Photo c/o : http://www.zamboanga.com
But for the Province of Cavite, the Philippines would not have
become a republic.” This, rather sweeping, if not arrogant statement would no
doubt infuriate more than a few of today’s historians. But arrogance could
certainly be applied to Aguinaldo’s spectacular menu devised for the meal to
celebrate the proclamation of the republic. It was, as history tells us written
in French the language of food, elegance and diplomacy.Without a doubt, the
Philippines in 1898 wished to become a part of the community of nations by
showing the world that we were a refined and enlightened people and along with
self-governance, ready to embrace the post-colonial era.
Cavite’s strategic geographical location played a vital role
in the country’s history, and its design helped shape its culinary destiny.
Cavite’s topography is divided into three distinctive features: the coastal
area on the West North-west fronting Manila Bay and the west Philippine Sea;
the highlands and rolling hills in the East South-east terminating in the
Tagaytay ridge; and the fertile central plains that were previously friar lands
or haciendas providing produce for and hence serving as the food basket for the
capital, Manila.
Caviteño cooking as in most Tagalog provinces appears
deceptively simple. But look deeper and an astonishing culinary revelation can
be found in the markets and kitchens of Cavite. During a fiesta in any of its
town, kare-kare, morcon and menudo glowing with hues of bright vermilion
extracted from achuete (annatto) seeds, is invariably served. But there’s more
to this generic offering than meets the eye, for the true essence of Caviteño
cuisine is a very personal matter. Cherished recipes only appear on the dining
table during close family affairs such as wakes and Easter and Christmas
holidays.
In other provinces, there’s a great divide between pagkaing
pang mahirap (food for the poor) and pagkaing pang mayaman (food for the rich).
In Cavite, the dichotomy is between pagkaing pambahay (food for home) and pagkaing
pambisita (food for guests) as home-cooked meals are not normally shared with
guests or strangers. This dichotomy is even more evident in Cavite City
during the fiesta of the city’s patron saint Nuestra Señora dela Soledad de
Porta Vaga. Every second Sunday of November, the food served is clearly for guests, but as the celebrations continue on the thirds Sunday, the food is
exclusively for Caviteños.
The usual palengke (market) selection of tamales, quesillo,
and bibingkoy is considered by residents as everyday fare, but visitors regard
them as specialty threads. Because of their limited shelf life, these local
market fares are rarely offered outside the province.
Sadly with the exception perhaps of such gastronomic
outposts as Josephine’s in Kawit and a handful of fine dining restaurants and
eateries found along the Tagaytay ridge, the food culture of Cavite is
virtually unknown to the outside world, especially when compared to the
popularity of the regional cuisines of Pampanga, Negros, Bulacan and Bicol.
For all intents ad purposes the cooking of Cavite is not
much under-rated as it is unrated.This the type of cooking that is patronized
by locals, who would partake of them in traditional eateries but would much
prefer to cook them at home.
That said, Cavite’s potential as a culinary destination is
undeniable especially given its proximity to Metro Manila. Its nearest town is a
mere 18 kilometers from the southern tip of Roxas Boulevard via Cavitex the
causeway that connects the Coastal Road.
The province cuisine is confluence hewn by generations of
Spanish, Basques, Mexicans, Fujian Chinese and Filipinos and not forgetting of
course the Mardicas. The latter is a Malay Tribe in Ternate whose roots comes
from a small Spanish colony in the spice island of Moluccas ( now part of
Indonesia) who volunteered to go to Cavite to support the Spanish against the
threat of invasion by the pirate Coxinga (Limahong). When the Mardicas settled
on the Bahra de Marogondon now known as the town of Ternate, the brought with
them a way of life that eventually brought about the evolution of Cavite’s
language and cuisine.
This creole influence is still evident amongst the older
inhabitants of Cavite City, who with their insular upbringing might still refer
to the people in neighboring towns as tagalabas (outsiders). This harks back to
as far as 1595, when the forts of San Felipe and Porta Vaga (the Chabacano word
for “new gate”) were constructed to cloister the Caviteños apart from the
Tagalogs who lived outside the walls. While also preferring to be known as
Caviteño a dentro (from the inside) as opposed to a fuera or outside, they also
use their fracture Tagalog as a status symbol, fostering the adoption of
Chabacano as the lingua franca.
Article written by: Mr. Ige Ramos
Posted with PERMISSION
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