For actor and former senator Tito Sotto, nibbling on bite-size squares of bukayo pleasantly reminds him of the summer afternoons he spent in his grandfather’s ancestral house in Nueva Ecija. And as the former senator mused about his fondest memories of the province, the members of media were treated to a quick culinary trip to Central Luzon through a silver tier of Nueva Ecija’s native delicatessens during the monthly Filipino afternoon tea at the lobby of Manila Hotel.
Following a successful Filipino Afternoon Tea kick-off last month with Cesar Montano, Manila Hotel recently welcomed another celebrity guest, Tito Sotto, with a steaming cup of green tea and an array of bukayo, turon, and espasol, – this month’s highlighted delicacies offered at the Grand Lobby of Manila Hotel.
“I was born and raised in Manila but my mother is from Nueva Ecija while my father is from Cebu. My mother brings me to our old house in Cabanatuan Nueva Ecija every summer since I was a child so I spent more time in Nueva Ecija than in Cebu. I could still remember those hot afternoons when I sit by the window of my grandfather’s house waiting for the merienda vendor to come by and offer a bilao of goodies like bukayo, bibinka, and espasol,” Sotto fondly shared.
A vast expanse of fertile land washed by the undulating ripples of Pampanga River, Nueva Ecija is often referred to as the “Rice Granary of the Philippines” with more than half of its land area, devoted to the cultivation of various agricultural crops such as rice, corn, fruits, and vegetables.
A lot of the province’s delicacies are made of coconut, banana, and rice like the galapong, glutinous rice soaked in water then ground with the water to form either a batter or dough.
Leon Keekstra, General Manager of Manila Hotel invites everyone to partake of the Philippine’s finest native delicacies as the hotel further embraces its nationalistic identity as it features native delicacies monthly.
“We at the Manila Hotel believe that the food of a nation greatly defines its culture and heritage. And we trust that the uniqueness of our offerings mirror the distinctiveness of the Filipino people—their spirit and their resilience. We invite you to join us in a gastronomic adventure of the Philippines’ regional delicacies.”
Being a staunch music lover himself, Tito Sotto also recalled the many nights of great music and equally great food he had at Manila Hotel’s Tap Room Bar. “Back in the day, I used to frequent the Tap Room Bar because one of my friends played there for a long time. I’m really happy that now, after several years, I’m back in Manila Hotel as an advocate of my hometown and its famous delicacies,” Sotto ended.
Source: Manila Bulletin
By JACKY LYNNE A. OIGA
March 24, 2010, 5:15pm
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