cordillera maiden, with great skill, was balancing what seemed to be a dozen jars on her head, and moving around at that and stepping down); and a rock-pop concert (the young ones screaming again, this time because the performers were a hot all-girls band).

A long buffet table groaning with food given the Kapampangan touch capped the evening.Before the formal opening, there was a workshop-food demo for students of the Mabalacat Elementary School, focusing on how to prepare and cook three bestsellers in Kapampangan cuisine: kilayin, putong babi and biko. Kilayin is pork with slices of puso ng baboy, which look like banana slices to the untrained eye, with natural broth (mantika) that flows out while the meat is being cooked. A friend who loves the dish says it takes hours to cook, but the main chef said it only takes 30 minutes to an hour, depending on the fire.She added, “Cook until it becomes partly brown so it won’t be mapait (bitter). The spiciness depends on you. You put in vinegar and salt in the last part.” It is the town of Santa Ana which specializes in kilayin.

Putong babi is a bread in the form of piglet and may be too cute to eat for some. “It tastes like pork giniling and carrots,” observed a colleague.

Biko is everybody’s favorite rice cake, and may be found in one form of another all over the regions. In Pampanga, kalabasa (squash) is added to the glutinous rice.

“It is important that the kalabasa be old,“ said the chef. “And you can put in any kind of milk, breaded milk, coconut milk, there are many kinds of milk in Kapampangan squash. Then you put white sugar in the orange belly of the kalabasa.”

Provincial specialties

The Hapag exhibit on the school grounds consisted of long lines of booths facing one another, with a smorgasbord of dishes, snacks and delicacies prepared the Kapampangan way, Pampanga being the land of kare-kare, sisig, tocino and other mouthwatering dishes. Other provinces and regions, of course, have their own specialties, which can give Pampanga cuisine a run for its money.

And so, on display were pork, chicken, beef, duck and veggies cooked in the style of kaldereta, adobo, asado, relleno and other more local-sounding names plus, in other booths, chicharon, mamon tostado, ensaymada, gulaman, pastillas and other fusion snacks and delicacies.On April 15 to April 17, a food conference was held at the Far Eastern University in Manila. Then celebrations will move south. There will be food expositions, trade fairs, cooking demos, symposia, workshops, cultural shows and many other activities.

Festivities will be held in Legazpi City, Albay (April 22 to April 23); San Jose de Buenvista, Antique (April 28 to April 30); Iloilo City (April 22to April 30); Roxas City, Capiz (April 18 to April 20); and SM Megamall, Mandaluyong City (April 26 to April 28). It’s goes back to San Jose de Buenavista on April 30 for the closing program. —Contributed INQ