Fiesta Señor and Sinulog 2014

We can compare it to the Magellan expedition that left Spain in Sept 20, 1519 and arrived in Sept 6, 1522 and the entire voyage took a total of 1083 days or 2 years, 11 months, 18 days. We do recall that the statue of the Santo Niño de Cebú was the baptismal gift of Ferdinand Magellan to Hara Humamay (Queen Juana), principal wife of Rajah Humabon (King Carlos).

It was in 1981 that the Sinulog Festival with the 1st Sinulog Parade was  organized by MYSD Regional Director David Odilao to pay homage to the Child Jesus—Sr. Santo Niño. Your favourite food columnist working then with the Gaw Family was able to join that 1st Sinulog. Unfortunately, the ambiance of the float of Gaw Trading Inc. and the costumes of the dancers were appropriate for another festival, the Brazil Mardi Gras category!

It has also become a tradition for Marco Polo Plaza to launch Sugbosog during the Sinulog festival for celebrators who want to taste authentic Cebuano cuisine. Cebuano food guru Ms. Jessica Avila prepared a sequel to the street food classics served in 2103, under the same strict hygienic requirements of food preparations in a five-star hotel setting. I do remember my grandmother telling me to avoid three types of food commonly served in fiestas, because they easily succumb to microbial contamination. Never eat kinilaw, salads and fresh lumpia and this advice has been my guide in my food adventures.

Abre Gana (Appetizers) served during the opening night of Street Classics Dos food festival were the following: Ginabut aka chicharon bulaklak, Kinilaw and balut. The latter is the cooked developing duck egg (14 to 17 days old) and is commonly eaten in Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos but consumers in Western countries frown upon it.

Sopa (soup) were the Monggos (Mung beans) with crushed fried pork rind as toppings and Ensalada (salads) served were the Salad with Smoked Fish Flakes, Roast Eggplant and Tomatoes with Salted Duck Egg.

 For the Sud-an (main Course), we had the Kaldereta (Goat Stew in Tomato Sauce), Chicharo Guisado (Stir-fry Snow peas) Balbacua , Bam-I Noodles and the star of the night, a magnificent hunk of meat, the Roast Lechon Belly. Really lovely! For the desserts (sira-gana) to complete the meal, I easily succumb to the sweet temptations of Sinulog Café Marco Fiesta Ensaimada.

For my beloved readers, I have to share this very important piece of food safety information. Months ago, I wrote about an incident where I had to rush to a hospital because my urine was colored red. I learned later that it was a food coloring from ginamos hipon (salted shrimp fry) because everyone in the house who ate there had the same problem. Since then no more, excuse me, ginamos hipon for me. Finally, last Wednesday, it was reported that a substance used to make red floor wax was also used for ginamos hipon! [email protected]