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THE leisurely one hour and a half ride to Alegre Beach Resort along the coastal town of Sogod, north of Cebu is always a welcomed respite from the hustle and bustle of city life. This seaside paradise has joined the rush of Christmas Parties to herald the jolly season with a dazzling native Christmas tree and exquisite holiday food. The unique 15- foot tall Christmas tree in the resort lobby is made of 500 balls of ?bagun?, a vine endemic in Baranggay Liki and grows on the hills of Sogod. While fresh and pliant, the vines are woven into balls, then assembled together to form a tree.
It has been sometime since I visited Alegre Beach Resort. And the invitation of Gen. Manager, Fritz Kahler, for the Christmas Tree Lighting and Candle Light Dinner by the sea was too tempting to pass up. A short program preceded the tree lighting to drive the advocacy of the resort to protect and preserve the coral reefs where a fish sanctuary is maintained to augment the livelihood of local fishermen.
After the tree lighting ceremony, we walked down to the Talisay Cove with a pristine white sandy beach where an elegant table for 12 persons awaited us. The dark rain clouds hovering above which threatened to spoil the intricate set-up cooperated as the evening progressed.
A glance at the menu teased our palates while sipping a glass of sparkling Pol Clement Brut. With the gentle lapping of waves competing with the background music, Green Jackfruit Mousseline and Rock Lobster Spring Roll with Balsamic Reduction was served.
Executive Chef Martin Przevodnik hovered around the table as the appetizer was served and requested us to pour the contents of a shooter glass of calamansi with tarragon and pomelo on the side, on the dish. The interplay of flavors certainly enhanced the taste of the jackfruit and rock lobster spring roll. Monkey Bay Sauvignon Blanc paired well with the appetizers.
A very pricey soup followed ? Truffle and Boletus Essence. Truffles are so expensive that dishes have to be prepared with only its essence from oils unless one is willing to pay a hefty sum for it. The boletus or porcini mushrooms were served in julienne strips in the broth with a hint of red wine.
The main courses were served with ingredients native to Sogod, a culinary trademark of Chef Martin. Grilled Duck Breast was presented with Tisa-Lemon Grass Sauce on Ube Puree and Osiman leaves. ?Osiman? is a crawling plant that grows wild in Sogod only. The duck breasts were seared before oven-grilling so the delicious juices were oozing with every slice. Green Mango Granita with coconut punch refreshed our palates for the next course, Calamansi-scented Chilean Seabass on spicy Banana Blossom and Orange-Jasmine sauce, served with a novelty ? Coconut Rice. This is the first time I enjoyed rice cooked in coconut juice inside its shell.
Chef Martin dramatically joined us once again holding a bolo knife. With a thick table cloth, Chef Martin placed the hot coconut on his left hand and cracked this open with the bolo. Presto! The halved coconut revealed steaming hot rice inside the shell. It was easy to figure out how the rice grains were carefully placed inside the coconut through the small hole on one end. But the procedure required skill and patience. This was then baked in the oven for three hours. The fragrant rice paired well with the seabass, which had a tangy taste and chili hot flavor of the banana blossom.
The exquisite and dramatic dinner was crowned with Red Wine and Bailey Ice Cream in Chocolate Cone served on caramel sugar molded to resemble an inverted cup. We applauded Executive Chef Martin till our palms hurt while Mr. Fritz Kahler proudly smiled.
