Bountiful Repast

It’s that time of year when the weather gets colder, the mood gets festive, and parties come one after the other. The Christmas season has always been a joyful occasion, and Christmas Day, probably the most important day in Christendom. Food has always been an essential part of Christmas celebrations, and it has been the tradition of Filipino families to celebrate the eve of Christmas with a meal called the noche buena, a Spanish phrase roughly meaning “bountiful night”.

The Christmas Eve get-together acts as a prelude to the Christmas Day festivities. Families usually gather at the ancestral home, bringing special dishes to share with their loved ones. As much as possible, the more affluent families try to prepare a lechon, or roast piglet seasoned with salt and several kinds of herbs, since in the Philippines, a feast is not considered complete without one. Crisp golden brown skin on the outside, with tender juicy pork on the inside, many consider the lechon as the highlight of the noche buena meal.

The humble Lechon manok, a chicken seasoned with salt, pepper and herbs, has also found its way to the Christmas table. For the less prosperous, it acts as a substitute for the lechon itself, while for others, the lechon manok is a complement to the roast piglet. Other families, especially those with more Western tastes, serve turkey on Christmas Eve. Usually stuffed with wild red rice, onions, potatoes, carrots and herbs, baked for several hours and served with gravy, cranberry sauce or applesauce, the Christmas turkey provides an American touch to the otherwise traditional Filipino noche buena.

The Philippines’ strong Chinese influences also play a major part in the selection of food for the Christmas Eve meal. Lumpia, a spring roll containing vegetables, heart of palm, or ground pork, is often served, either fresh or deep-fried. Sometimes, both kinds are served during noche buena. Pancit, usually served during birthdays to signify long life, are also a popular choice for most people. Whether it’s Canton, bihon, palabok, Malabon or any one of its many versions, you can more often than not find it on many a Christmas Eve table. Spaghetti, which some say is the Italian version of pancit, is also another popular dish served during this meal.

The noche buena, a Filipino tradition, might be considered as being actually international cuisine. Aside from Filipino, American, Chinese and Italian dishes, some of the food served during noche buena can trace their roots to other countries. The ever-present queso de bola, while having a Spanish-sounding name, is basically Dutch Edam cheese. The different kinds of Christmas hams, though most of them are produced locally, are more or less European in origin. Apples and chestnuts, also very popular during the Christmas season, are obviously brought in from somewhere else, with the bulk of the imports probably coming from China. There is really no hard-and-fast rule in what foods to serve during noche buena though; any kind of food can be served. What’s important is those who will partake will enjoy whatever is on the table.

But probably even more important than the food is the spirit of Christmas itself. Christmas has always been the season for giving, and what could be more in keeping with the Christmas spirit than sharing our blessings with others? Think of those who won’t have as much, or none at all, on their tables this Christmas Eve, and spend a little less this time around. Buy a smaller lechon, or just buy three instead of four lechon manoks, or buy lechon manok instead of turkey. A smaller ham would probably do just as well as a big one, or a smaller bilao of pancit Malabon in place of the large one that’s not going to be eaten completely anyway.

Use the extra money to prepare several gift packages. A couple of packs of noodles, a few kilos of rice, a can or two of sardines (or corned beef if you’re really feeling generous), some sugar, salt, milk, coffee or juice, a few sweets (such as candies or cupcakes) for the kids in each package. Share them with the less privileged, the less fortunate this Christmas, and let the good feelings season and flavor the Christmas Eve banquet you’re planning to have. Believe me, your noche buena will taste much, much better.