echoes of a fiesta

Our town fiesta falls in August. At this time of the year, people in my hometown of Tuguegarao are busy preparing all sorts of activities to celebrate the occasion. I heard that they celebrate it with a lot more fanfare than when we used to party when I was growing up. Whenever the month of August comes by, I always ponder upon all of my fiesta memories.

Our school would be busy preparing for a big parade. Our marching band would practice longer than usual, while participants of songs and dances are also busy practicing in all corners of the school. A carnival and circus would come to town and you could hear their loud announcements inviting people to attend. The blaring sound of music and merchants calling customers to buy their wares promising a good bargain. The church would also be busy preparing its grounds for the converging of people to celebrate the event with a Holy Mass, because after all, fiesta is the feast day of a patron saint. In our case, our patron saint is San Jacinto (St. Hyacinth).

While the town is busy preparing, houses would be just as busy getting ready for out-of-town visitors. It's actually like an open house where people are invited to come join in on the celebration. The iconic dish on everyone's table? Lechon, you bet.  

And so, it may be because of the coming of our fiesta that I had this intense craving for lechon. But since my oven is not big enough to contain the whole pig, I just have to contend myself with pork belly. It's a good alternative to the whole roasted pig. And what matters most is that it gave me back the echoes of our town fiesta.

It's crackingly good...  now watch the slideshow on how to do it... enjoy!