The best Hardinera and Bukayo recipes at My City, My SM, My Cuisine in Lucena

MANILA, Philippines - Beauty expert James Cooper surprising the audience with his Chami recipe ... Dealo Koffee Klatch and Bakeshop owner Millada Valde sharing her family’s heirloom Ubod with Tahure Sauce ... a video demonstration of Dona Aurora, a favorite dish of President Manuel Quezon’s wife after whom it was named ... 10 upcoming chefs competing for the best Hardinera and Bukayo recipes. These were some of the exciting highlights during the recent My City, My SM, My Cuisine stop at SM City Lucena.

A joint project of SM and The Philippine Star, with support from Homeworld, My City, My SM, My Cuisine celebrates the flavors of Philippine regional cuisine through a culinary contest featuring two signature recipes from 14 cities where SM malls are located.

Held just in time for the city’s Pasayahan celebrations, the event had all the gaiety, the sense of community, and the great food of a town fiesta with food lovers, food experts, and some of the city’s prominent families gathering together at the mall.

Selected recipes in Lucena, were Hardinera, the Southern Tagalog Region’s own version of the meat loaf, which is served during special occasions; and Bukayo, a coconut dessert. And the judges, Ilustrado president Bonifacio Pimentel, foodie Mercy Biglete, Metropolitan Museum vice chair Cora Alvina, as well as SM Supermarket manager Rex Anzia and Homeworld’s Lani Paclita clearly had a difficult time choosing the winners from the very delicious entries.

Lucena and the rest of Quezon is known for its vast tracks of coconut plantations, and bukayo made from this wonder tree is one of the city’s favorite desserts. In photo are entries from Eufracia Miranda, Joseph Ella, Jennifer Avila, and Felix Abanilla.

No less than Lucena City Mayor Barbara Ruby C. Talaga awarded the winners, housewife Judith Serrano for the best Hardinera; and HRM graduate Marivel Ursua for the best Bukayo. They received P5,000 worth of SM gift certificates from SM executives vice president for marketing Millie Dizon, regional operations manager for South Luzon Cid Luis Victoria. The rest of the finalists each received gift packs from SM Homeworld and P1,000 worth of SM gift certificates.

During the event, guests got a glimpse of Lucena’s rich culinary tradition in a video featuring Metropolitan Museum vice chair Cora Alvina visiting favorite food stops and the homes of prominent families who demonstrated their signature recipes.

In true fiesta tradition, prominent families, brought samples of their heirloom recipes which they shared with the guests: beauty expert and My City, My SM honoree James Cooper and his chami; Dealo Coffee Klatch and Bakeshop’s Millada Valde and her ubod with tahure sauce and unday unday dessert; Luisa and Daughter Restaurant’s Carmen Campomanes Marasigan and her tamales; F&M Restaurant’s Malou Martinez and her ubod Hardinera; Cynthia Suarez Eleazar and her chicken pastel; and businesswoman Tess Peñarubia with her spareribs and tartar sauce.

My City, My SM, My Cuisine will make its next stop at SM City Bacoor on June 30, where 10 contestants will vie for the best Tamales and Sapin-Sapin. Alvina and My City, My SM honoree Gilbert Remulla will take guests on a culinary tour of Cavite, with prominent families sharing their prized heirloom recipes.

My City, My SM, My Cuisine is a joint project of SM and the Philippine Star with support from SM Homeworld and SM Supermarket Lucena.

Served during Christmas and special occasions, Hardinera is one of Lucena’s signature dishes. Above are the entries of Marlene Abetria, Sergeyevetz de las Alas, Jhommie Mortega, and Cesar Avila

SM shoppers and Philippine Star readers can submit their selected entrée and dessert along with their name, address, and occupation to sm_starculinary@yahoo.com. They can also mail these to the Publicity Department, Building C, SM Corporate Office, JW Diokno Boulevard, Pasay City, or the Lifestyle Section of the Philippine Star at R. Oca Jr. and Railroad Streets, Port Area, Manila.

Ten finalists will be selected from the recipes submitted, five for entrees and five for desserts. Two winners — one for entrée and one for dessert — will be selected from each city during the culinary contest that will be held in time for the city’s festival. The two winners will each receive P5,000 worth of SM gift certificates, while finalists will receive gift packs from SM Homeworld.