Sugbusog Padayon ang Kaon: celebrating 10 years of Cebuano cuisine

Sugbusog! January is always a time to celebrate the Feast of Sto Nino in Cebu with the Sinulog and its millions of devotees paying homage to the Holy Child. And it is this celebration that I am also looking forward to a culinary festival that showcases the best of Cebuano cuisine. Sugbusog, by Cafe Marco at the Marco Polo Plaza Cebu, now on its 10th year and supervised by Culinary Consultant, Jessica Avila.

Well, its my third year of partaking in Sugbusog and like the past two years, 2013 and 2015, I’ve never been disappointed. I dug in to the balbacua and had it twice! The crab relleno is still good and delectable. I had the dinuldog, mashed squash soup which is just divine. This soup dish is sometimes prepared at home, although a bit time consuming but we used to put dried fish for added flavor. The calderetang kanding (stewed goat meat) was also tender and a must try, something that reminded me of my father who used to cook it when he was still with us and he used to put sprite cola or 7 up into the dish!

Of course, there’s still lechon, a must in any Cebuano celebration, bam-i, seafood like lato, guso and lukot (different kinds of seaweeds with the last one a secretion from a marine animal that is also a favorite with Cebuanos). Fresh lumpia, fried pieces of dried squid, and more! But I really looked forward to the dessert of budbud kabug, one of my favorite rice cakes that I never fail to buy whenever I pass by Catmon in northern Cebu or have snacks at the Dumaguete Public Market. The cassava cake smothered with grated cheese is just so good! There was mini turon, slices of local saba bananas wrapped in lumpia wrappers and fried with sugar. The biko, rice cake is also good. There’s also ampao, a popular puffed rice dessert from Carcar, a southern municipality and puto cheese.

So glad that I was here. Think of it as having a big traditional feast at a Cebuano’s house partaking in well loved Cebuano cooking!

Sugbusog Padayon ang Kaon
10-17 January 2015
Cafe Marco
Marco Polo Plaza Cebu
(+6332) 253 1111
mpplaza@marcopolohotels.com
http://www.marcopoloplazacebu.com