Exquisite Spanish Cuisine

CEBU, Philippines — Christianity is the greatest gift that Spain has given to the Philippines. As Christians, the faithful observe traditions like the celebration of Christmas, Lent and fiestas. The latter has become a venue to strengthen Christian values and to serve Spanish food. Original Spanish recipes are not adopted outright; these are modified to accommodate available ingredients and to fit to the native taste.

Tweaking Spanish recipes seems to have become commonplace, but purist lovers of Spanish cuisine occasionally organize dinners with authentic Spanish dishes.

Cebu’s premier gourmet club, La Chaine des Rotisseurs, has recently organized a fellowship dinner called “Una Noche de Fiesta” at the Casino Español de Cebu Inc. These two organizations took advantage of air transport and modern refrigeration to purchase authentic ingredients from Mother Spain and cook these Spanish dishes at the kitchens of the Casino Español. Teresin Mendezona, Cebu’s Spanish food authority was instrumental in recreating Spanish original culinary delights, personally preparing the Estofado de Pierna de Cordero (Lamb Leg Stew) for the food tasting of the La Chaine directors with Casino Español GM May Ocaba. Delicioso!

Cocktails began at 6:30 p.m. at the Salon Granada, where the welcome drinks and tapas were served. The menu was written in the Spanish and I sought help from Goggle Translate for the English translation. Appetizers were the Jamon Serrano, Surtido de Embutido (assortment of sausages), Surtido de Queso, Montadito de Pato con Cebolla (open sandwich duck & onions), Pulpo a la Gallega (Galician Octopus) and Bomba de Patata (Mashed Potato Balls).

For me, Jamon is the heart of Spanish culture and cuisine, and in the past I went the extra mile to taste the nuances of the Jamon produced in Andalucía, Extremadura and Salamanca. The latter had the better taste because it had an extra layer of fat. The rest of the tapas in the recent La Chaine dinner really tasted so good that a guest could overindulge forgetting that dinner was going to be served at 8 p.m.

The Salon de España Ballroom was bedecked with yellow and red buntings that are commonly seen in the streets during town fiestas. Salad was Ensalada Completa Con Vinagreta, Mostaza y Miel (with vinaigrette, mustard & honey).  It was followed by the Sopa de la Cartuja, a soup with diced items (chorizo, jamon, chicken meat, tomatoes) in the chicken broth and topped with a whole raw egg. The residual heat will cook (poach) it. I cannot remember the last time I tried this soup and it tasted truly great!

The Talla or Carving was Solomillo de Ternera Asado con Salsa de Romero (Veal Tenderloin, Rosemary Sauce). Entrantes served buffet-style were the Pescado Relleno con Salsa de Azafran (with Saffron Sauce) and Estofado de Pierna de Cordereo. There is no substitute for the real saffron from Spain and anything else to replace, excuse me, is an exercise in futility. The kitchen brigade headed Chef Rico Villarante and Sous Chef Ed Ragaas really performed their jobs superbly that night.

Postre or Desserts were Tres Leches, Chocolate Truffles and Canonigo Frutas.