Lomi to the Death!

First, a word of caution to all would-be readers: if there is no panciteria within 100 kilometers as the crow flies, proceed no further. If you happen to be abroad, read and be prepared to weep. Do not – repeat, not – blame me for your misery; I’m just a blogger.

As things happened, I had the good fortune this morning of attending the first-ever Lomi Festival, jointly organized by De La Salle Lipa’s College of International Hospitality Management and the city government.

The event was held at the Plaza Independencia just in front of the Cathedral of St. Sebastian. The festival included street dancing by performers from several schools. I missed the street-dancing part; but the performing groups did an encore at the plaza.

All things considered, the festival was a resounding success. At the very least, everyone who attended left thinking we-shoulda-done-this-sooner; which augurs well for future stagings of the festival.

This morning’s event was the first, remember! There are supposed to be festivals to be held next year as part of the school’s efforts to celebrate 100 Years of the Lasallian Presence in the country; and the year after to celebrate 50 years of De La Salle Lipa. After that, who knows? Something like this, it can go on forever.

What can I say? There was lomi for as far as the eyes could see! But that is so exazh…

Last Friday, there was a Food and Beverage Exhibition in school; and one of the main events was a Lomi Cooking Competition. I knew as soon as I entered the laboratory kitchen to take pictures that the lomi that was going to be cooked was not the authentic Lipa variant: the student chefs were busy chopping veggies.

I pointed out this out to one of the chef judges; but, as it turned out, not all the participating schools were from the province. The archetypal pancit lomi cooked elsewhere but in the city, veggies and all, turned out to be the correct version, after all.

Today, though, there was no mistaking the kind of lomi that was being prepared under the tarpaulin tents. I just simply loved being there! It was festive; it was colorful; and, above all, and particularly as the chefs started cooking, the smell that wafted through the air was unmistakably that of authentic Lipa-style lomi!

In all honesty, I only sampled two of the numerous recipes served for free for those who came. Both tasted divine! The only thing not quite authentic was that I had to eat standing up. For future holdings of the event, it may be a good idea to ensure that there are tables and stools so that connoisseurs may lace the lomi with soy sauce, calamansi and generous servings of red hot chili so that one may enjoy the lomi as one would in a right proper lomi haus.

This will have to do for the meantime. The pictures I happily took with my cell phone will all speak more eloquently than I ever can.

If you care to, here are some videos as well.  Just bear in mind, particularly if you happen to live abroad, that if you do dare to look, it is entirely your fault:

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