The Philippines ha a number of iconic dishes, but lechon hold the distinction of being the one dish whose appearance guarantees that the host is dead serious about celebrating. No fiesta, wedding or triumphant holiday homecoming is quite complete if the buffet spread isn't adorned with a whole roast pig that's been stuffed and seasoned, carefully basted and slow-cooked over high heat until the skin is shatteringly crisp, while the inside remain juicy and flavorful. The best part are the skin at the nape (it's the crispest), and the meat by the ribs and belly (nearest to the stuffing).
All throughout the Philippines, the local love for lechon is fierce and unwavering. Though the notion of roasting an entire pig is widely accepted to be of Chinese origin, the name itself speaks of a more Spanish influence lechon comes from the word leche, which means "milk" - a nod to the suckling pig that makes the best kind of meat. Lechon de leche refers to the most prized variety, a rost milk-fed piglet with melt-in-the-mouth tender meat and a thin layer of fat.
Beyond these basics, there are as many varieties as there are provinces in the Philippines, with different regional interpretations. The lechon in Cebu is said to be a perfect pig through and through. While in other places the dish is often served with a tangy liver sauce, the Cebuano variety can be enjoyed on its own. The carefully guarded seasoning and cooking techniques practiced among chefs in Cebu allow the lechon to shine as the stuffing gives the meat its rich and complex flavor.
Manila chiefs have a slightly different take on the dish that's just as interesting, if more elaborate. At pepita's Kitchen, lechonera Depet La Fuente is known for her lavish lechon degustacion menu a dozen inventive courses inspired by classic Filipino ingredients in season, leading up to the unveiling of her special pig. Silence is asked of the gathered guests, which is almost immiediately broken by a resounding crunch one of the signature feature of Dedet's lechon. The skin is delicately crisp, almost candy-like in its brittleness, the layer of fat thin and luscious. The meat is lean and juicy, and given extra flavor by Dedet's special stuffing.
Not content sticking to just a single lechon recipes, Pepita's Kitchen offers over 20 varieties, including Spanich Manilena Lechon (Stuffed with rice flavored with crab fat and Spanish chorizo). Lechon Tagalog (with a stuffing of whole garlic bulbs and marble potatoes, calamnsi and local herbs) and what is perhaps the most luxurious variant ever, Richman's Lechon's, filled with truffle rice and nuggets of foie grass and decorated with real gold leaf.
So what's better the lechon from Cebu, the traditional favorite, or the upstarts from Manila ? My advice is not to get sucked into the regional rivaly. Instead, enjoy whatever kind of lechon you find and most of all , revel in the celebration that brought it about.