The nine-day celebration of Aguinaldo masses will start on December 16, Wednesday. I think many young people are already excited about this. So, what comes up in your mind when we say Aguinaldo or Misa de Gallo? Church bells ringing at the break of dawn accompanied by familiar Christmas tunes? Or the crowded churches filled with people cutting short their sleeping hours for their yearly panata? For me, it reminds me of one thing, bibingka! Or bingka in our local dialect.
Yes, bibingka is what you and me will crave after the Aguinaldo Masses. The aroma of freshly baked bibingka mixing with the smoke of burning firewood doesn’t fail to attract any passersby. The warm, sweet taste of bibingka can awaken anyone who dozed off while the mass was going. Hehe.
Bibingka stalls outside the church are always crowded with people waiting for their turn to buy. A typical pinoy Christmas scene where customers line up wearing their sweaters and head caps. Ready to sell bibingkas are neatly packed by the dozen in small brown paper bags to keep them warm and the vendors line the brown paper bags in front of them. If you happen to attend the Aguinaldo mass in Jaro Cathedral or San Jose Church, there are bibingka stalls nearby. There’s also in Mohon, Oton where it’s available all year round.
the bibingkas are checked from time to time to avoid from burning
portable oven specifically designed for bibingka
ready to sell bibingka temporarily stored in empty cardboard boxes to maintain their warm temperature
