Misa del Gallo - Midnight Mass Starts Dec.15

Misa de Gallo, or Mass of the Rooster officially kicked off the Christmas season in the country last Friday, 16 December. For nine days, called the novena, Catholics wake up early than usual and brave the nippy cold to hear mass. Originally a practice in Mexico, it was extended to the Philippines in the 16th century not out of tradition but for practical reasons: the dawn masses were timed very early so that the farmers during those time can fit it in their schedules as during the day, they’ll be busy with farm work. While this are dawn masses, the Tagalogs call it Simbang Gabi, literally night mass.

When we were still children, we used to accompany my lola (grandmother) and mother to these masses, oftentimes, because of the cold water, would just wash our faces instead of shower. After, we would then buy puto (unground steamed sticky rice with ginger) to be dipped in sugar (my fave) or paired with sweet ripe mangoes and thick tsokolate, made from tablea, medallion shaped bitter chocolate made from pure cocoa.



Especially loooove bibingka -- it's a rice cake with salted duck egg and goat's cheese, topped with butter, a sprinkle of sugar and grated coconut. Yum! I'm glad it's available all year round now.



This strange looking contraption is a steamer for the puto bumbong. The sticky rice flour mixture is placed inside the bamboo atop a steamer. The cloth around the wood is used so that it can be handled like placing the mixture or retrieving the puto.