Bohol Treats: Kalamay and Peanut Kisses

When going to Bohol, what delicacies do you get yourself? PEANUT KISSES and CALAMAY!

"PEANUT KISSES"

Bohol is famous for many things. Tourists visit the province for many reasons, either to seethe wonderfu l "Chocolate Hills"or cuddle the cutest primate ever, the" Tarsier". But among the many things that Bohol has to offer, one should not forget to taste or bring home the some of its signature treats.Among the native treats and goodies, "Peanut Kisses"remains the favorite among the children and the adults alike and could be the best “pasalubong” to your loved ones at home.Aside from the fact that it signifies Bohol with its chocolate hills-like formation, it is light, crisp and really delicious. Peanut Kisses is made of high-quality peanuts and egg whites. For more than four decades, this sweet treat manages to find its way to national markets and embraces a wider horizon of possible consumers.Peanut Kisses can be bought in every department and grocery stores of Tagbilaran City, souvenir shops and even in street stalls especially near the air and sea ports. You can buy in either by pieces or in big quantities. There is no better way to experience Bohol than to actually taste these miniature chocolate hills-like cookies in small packs that it doesn’t consume much space of your travel bags. No wonder it has become the most loved "Pasalubong" among tourists and visitors.

"CALAMAY"

Kalamay, also spelled Calamay which means "sugar", is a sticky sweet delicacy that is popular in many regions of the Philippines. It is made of coconut milk, brown sugar, and ground glutinous rice. They can also be flavored with margarine, peanut butter, or vanilla. Kalamay can be eaten alone but is usually used as a sweetener for a number of Filipino deserts and beveragesCalamay from the island of Bohol can vary from extremely sweet to mildly sweet. It is distinctive for being sold inside halved smooth coconut shells (the mesocarp of coconuts, locally known as bagol or paya). These containers are then sealed shut with a characteristic red crepe paper (papel de japon). This type of packaging is known as Kalamay-hati (literally 'Half Kalamay').Basically, its composition is made up of well-milled glutinous rice, coconut milk, sugar plus chopped peanuts as optional. The milled rice is then poured into the half-heated coconut milk. Constant stirring is needed until the right consistency of stickiness is achieved. This what makes Calamay famous. Two hours of constant stirring over low fire is not a joke. It resembles the patience, dedication and hard work of every Boholanos.

"Chocolate Hills"

The Chocolate Hills are probably Bohol's most famous tourist attraction. They look like giant mole hills, or as some say, women's breasts, and remind us of the hills in a small child's drawing. Most people who first see pictures of this landscape can hardly believe that these hills are not a man-made artifact. However, this idea is quickly abandoned, as the effort would surely surpass the construction of the pyramids in Egypt. The chocolate hills consist of are no less than 1268 hills (some claim this to be the exact number). They are very uniform in shape and mostly between 30 and 50 meters high. They are covered with grass, which, at the end of the dry season, turns chocolate brown. From this color, the hills derive their name. At other times, the hills are green, and the association may be a bit difficult to make.