Comfort Food #2 Buko Pie

The second item on my list of comfort foods is:  The Buko Pie.  When you go down south of Manila especially in Laguna, you will notice many ambulant vendors selling this, specially to bus riders.  This is a very common and tasty "pasalubong" when somebody is coming from Laguna area.  For Filipinos, bringing a present from where we went for a trip or holiday is part of our culture.  It seems odd if we don't get anything for the people awaiting our arrival and this is what we call 'pasalubong'.  Buko pie from Laguna is almost like a trademark of the province.   Laguna is not only known for being the hometown of our national hero, but it is also known for many delicacies, topping the list of these delicacies is the buko pie.

Its main ingredient is of course the flesh of the buko, which is a young coconut when the "flesh" is still soft and tender.   It is best eaten when it is hot and fresh from the oven, and its sweetness goes well with dark and bitter coffee.  A perfect balance is achieved in the combination of these two (for me, at least)  You will have to try it yourself to know what I am talking about.  

I have a favorite brand because their buko pie is really soft, rich and creamy unlike other makers that mass produce their buko pie and no buko is even almost visible so we don't get value for our money. When you buy buko pie, make sure you get them from a quality maker.   Good buko pies can be found in Los Banos and I can name at least two that make good ones and one that is favored by the locals of Los Banos.   If you want to know my choices,  just leave a message and I would gladly share them with you.  Buko pies cost about P150 per whole pie which can be divided into 8 or more slices.  So aside from it being delicious, one whole pie can be enjoyed by many.  Here's a tip, get the buko pie that is in a yellow and green box.  For me and other folks from Los Banos, it is the best!  Ciao!!!