FOUND: BLACK KUTSINTA

This is the black Kutsinta.

It's always intimidating to eat anything black because it could be:
a) Burnt
b) Spoiled
c) Made of something unfamiliar

The kutsinta wasn't any of the above. It wasn't flavored (you were probably thinking squid ink, right?) and tasted like regular rice cake- gelatinous and starchy.   When you bite into it, the color doesn't stain your lips or teeth. The black kutsinta gets its color from molasses (purong asukal was the term used) and they don't add any other flavoring or coloring like achuete (annato seeds).

Instead of freshly grated coconut, the kutsinta was topped with toasted coconut bits and a caramel sauce. The combination, not the color, is what made this kutsinta more special.

This home-made treat can be ordered from Cora's Kutsinta in Navotas.

Address:17 Judge A. Roldan Cabrera St., San Roque, Navotas City. (Near the Barangay Hall)

Telephone: (632) 351-55-13

SPOTTED: CUCHI-PAN FROM THE BAHAY PASTULAN

Was in Tagaytay recently and passed by the Bahay Pastulan of the Good Shepherd sisters for some pasalubong.  Found out that it has transferred to a new compound along the Tagaytay - Sta. Rosa Road since 2013.

At the new compound (which has a bigger parking space and a lot of landscaped areas), I got some halayang ube, ube dimples, snowballs, leche flan, bottled tawilis and the cuchi-pan, pandan-flavored kutsinta (sticky rice cake).

What attracted me to buy this was the vibrant green of the gelatinous rice cake. The grated coconut was fresh and made the cuchi-pan look more appetizing. However, upon tasting, there was very little trace of pandan and the recipe was a bit too starchy for kutsinta.

For me, , the ube dimples  and the snowballs remain the pasalubong of choice rom the good sisters.

Address:Bahay Pastulan, Mayridge, Tagaytay-Sta. Rosa Road, Tagaytay City, Cavite
Telephone: (046) 483-3590