by Rey Anthony Chiu

Tagbilaran City (6 July) -- "HINALANG nga manok" or "nilubihang kagang" would soon find its equal in the distinct palate of the Boholano.

Sandugo 2007 makes a bold attempt to scour the discriminating taste of the Boholano with the search for the newest food preparation that could go through the pages of cookbooks.

Sandugo Festival through the years has been celebrated via a plethora of activities that showcases the past, present and even aspirations (future) of Boholanos through song and dance, crafts and food shows, cultural presentations, agricultural fairs. It also has shown entrepreneurial endeavors of its people.

A follow through activity of the highly successful Painitang Bol-anon (Boholano Snack Fair) in 1997 and Pagkaong Kinaham, (Favorite Food) a year later, the cooking festival this year hopes to elevate the level of appreciation, preparation and presentation of the Bol-anon food and cuisine.

Earlier, Hinalang or haling-halang nga manok bisaya (Chicken Curry-Boholano style) and Nilubihang Kagang (landcrab cooked with young coconut) shared the distinction as a local favorite after winning hands down in previous culinary competitions.

Organized this time by the Bohol Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI), Department of Trade and Industry - Bohol (DTI) and and the Bohol Association of Hotels, Resorts and Restaurants (BAHRR), the festival of local delicacies and newer recipes also hope to mainstream local recipes with international touch, a concept paper form the DTI said.

The cookfest, proposed to be held at the The Island City Mall will feature Boholano cooks inventing, reinventing, enhancing and garnishing local food to on the Gourmet Category.

This will be an exhibition by creative chefs of both foreign and local origin who have made Bohol their home and who are willing to experiment on indigenous food and convert it into one which may be identified truly Boholano, the paper states.