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#romanceclass x food • a thread of food / food items mentioned in various #romanceclass titles
[ Post format: Food item • Title of Story/Book (Year released) // Description of food ]
[ Post format: Food item • Title of Story/Book (Year released) // Description of food ]
Tsokolate de Batirol • Gabriel's Checklist by Tara Frejas, from Make My Wish Come True (2016) // The batirol is a wooden tool used to mix a chocolate drink made out of tablea (roasted, ground cacao nibs) and warm milk. Served year round, but is popular during Christmas season.
Philippine mangoes / Carabao mangoes • Mango Summer by Agay Llanera (2018) // The country prides itself in the sweetest mangoes in the world, and locals claim the most delicious ones come from the provinces of Zambales and Guimaras.
Biko • Here Comes the One by Suzette de Borja, from Alta (2019) // Made with glutinous rice, coconut milk, and brown sugar, biko comes in many different forms (and called different names, too!) depending on province of origin. See also: sinukmani, suman.
Kesong Puti • Kiss & Cry by Mina V. Esguerra (2019) // Filipino soft, unaged white cheese made from carabao's (or cow/goat) milk and salt curdled with vinegar or citrus juices. In Esguerra's book, it was served in breaded & fried form, a local version of mozzarella balls.
Cheese Hopia • If the Dress Fits by Carla de Guzman (2016) // A cheese-filled variant of the more popular hopia, which is a mooncake like pastry with mung bean filling, often consumed as a snack. Sonya's Garden in Tagaytay is known for their cheese hopia.
Pinoy Sorbetes AKA "dirty ice cream" • Heartstruck (Flicker #1) by Angeli Dumatol (2018) // Ice cream peddled in colorful carts by street vendors, served in small sugar cones or bread buns. Common flavors include cheese, chocolate, and ube.
Banana Cue • Songs to Get Over You by Jay E. Tria (2016) // This brown sugar coated, deep fried saba banana treat served on a stick (usually in twos) is a popular Pinoy street food, often consumed during merienda (afternoon snack).
Pinoy Spaghetti • Like Nobody's Watching by Tara Frejas (2017) // A twist on an Italian classic, Pinoy spaghetti is sweet (tomato/spag sauce AND banana ketchup is the way) and often has hotdog slices included in its sauce. This dish is a staple in kiddie birthday parties.
Chicharon Bulaklak • Flipping the Script by Danice Mae P. Sison (2019) // Deep-fried pig ruffle fat. A popular Filipino appetizer/pulutan best consumed with spicy vinegar (and ice cold beer).
Lomi • You, Me, U.S. by Brigitte Bautista (2019) // A hearty soup dish made out of thick (about 1/4" in diameter) fresh egg noodles, chicken, and vegetables. Sometimes there's shrimp or squid in the mix too. The best lomi, they say, is in Batangas.
Fried Kangkong • Stealing Luna by Carla de Guzman (2019) // Kangkong (sometimes referred to as water spinach) leaves dipped in egg-based batter and fried until crispy. Often served/consumed as an appetizer. In the book, it was paired with a garlic dip.
Carmen's Best Salted Caramel Ice Cream • Chasing Mindy by Carla de Guzman (2018) // Carmen's Best is a popular, local ice cream brand which started out as a dairy farm in Bay Laguna in 2007. They're pretty pricey, but oh, so DELICIOUS. 
Champorado • Second Wave Summer by de los Reyes, Frejas, Tria (2018) // Hot, sweet porridge made out of glutinous rice and tablea, served with evaporated milk (sometimes with dried salted fish to balance the sweet flavor). Usually consumed for breakfast.
Tongson's Royal Bibingka • Once Upon a Bully by Georgette S. Gonzales, from Promdi Heart (2017) // Bibingka is baked rice cake traditionally cooked in clay pots. Popular during the Christmas season but available year-round, Tongson in Vigan is famous for their royal bibingkas.
Bananas • Project Saving Noah by Six de los Reyes (2018) // There are a bunch of different banana cultivars found in the Philippines, but the most popular are the latundan, lakatan, and saba. Latundan and lakatan are often sweet, while saba can be a bit bland.
Pan de sal and coco jam • Songs You Come Back To by Jay E. Tria (2020) // Pan de sal is pretty much a staple in Pinoy households, often eaten for breakfast or mid-day snacks. Coconut jam, meanwhile, is a sweet, pasty spread made of coconut cream, corn syrup, and brown sugar.
Danggit • No Two Ways by Chi Yu Rodriguez (2019) // This salted dried fish (rabbitfish or spinefoot) is a popular food item from Cebu. It is often eaten with rice and paired with a sour condiment like vinegar or a side dish like atsara to balance out its saltiness.
