Christmas after ‘Yolanda’

It has been a tradition among the better hotels in Cebu to mark the start of the Christmas season with the lighting of the Christmas tree. Members of the press, especially those who are in the lifestyle section, are often invited and the press relations officers of these establishments usually coordinate so that the lighting ceremonies would be scheduled on different dates. It would be a most strenuous task to accept and attend all such invitations, but we work together for the betterment of the hospitality industry.

However, celebrating Christmas 2013 falls under a special set of circumstances because of the tragedy triggered by Typhoon Yolanda. Many organizations have simply cancelled their Christmas parties and opted to donate the money to charitable organizations. This is also true for some hotels that also cancelled the Christmas tree lighting and make the same donations.

Other establishments have decided to continue with the tradition because life must go on, business must continue so that revenues will be generated and taxes will be paid to fund all these reconstruction and rebuilding by the Philippine government.  We must set an impression that life is back to normal so that tourists will continue to come to visit our beautiful country, with bits of pockmarks because of the earthquake and the typhoon, but nevertheless beautiful.

This was the path decided by the Plantation Bay Resort and Spa in Marigondon, Mactan Island (www.plantationbay.com) and the festivities to commemorate the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ began with the lighting of floating lanterns and when the guest released the lantern, prayers were offered to the typhoon victims.

While the guests were viewing the aquatic performances, your favourite food columnist was as usual, busy taking these food photos for an accurate culinary accounting while other photos were provided by PR Officer Hannah Patalinjug.

Centrepiece of the food presentation was the Plantation Bay Black Lechon surrounded by Tiered Trays and Platters serving the following: Lyoner with Cheese in Garlic Bread, Chicken Liver Mousse in Shrimp Flaxseed Bread, Cherry Tomato filled with Roquefort Cream, Potato Croquettes, Baked Mussels, Seafood Vol Au Vent, Crostini with Spread of Black & Green Olives and the Lyoner with Cheese in Garlic Bread. Chefs were busy cooking pasta in the Live Cooking Stations while service crews were quick to refill empty wine glasses.

Rare are the times I eat lechon in parties because most lechons usually taste the same; with so much salt mura na'g ginamos and showered with so much vetsin. However, the appearance of this particular roasted pig is different because the skin is entirely black but not burnt (soy sauce with oil does the trick) and the taste was simply wonderful. The skin was crispy with luscious fat beneath and delicious meat tissue. One more dish to be encoded forever in print and memory.

Advance Merry Christmas to all!!!

[email protected]