Marikeño's April Filipino Food Month

 

In celebration of April Filipino Food Month, Marikeño is inviting you all to embark on a culinary journey that will showcase the vivid colors and flavors, rich heritage of Filipino culture and cuisine scene in Marikina. With a big help from Eats Marikina, we've come up with this very interesting yet challenging food crawl that would begin where Marikina food gastronomy all started, in Lilac Street down to the very trendy and up-and-coming scene of Gil Fernando. So without further ado, let's get started.

Dapo at Tisa: • Bangus ala Pobre never fails to delight. Dapo and Tisa's rendition to this classic Filipino dish is like music to the eyes, the ears and tongues.

• Okoy in Kamote, a true Filipino masterpiece that honors the harmony of flavors and textures. 

• Ginataang Adobong Baka is a delectable local dish that mixes the beauty and richness of adobo and the creamy goodness of coconut milk.

 

Kabigting's Halo Halo: • Kabigting's is known for their signature halo-halo, a bright-colored concoction of shaved ice mixed with an assortment of sweet treats. Enjoy the musicality of its flavors and textures as you mix the sweet beans, fruits, jellies and creamy leche flan, topped with a generous amount of evaporated milk and concluded with a big scoop of velvety ube ice cream. 

• Their pancit palabok completements the beloved lumpia sariwa, a Filipino spring roll filled with a savory mixture of ground meat, crunchy vegetables and others.

Rocha's Puto and Kutsinta: • Rocha's is known for their mouthwatering puto, a very popular steamed rice cake with a soft and fluffy texture, slightly sweetned and topped with a generous amount of cheese.

• Their kutsinta is a perfect accompaniment to their puto as the former is chewy while the latter is soft and fluffy. 

Mang Ding's Pinoy BBQ: • Eveybody loves to eat barbecue especially if it is Filipino style as it has everything from chicken inasal, isaw, puwet, tenga, hotgods, bituka, etc. Every bite is message sent from heaven. 

• Also try their ensaladang talong and salted egg with tomato and onion.

Mama Ting's Rellenong Bangus: • They are known for their deliciously fried and deboned rellenong bangus, a milkfish dish stuffed with meat and ground vegetables.

• Their everlasting is equally delicious. It is the epitome of Marikeño culinary. It is known to llanera.

Salud Panciteria: • It is a household name that was established back in 1968 that has become a true Marikeño icon, specifically for their pancit pinagulong. It got its name from the way it was being cooked.

• Be sure to also try out their super crispy lumpiang shanghai and lechon kawali. They make their special sauces that is uniquely theirs.

BoyNita Ihaw Ihaw:  • The BoyNita bilao bangus is a large round bilao that is usually filled with bangus inihaw (milkfish) cooked in a flavorful and aromatic manner. It also comes with vegetables, pork barbecue and others. You may also try their bilao tilapia which also hot and freshly cooked. 

Again, we would like to thank Eats Marikina for taking the initiatives and for encouraging us on covering this event.  It was a truly our pleasure and honor to take part in the April Filipino Food Month special. Our cuisine is very rich in flavors and has unique qualities that deserves to be celebrated and recognized. Mabuhay ang pagkaing Pilipino.

Posted By Marikeño4:46:00 AM

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Baby's Puto and Kutsinta

Baby's Puto is one of San Roque's hidden gems. Tucked in the very narrow streets of Mabini, you will find their small store filled with colorful yet yummy chewy Puto Pulo.  I often bring puto to work and all my colleagues love them and always ask for me to bring more. It is our perfect pasalubong to everyone because they are so delicious yet affordable. It originated in Bulacan and was brought to Marikina in the 1930's. Our team got curious how these yummy delectable and mouthwatering steamed rice cakes are made so we've set an appointment with Baby's Puto for a visit so they can show us.

Here is a photo of their humble store located along Mabini St. San Roque, Marikina City.

How Puto Pulo is Made:

Unlike other putos in the Metro, Marikina's Puto Pulo are much smaller, often bite size, fluffy and chewy. Thus it is easy to eat and not messy at all.  They are also not that sweet so you can eat more. I asked Baby, the owner, if making puto is difficult.  She said it was quite easy and she was actually right.

Puto Pulo is made from five primary ingredients: ground rice or 'galapong', sugar, baking soda, cheese and of course, "atsuete". Tiny cups are placed inside a steamer then they put slices of cheese in each and every one of them.

Then they prepare the puto mixture: they add the galapong, sugar, baking soda and atsuete for that nice dark natural red color in a big bowl. They pour the mixture in all the cups, cover them and steam them for about a good one hour. After an of waiting hour, this is how they look like.

They let them sit for another good 30 minutes to cool them down before they start to remove them from their molds. Then they place these cuties neatly on a clean styrofoam and pack them with clear plastics.

Baby's Puto is truly one of the best reasons to visit Marikina City. It is not just a favorite snack but it also defines our culture and history. Marikeños know how to cook but above all, we know what good food is.  Visit them along A. Mabini Street, San Roque. You may click here to see their map.

Posted By Marikeño8:59:00 PM

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Ang Alamat ng Marikina

Paalala: Sa kadahilanang walang dokumento ang makapagpapatunay sa pinagmulan ng pangalang "Marikina," ang mga kuwento at alamat na ito ay mula sa mga matatanda sa baryo.

Buhat sa pangalan ng isang paring ang pangalan ay Mariquina - Isa siyang batang pari na ang pangalan ay Mariquina. Binigyan siya ng tungkuling binyagan ang mga bata at gawing Kristiyano.  Isa rin siya sa mga nagpatayo ng kapilya sa Jesus dela Peña.  Dahil sa naitulong niya sa bayan natin, pinangaralan siya at ipinangalan ang bayan natin sa nasabing pari.

Buhat sa isang babae na ang tawag ay Maria Cuina - Bago pa raw dumating ang mga Kastila sa Mariquina, isang maganda, mabait at matalinong babae ang naninirahan sa bayan.  Dahil sa kakayahan niya sa negosyo, ang buhay niya ay umunlad. Ginamit niya ang kanyang pera sa kawanggawa. Naging tanyag siya dito hanggang sa Maynila. Sa tuwing dadalaw ang ibang tao mula sa ibang bayan at magtatanong ng pangalan ng ating bayan, sinasagot sila na ang pangalan ay Maria Cuina, sa pag-aakalang tinatanong ang kanilang pinagpipitagang babae. Mula noon, ang bayan ay nakilalang Mariquina.

Buhat sa salitang Marikit-Na - Noong panahon na ginagawa ang bisita sa Jesus dela Peña sa pamamahala nga mga paring Hesuitas at ang mga trabahador ay mga Pilipino. Kastila ang salita ng mga pari noon at Tagalog naman sa mga manggagawa, dahilan ng madalas na hindi pagkakaintindihan.  Nang matapos ang kapilya ay tinanong ng pari kung ano ang itatawag sa lugar na iyon, dali daling sumagot ang isang manggagawa ng "marikit-na-po," sa pag-aakalang tinatanong ang kalagayan ng kapailya. Mula noon, ang lugar na iyon ay tinawag na Marikina.

Buhat sa isang bayan sa Espanya na ang pangalan ay Mariquina - Sa probinsiya ng Nueva Viscaya sa Espanya ay may isang bayan na ang pangalan ay Mariquina, na pinangalanan sa karangalan ng isang Eduardo de Mariquina, isang bantog na musikero noon. Ang bayan ng Mariquina sa Espanya ay nasa tabing ilog ng Charmaga na siyang pinanggalingan ng mga paring Hesuita na naparito sa Pilipinas at siyang nagtatag ng kapilya sa Jesus dela Peña.  Dahil dito, pinalalagay ang Mariquina sa bayan upang parangalan ang kanilang pinanggalingan bayan sa Espanya.  Noong 1901, pinalitan ni Komisyonado Pardo de Tavera ang letrang "Q" ng letrang "K" kaya naging Marikina. 

Batay sa kasaysayan at dokumento  na nasa pag-iingat ng pamahalaang bayan ng Marikina, ang bayan ay unang tinawag na Marikit-na noong 1787 at di naglaon ay ginawang Mariquina.  Ayos kay Dr. Trinidad Pardo de Tavera, ang Mariquina ay para sa karangalan ni Kapitan Berenguer de Mariquina na siyang namumuno sa ating bayan noong 1788.

(Reference used: Marikina 1630)

Posted By Marikeño3:16:00 AM

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Black Nazarene: The Visit

The Black Nazarene also known as Nuestro Padre Jesús Nazareno and also known as Poóng Itím na Nazareno is a holy life-sized iconic statue of Jesus Christ carrying the cross to Calvary Hill in the Philippines. It displays one of the stations of the cross during the journey of His crucifixion. The image is one of two statues sculpted from pure ivory and were burnt aboard a ship during the Manila Galleon Expedition from Mexico leaving the other destroyed. The descriptive name of the sculpture is then taken it being "Black" resulting from the incident that happened. The older and more popular copy belonging to the Recollects was destroyed in Second World War during the Liberation of Manila in 1945. Originally both of fair complexion referring to the natural skin tone of Jesus Christ as an impression of the artist. The statue is well-renowned in the Philippines and is believed to be miraculous and a religious pilgrimage to many Filipino Catholics.

The Black Nazarene is constructed from ivory kneeling with the height of 5'5 along with the halo and the cross of 6'0. The image is built during the early 1600's transporting from Mexico by the Manila Galleon route founded by Andres de Urdaneta fouded in 1565.

The image is dressed in a heavy velvet maroon tunic, embroidered with floral or plant emblems in gold thread, and with lace trimmings on the collar and cuffs. Around its waist, a gold-plated metal belt embossed with the word "Nazareno" while a golden chain and ball loops around the neck and is held in its left hand, representing the Flagellation. The barefooted statue is in a genuflecting posture, symbolizing the agony and the weight of the cross with the pain Jesus Christ went through during His crucifixion.

The statue's original body has lost several fingers over the years, and the original head has since been transferred several times onto a full-scale replica body by renowned Filipino sculptor Gener Manlaqui as commissioned by the Archdiocese of Manila. The statue also bears a large wooden cross with gilded brass caps on its ends while the head wears a braided wig made of dyed abaca, along with a golden crown of thorns. (source: Wikipedia)

On January 2014, people were fortunate to have been visited by the Black Nazarene.  It was displayed in various churches in Marikina.  On January 26th 2014, thousands of Catholic devotees joined and marched during the Black Nazarene procession which started at the Our Lady of the Abandoned Church in San Roque. Many believed to have been miraculously healed simply by touching the image.  The Black Nazarene is currently in its resting place at the Minor Basilica of the Black Nazarene, colloquially known as the Quiapo Church in Manila.

Posted By Marikeño8:37:00 AM

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Santo Nino Festival

It was my first time to attend the Aglipayan Church's Santo Nino Festival.  The festivity runs through the entire month of January. The festival kicks off with the Santo Nino Barangay Fiesta on the first day of January where residents cook various Marikeno food and invite their friends and family for a visit.  January 5th is the day of the mini floats for kids. Children all over Sto. Nino bring and get to show their mini Santo Nino image floats in a procession.  This is a favorite event to everyone especially the kids as they see their friend's do a small float procession around Sto. Nino.

The Santo Nino Exhibit ran for almost two week. From January 12 until January 24, different images of Santo Nino were displayed and shown to the public. Admission is free, so everyone could come and see the show. Taking photos were allowed during the exhibit and everyone can have a quiet time inside to pray and ask wishes to their favorite Santo Nino.

The main highlight of the festivity is the Sinulog Festival which coincided with the Santo Nino Procession.  Dances and drummers covered their entire body with either black or silver body paint and made loud noises during the street parade.  Dozens of Santo Nino floats graced the procession, all decorated, both colorful and vivid.  Local Marikeno devotees of the Santo Nino came and joined the parade. Friends and families come together and witness this joyful celebration.  This is the event that Marikenos should not miss. Happening yearly in Marikina City.

Posted By Marikeño8:04:00 AM

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