Cebu has tons of delicacies. I’m not really certain if all of them originated here, but many have certainly stayed and have become beloved by locals, adopted Bisdaks, and tourists alike.
Puto and sikwati are among these beloved local food that have been popular in this gem of a city for decades.
This morning, I was craving for these particular treats. So I solicited my Papa’s help in getting them. We went to his childhood haunt, Tabo-an. I remember we used to buy these things by the dozen when I was a little girl. And my lola used to make this rich drinks from real ground cacao seeds we locals call “tableya”. She used to make the yummiest hot cocoa, a.k.a. “sikwati”!
This type of puto is a combination of white sticky rice and brown rice, which we locals call “tapol”. The word “tapol” means “dark”. Notice the dark grains? Those are the ones that make the puto cutely purply. And these yummies are wrapped in nice-smelling banana leaves, which add to their epicurean appeal, if you ask my opinion.
Now unlike “biko”, which is made with sticky rice and brown sugar, puto tastes a bit bland. So people usually eat this with raw sugar, otherwise known as muscovado or molasses sugar. If you don’t have that, refined sugar would do quite well, too. And then you sip a cup of local hot cocoa or “sikwati”(or dip the puto in it!)… and you get some sort of delicious epiphany, I tell you! :P
So yes, I had my dose of yummy breakfast this morning. And of course, good food always makes me giddy. So this morning I was sporting a huge grin that lasted me the whole day.
Puto and sikwati are definitely among my fave local snacks. How about you? Do you like this purply delicacy as well? Where do you go to buy them? Do you have a suki puto seller?
Mar 19, 2013 @ 18:17:37
i love puto sikwate during early dawn!