SWELTERING SATURDAY

Can Manila get any hotter?

Apparently it can. There seems no sign of rain these days. And it's just sooo hot in the afternoons you can actually feel individual pores opening and releasing perspiration slowly as the temperature increases degree by degree. Sigh...

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I've been making a list of the things to buy for our rooms once the renovation is over. I'm trying my best to keep it as short as possible and so far, I'm doing good in that aspect. I'm just worried that a few weeks or months from now I'll get so distracted with things to add to the rooms... well, you get the idea. Hopefully, I could still keep the list as short as possibly I can.

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See this? This is called tupig, a native delicacy. A woman was selling these at Alaminos bus terminal (when we were on our way to Baguio) and I wanted to try some. This bunch cost only P20. When we reached Baguio, I ate some and I realized that I should have bought more because it was really yummy!! Even my mom felt bad that I only bought one! Such a disappointment. I really loved the soft slivers of buko (young coconut) and the malagkit (sticky rice) that had just the right sweetness. Why oh why didn't I buy more?!?

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More on tupig...

http://www.bulatlat.com/news/6-33/6-33-tupig.htm

Tupig is a rice cake preparation which used to be associated with Christmas and New Year celebrations. Old folks say that tupig used to be served during the noche buena (Christmas eve dinner). Elders also give tupig to young carolers instead of money.

In the late 60s it became commercially available in the market with several variations in preparation, taste and quality. It has similar versions in Ilocos Norte, Isabela, Tarlac and Pangasinan.

Intemtem in Pangasinan, or popularly known as tupig, is made of ground rice, sugar and buko (young coconut) strips, rolled and wrapped in banana leaves, then grilled over live coals. This native kakanin (rice-based food products) belongs to the suman (rice cake) family.

Tupig has been one of the favorites of devotees to the Our Lady of Manaoag Church in Pangasinan province. But the commercially sold tupig is very thin, with only a tablespoon of mixed ingredients wrapped in banana leaves.

Through time, this native delicacy has also been developed in different flavors such as jackfruit, pandan (screw pine), guava, ube (purple yam) and strawberry.

Although best eaten hot, it can be stored up to three days under room temperature.