At the Negros Trade Fair

Despite my busy schedule last week, I found the time to go to the annual Negros Trade Fair at the Rockwell Tent. I was lured by the promise of great food finds. And the  trade fair did not disappoint.

Here are my top 10 picks:

10. BUTONG BUTONG- I haven't had these since I was a child. During my summers spent in Iloilo, these were the sticky treats we bought from the neighborhood sari-sari store whenever we earned money from picking white hair out of out Lola's hair.

9. CHORIZO PUDPUD- This is your regular bacolod chorizo, unleashed from its casing and fried on a flat pan. It's a moundful of those crispy, overtoasted left longganisa bits.

8. MASCOBADO- This raw sugar in a box is produced through trade fair and sustainable agriculture organic farming practices and is exported to Europe.

7. PITAW- Quail Adobo. The gamey flesh of the quail becomes easier to eat because it is shredded and tasty, too!

6. BIHOD-  Ready-to-eat fishroe in a bottle and flavored with garlic,ginger, calamansi and preserved with salt, oil and wine.

5. GUAPPLE PIE- from Ideal bakery. The guy who was manning the booth was telling me they had to have the pies brought in by airplane cargo and picked up at the airport everyday for the Trade Fair. Made from a giant variety of guavas grown in Negros, this is a sweet treat one should not miss.

4. BATUAN- This elusive sour fruit used for Kansi, the Negrense version of Bulalo is rarely found in Manila. To have it preserved and sealed in a plastic doy pack makes it easy for me to make Kansi.

3. ARATILES TART- Until now, I'm still wondering what kind of crazy baker would pick, wash and squeeze the lowly and minute aratiles fruit to turn it into a delicacy. This is one of the more unusual yet welcome finds at the fair.

2. CHORIZO PATE/ LECHON SISIG PATE/ KADIOS & BATUAN PATE- Recently shared the chorizo pate with friends and it got rave reviews. Can't wait to try the other two flavors.

1. CHICKEN INASAL DRIPPINGS- All that fat, all that salt in one bottle. It can be used as a dipping sauce or marinade but I am thinking more along the lines of steamed white rice topping.