BIBINGKA: Royal Delicacy

By Joel Ortega (1)

There are many kinds of kakanin here in Philippines that are very delicious. And most of the kakanins are a delicacy in a certain provinces. But since we’re in Ilocos, I’m going to tell you all the kakanin delicacy of Ilocos, it is Bibingka. Bibingka is a kind of kakanin that is very famous in Ilocos. And bibingka is also one of the famous products of Ilocos.

So bibingka, what can I say about bibingka? For me bibingka is more than a kakanin because whenever I eat bibingka it’s like your being comforted. Actually whenever I’m stress or whenever I feel sad, I just eat bibingka. I’m an Ilocano so we have many bibingka in our house. There are kinds of bibingka. There is a bibingka that looks like a cake that is made in flour. And there is a bibingka that is made in glutinous rice flour. 

In our house the common is the bibingka that looks like a cake. My mom knows how to cook it because she grows up in Ilocos and also most of my aunts and uncles know how to cook it too. But when you go to Ilocos the most famous bibingka is the one that is made in glutinous rice flour. And just like what my mom or my relative cook, it’s very delicious too. When you go to Ilocos, you will see bibingka everywhere because in Ilocos there are many pasalubong stores along the road. 

That one of the good things about Ilocos, aside from the beautiful sceneries, when you get tired and hungry you can just go to or stop by at the pasalubong stores and buy snacks. Just like us, I’m from Manila and I seldom visit Ilocos because I’m busy at school. Whenever I visit Ilocos it’s either I take a bus or take a car but mostly I take a car because it’s less hassle and you can arrive at Ilocos faster. So whenever I get hungry I’ll just stop by at some of the pasalubong stores along the way, and there are many things to choose from, but of course I always choose bibingka. 

Bibingka really taste good, that sticky glutinous rice flour is really delicious. The bibingka have chees and butter at the top and that adds more to the delicious taste of bibingka. The taste of bibingka is sweet and salty; sweet because of the glutinous rice flour and salty because of the cheese and it mix well. The taste is really addictive especially when you first taste it, you’ll really crave for it. Me, I’m eating bibingka for like 9 years now, I started eating when I was 8 years old and I can still remember the first I tasted it. I was like I eat something that made stop time, well I was a kid so yeah my imagination is really wild. But I’m 17 years old now, and I can still feel that feeling, but except the “time stop” feeling because that only happens at your “first times”. 


I highly recommend bibingka not because I’m an Ilocano, but I highly recommend bibingka because I want all of you to feel that “time stop” feeling.  I really assure that even when you didn’t feel that “time stop” feeling you will still crave for the bibingka. Bibingka will be one of your favorite kakanin.