One of the many items travelers can actually indulge in while staying in Cebu is Chicharon. Chicharon is a very popular snack in Cebu and all over the Philippines. This crunchy delight is by far one of Cebu’s best and tastiest products.
To those who are fond of this local delicacy but often wondered what it was made out of would now know that Chicharon are pork skin cracklings made from pork rind and a little bit of fat (weight watchers beware!). They are first boiled and then seasoned, then sun-dried and deep-fried until it is ready for packing or eaten directly after cooking. It is usually enjoyed with spiced vinegar where you dip it in vinegar and get a euphoric taste and crunchy bliss.
The usual light / thin, crunchy, airy chicharon is usually sold on the streets by bicycle vendors, school canteens or cafeterias, restaurants, food stalls within malls, the supermarket and other places.
But Chicharon does not only come from pork skin, ingenuity has offered new recipes of making it from other ingredients such as: Chicharon Manok (chicken skin and fat), Chicharon Bituka (pork or chicken intestines), and Chicharon Bulaklak (pork or chicken omentum - Ginabot).
Chicharon is a perfect match for snack time. You can serve it to friends and family members along with refreshing drinks. Because of its unique spicy taste, thirst will surely get the best of you so having a cold drink (soda or beer) in hand while eating it will make the experience even more thoroughly satisfying. So the next time you think of what to get a traveler who visits Cebu, try not to worry too much about what to get / give. Just simply give them a taste of Cebu's Chicharon (literally) and you'd be sure to elicit some smiles from them.
