Simbang Gabi, Misa de Gallo

It's 16 December. For Filipinos, this is the start of the 9-day Simbang Gabi (Tagalog term that literally means "Night Mass" ) or Misa de Gallo (Spanish term for "Mass of the Rooster"). The Tagalog term is actually a misnomer because Simbang Gabi is held at dawn, usually at a convenient time of 3am.

The Misa de Gallo tradition was actually decreed by Pope Sixtus V in the 16th century. It lasts for 9 days, culminating in a midnight mass on 24 December. The "Panunuluyan" (Tagalog term for "seeking shelter" or something to that effect, I am NOT a linguist hehe) is usually re-enacted during this mass.

I think Catholics in other parts of the world do not practice the 9 day pre-dawn mass. However, Mexico has its own dawn mass called the Misa de Aguinaldo (Aguinaldo means "Gift" in Spanish). Spanish and Portuguese Catholics refer to Misa de Gallo as the midnight mass on Christmas eve.

After Simbang Gabi, the Pinoys' love affair with food is heightened. We often eat puto bumbong (sweet taro steamed in small bamboo tubes), bibingka (rice or cassava cake garnished with salted duck egg), etc. For photos and in-depth explanation on bibingka and puto bumbong, see Sassy's blog.

In Cebu, it would be puto maya (aromatic glutinous rice cooked in young coconut milk) or budbud (cassava or ground glutinous rice cooked in banana leaves) or bibingka or masareal or masi. It's nice to wash it down with chocolate drink (from "tableya" or native chocolate). Yummy!

Btw, Cebuano and Tagalog bibingka are different. Cebuano bibingka does not have duck's egg. It has young coconut bits on top. It is made with purely glutinous rice mixed with grated young It is my ardent wish to learn how to bake Cebuano bibingka. Or have at least a year's supply of it from Mandaue City, where the best bibingka are made. Hehe.

Footnote: In Rob Schneider's movie, "Deuce Bigalow," he gave his father (played by Richard Riehle) bibingka for his birthday :)