It's the nation's longest and biggest celebration of all... the grandest.... the most awaited... the feast of all feasts! Mind you, we have more than two hundred feasts in all regions, provinces, cities and towns. I think even the
barangays (smallest unit of government, like a village) are creating ordinances to officially celebrate each of their own feast of foundation day, much like in Twitter having a day for everything, such as Happy Chocolates Day!
*Yay!* And out of all the hundreds of
fiestas that we love and celebrate,
Pasko (Christmas), is considered as the celebration of all celebrations! The tradition is so widely spread that even Non-Christians can't help but enjoy this season of love and camaraderie.
Main thoroughfares, business districts and key cities all over the country are dressed up with Christmas lights and decors soon after the
Undas (All Saints Day and All Souls Day)
. Most of the houses' exterior areas, lawns and gardens are now sparkling with Christmas lights and
Parol (Christmas lanterns). On the front doors hang Christmas wreaths and the interiors are adorned with more lights, decors and a Christmas tree or
Belen (nativity set).
Shopping malls are also starting to get really crowded with early Christmas shoppers which is why all malls are now decorated in Christmas themes. Some people are starting to buy their Christmas presents but the wiser shoppers are frequenting the grocery stores to stock up on the ingredients and other items to be used for the traditional
Noche Buena (Christmas eve family dinner usually served at midnight) and the Christmas Day Feast when visitors and the
inaanak (godchildren) are expected to drop by for their
aguinaldos (Christmas gifts). A few are even starting to stock up for the
Media Noche (New Year's Eve Family Dinner). All in anticipation for the imminent price increase that happens during the holiday peak season.
It is advisable to start planning for your
Noche Buena and stock up on the ingredients that are not easily perishable as early as now! Below is the list of the usual food that Filipinos prepare on the table for the
Noche Buena. I have included the products that you can start stocking up on, little by little, every time you do your regular grocery shopping. Be careful not to overdo it 'though, or it will be hoarding. But if you happen to over-stock, no worries, you may give away grocery baskets as Chrismas presents hehe.
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| Queso De Bola |
1. Queso De Bola (Edam cheese ball coated in red wax) - If you are planning to include
Queso De Bola on the table for the
Noche Buena, buy now. This product do not stale over a long period of time so there is no need to worry if you stock it this November because the price will surely increase as Christmas nears.
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| Nestle All Purpose Cream |
2. Fruit Salad - You will need condensed milk, canned fruits and all-purpose cream. Make sure to check the expiration date. I use the following brands: Carnation condensed milk, Del Monte Fruit Cocktail and Nestle All Purpose Cream. I refrain from using untested brands when cooking for special occasions but early shopping of ingredients will allow you time to experiment so, go ahead and try new brands, you'll never know what you'll discover!
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| Prasa Picono's Puto Pao |
3. Native Kakanin and Puto - a variety of native glutinous rice cakes, flour cakes & desserts, commonly with coconut milk, evaporated milk and sugar. There are a variety of native
kakanin cooked in different ways such as steaming, boiling, baking and even grilling!
Kakanin (rice cake) and
Puto (steamed flour cake) are usually served during
Noche Buena but the preparation is meticulous and takes time. Make sure that you are well-stocked with cans of evaporated milk and sugar. So start filling your stock as needed or just opt to pre-order your
kakanin or puto from trusted makers this early and have it delivered in time for the celebration. This is to avoid being on the wait list due to bulk orders the sellers get during this season. Always ask for the shelf life of these products. Most
kakanin and
puto normally lasts from 3-4 days, if properly refrigerated. Otherwise, consume it the same day it was delivered. Try
Prasa Picono's Puto Pao for your made to order
Puto Paos, these are steamed flour cakes filled with braised pork and
chorizo (sausage) topped with
itlog na maalat (salted egg). It's a
puto with a twist!
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| Del Monte Tomato Sauce |
4. Tomato based recipes - We love tomato based recipes,
aminin (admit it). We use it in pork, chicken, seafood or even vegetables. Popular tomato-based viands that are usually included during
Noche Buena are
Lengua Estofada (Braised Ox Tongue), Beef or Goat
Caldereta (Stew with liver pate, cheese and sweet pickles), Pork or
Beef Pochero (Stew with cabbage, saba banana, potatoes and green beans), Sweet and Sour Fish and not to forget the all-time-kids-fave red spaghetti. So, buy your tomato sauce cans now. I always use the Del Monte Brand because I like the rich red tomato color and also the sourness.
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| American Maid Mayonnaise |
5. Other Salads -
Pinoy's salad dressings are usually mayonnaise based like that of the Thousand Island Dressing rather than the vinaigrette type. We want it thick, flavorful, creamy and smooth. Most commonly served during the
Noche Buena are the chicken macaroni salad, potato salad, shrimp and vegetable salad and Caesars Salad. There are ready made brands of dressings that you can avail but if you want to make your own signature salad dressing, then buy a good quality mayonnaise. I have always favored the Lady's Choice brand but I recently discovered a good alternative that is cheaper but at par or even of better quality. I bought it at Tropical Hut which is not my usual store and it's just too bad that SM Supermarket do not carry this brand because I frequent this store more. Try the American Maid Mayonnaise brand. You can also make use of the salad dressing as a topping for your steamed
Lapu-Lapu (Red Grouper Fish) or steamed
Pla-Pla (Large Tilapia Fish).
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| Purefoods Fiesta Ham |
6. Hamon (ham) - The
Noche Buena seems to be incomplete without the
Hamon (ham). This product do not spoil easily because it is cured. My favorite is the honey glazed bone-in roasted ham similar to a dry cured Chinese ham but there are also a lot of good quality, ready made
Hamon de Bola (Boneless Balled Ham) available in supermarkets. Purefood's
Hamon de Bola is my brand of choice but I'd like to try the Holiday Ham because I like their endorser Chef Rob Pengson
*wink*. If you plan to give away
Hamon de Bola as gifts, you may start buying now.
7. Red Wine or White wine - For very special occasions such as the
Noche Buena, wine is preferred to be served on the table (although the ref is of course filled with the local San Miguel Beer Pale Pilsen *
LOL*). You would want to stock up on your favorite red or white wine earlier not only because the price will rise but more because the items will be scarcer in groceries and liquor stores as the holiday season peaks. This is because liquors particularly wine, are one of the top choice Christmas gifts and people buy them by the boxes! There are a lot of expensive and excellent tasting wine available but there are also a few good ones that are affordable. I recommend Carlo Rossi's Cabernet Sauvignon 4 liter jug. It's great to pair with beef or pork dishes because of the bold mixture of red cherry and blackberry tastes that compliment the strong flavor of meat. Reminder: keep calm, don't hoard :))
To make it easier, plan the
Noche Buena menu list first to be more specific which canned or bottled ingredients and other items should be on your grocery list. Other suggestions for stocking are the following canned, bottled or dried products aside from the items above depending of course on the food to be prepared: button mushrooms, liver pate, whole corn, baby corn, canned pork leg, green peas, pineapple chunks, pineapple juice, pickles, cherries, olives, olive oil, dried shiitake mushrooms, dried fruits like raisins and other dried ingredients such as spices and herbs.
All prices, especially food products are expected to rise during the Christmas Season so it's good to be an early shopper.
An old saying that is most of the time true...
"The early bird catches the worm"
Have fun wise shoppers!
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