The rain is pounding mercilessly outside. I’m doing a lot of thinking, of what the future may bring. Good things, I hope.

One bright spot is eating Puto Manapla with little cheese slices. It’s nothing short of heaven.

The blandness of the puto (steamed rice cake for non-Filipino readers) and the saltiness of the cheese (had Eden cheese, a local brand), create an amazing contrast that one can’t get enough of. What would have made the puto snack perfect was steaming hot local chocolate, the kind made from tableas or tablets. Yum yum.

We picked up Puto Manapla literally on the highway, with young vendors standing on the side, arms holding packs of puto, outstretched, hoping to entice the highway traveler into stopping by the road’s shoulder to purchase their wares. Manapla is a municipality in Negros Occidental. Population: 45,000. The municipality is famed for their puto. Theirs is the variety that comes wrapped in banana leaves.

It’s been a while since I’ve done a food post. The puto made me do it!