Rice, Roosters And Relish

Today’s the first day of the last nine days to Xmas that start with the Misa del Gallo or ‘Rooster’s Mass’ here in the Philippines. Originally held by the crack of dawn and meant for farmers who wanted to attend masses but weren’t able to leave the fields. It’s said that it owes its name to the idea that a rooster would have been among the first to witness the birth of Jesus, and thus be the one to announce it. One thing that’s really sure is the abundance of sweet toothed traditional Philippine delicacies such as puto bumbong (a purple colored rice pastry, seasoned with grated coconut and brown sugar), tsokolate (a hot cocoa drink), and bibingka (flour and egg cakes cooked on top and under), which are sold by vendors outside churches to the faithful and gourmets. It’s not the best time to trim down a few pounds, but the start of the best intentions is approaching as well... Image by Photobucket/kuramas_foxy_rose