Saturday, August 11, 2007 Sugbuanong Hikay By Jenara Regis Newman
WHEN the first batch of students on Cebu studies finished their course at the University of San Carlos, they decided to hold graduation rites reflective of what they just underwent.
They decided to hold their graduation in Casa Gorordo and tried to make the affair "truly Cebuano", using only Cebuano (they tried really hard to do that) in their program that consisted of an arnis exhibition courtesy of Bambi Beltran, songs from Izarzuri Vidal, dance from the Simandalay Cultural Troupe, balitaw from Ron Henri Tan and Lilia Tio, and poetry from Dr. Linda K. Alburo and Dr. Hope S. Yu.
The food was also to be heritage Cebuano. Would that be possible? Is there Cebuano cuisine beyond buwad, utan nga Bisaya, sinugba, tinola, kinilaw?
Of course there is, and after deliberation and consultation with chef Derek Dytian of Creative Cuisine, the evening's menu was decided on.
For starters, there as buwad bolinao sweetened, and spiced and spruced up to look "5-star" on a bed of diced tomatoes, and served on individual spoons.
Soup came in the form of linarang nga malasugi. The noodle dish was bam-i, which foodies say is a two-noodle concoction prepared only by Cebuanos.
Then there was crab cakes from Bantayan; a most delicious and calorie-filled humba; chicken fried pinauga style with gizzards on; and, of course, inasal: what would be a Cebuano celebration without that? To go with the food, there was puso, as well as plain rice.
Unfortunately, there was no tuba or tubig kamay (if my childhood memory serves me right, this is sweetened "tea" made from buongon leaves) to go with all that!
The heritage meal would not be complete without dessert, and so there were majareal and torta from Mandaue. As if these were not enough, someone also brought budbod for a more filling dessert.
Cebuano cuisine is usually served without garnishing and therefore we tend to take it as not quite party fare. But with chef Derek's touch, Cebuano food was transformed into great party fare, not just in taste but also in preparation.
