Food Experience: “Mamon Tostado” and “Biscocho Special”

“Mamon Tostado” and “Biscocho Special” can be found in the province of Iloilo (Iloh-iloh), Philippines. I think they can be found anywhere in the Philippines but I heard that they’re Iloilo’s specialty because that’s where they were first made. Where else can you find the best of these types of delicacies than in the place where they were said to have originated, right? My eldest sister went to Iloilo and brought these delicacies home, so my Mamon Tostado and my Biscocho Special came directly from the province where they were first created. Let me describe each of them to you. I’ll start with the “Mamon Tostado”. Mamon Tostado is usually a round-shaped delicacy made of flour, egg, milk and sugar. It doesn’t melt in your mouth like meringue but the crunchiness of the spongy texture, plus the delicate taste of sugar and milk, will make you crave for more. Don’t leave it out in the open for long because the texture will become hard and rubbery. You wouldn’t want that.  It’s best to eat with tea. The Biscocho Special is made of elongated bread cut into four, lengthwise, pieces with melted sugar and milk on each slice. You can't help nibbling on it because of its sweetness and creaminess. Its texture is harder and thicker than Mamon Tostado and, for me, it’s better to eat with soup (like the corn soup I just featured here) than with tea. If you ask me which one I prefer, I would say that despite of their similar ingredients, they somehow differ in taste, due to the different amounts of sugar and milk used in them, so I really can't choose between the two. I like them both. If you're a tourist in Iloilo, or planning to go on a tour there, and you happen to pass by a store that sells these delicacies, you might want to grab yourself a sample of each of them and enjoy the experience. :)

Pork Adobo Recipe

Let’s cook Pork Adobo, one of the Philippines’ specialties!

What you need:

1/2 kilo pork, diced into bite size

1/4 cup soy sauce

1/3 cup white vinegar

Juice of 6 calamansi (calamondin)

1tsp salt

2tbsp sugar

2tbsp cooking oil

3 cloves of garlic, minced

1 red onion, finely chopped

1tsp ground black peppercorn

2 Bay leaves

Procedure:

1. Sprinkle salt onto the pork. Mix well, then set aside.
2. In a bowl, mix all of the following ingredients to make a mixture: soy sauce, vinegar and sugar. Mix well until the sugar is dissolved.
3. Heat a deep skillet to medium heat.
4. Pour cooking oil into the skillet.
5. Sauté garlic and onion until golden brown.
6. Add the bay leaves.
7. Put the pork into the skillet and fold.
8. Pour the soy sauce, vinegar and sugar mixture into the skillet, mix with the pork and cover with a lid.
9. Let the pork cook in this mixture and its own juices.
10. Fold from time to time until the oil from the pork comes out.
11. Let the pork fry in its own oil.
12. Add the calamansi (calamondin) juice. Fold.
13. When it’s dry, sprinkle some ground black peppercorn.
14. Fold until the ingredients are mixed well together.
15. Remove from stove and drain all the oil.

Now your pork adobo is ready to eat! This recipe is always preferred to be eaten with rice.

Good for 3 servings.