In 2008 John and I were on a tour in the Philippines. One of our stops was on the island of Cebu where we stayed overnight at Plantation Bay Resort & Spa. I was impressed with their pools – eight of them, four of which are saltwater lagoons and four are freshwater pools – covering a total of six acres. I never forgot the pools so in March 2015 when we returned to the Philippines we booked a stay at Plantation Bay Resort.
The resort is designed to resemble an historic plantation village with a one-mile circular road that passes by the many plantation-style accommodation buildings, the spa, restaurants and activity areas. Riding the vintage horse and carriage around the property I spotted the chef cooking a whole pig near one of the pools. The pig, called lechon, is served several times a week at Plantation Bay’s themed dinners. I returned to learn how it is prepared. Later that day John and I enjoyed the evening’s Filipino-themed dinner with a great cultural show and lechon.
Black Lechon is unique to Cebu. Chef Mon, the sous chef, said that
Plantation Bay’s Black Lechon is the best and offered to challenge Anthony Bourdain to visit Plantation Bay and try it. Bourdain claimed Cebu Lechon was the best roast pig but ate at another Cebu restaurant. Legend has it that Black Lechon was served to Magellan in 1521 when his voyage stopped in Cebu but most likely it originated with the local natives.
The name “lechon” is derived from the Spanish for “milk” but today in the Philippines it refers to the roasted suckling pig or colloquially to a chubby child. It is one of the national dishes of the Philippines and no celebration, fiesta, or family event is considered complete without lechon. It is especially popular at Christmastime. You can wow your family and friends at your next big gathering by serving lechon.
1 suckling pig roasting-ready to cook (about 40 lbs – for 40 guests)
Salt and pepper as needed
Soy sauce as needed
2 onions sliced
6 bay leaves crushed
½ (half cup) sliced ginger
10-12 whole garlic gloves
1 tsp crushed peppercorns
1 tsp salt
1 tsp white pepper
15 stalks of lemon grass
6 whole scallions
Trussing needle kit
1 can coconut milk
Spit (many farmers who sell suckling pigs have rotisseries for rent)
1 bag (25 lb) charcoal briquette (it doesn’t hurt to have a second bag on hand just in case.)
Put the pig on a spit. Tie feet together. Rinse pig inside and out. Use a paper towel to remove any excess water from the inside. Rub inside and out with salt and pepper. Rub soy sauce on skin. In a bowl mix onions, bay leaves, ginger, garlic, peppercorns, salt, and pepper. Stuff the belly with mixture. Using one of the leaves wrap it around the lemon grass and scallions bunched together to create a bundle. Place in the belly
on top of the mixture. Sew up the belly. Roast over live charcoal until crisp. Plan on at least one hour per 10 pounds. Brush frequently with coconut milk to keep skin from cracking and to get the black color. When cooking is complete remove the pig from spit and the stuffing from the belly and it is ready to carve. The skin is edible. Serve with native sauce. Tip: Before cooking the pig can be prepared a day ahead and stored in a plastic bag.
Several years ago John and I visited Cebu and loved the mangos which were sweet and had the consistency of cling peaches. When we were there we stayed one night at Plantation Bay Resort and never forgot the massive pools so we decided to return this year to see if it was as wonderful as we remembered. It was.
Once again we used our United frequent flyer miles so the flight cost $43 for the two of us from Bangkok to Manila. We then booked Air Asia round trip to Cebu. Plantation Bay picked us up which was included in the price which we appreciated. The Resort was even more wonderful than we remembered. Their three saltwater pools total an amazing 5.6 acres and there are four freshwater pools, plus a small beach. The first time we stayed
we were only their one night so I didn’t know about all the activities that were available many of which are free. Our room was on one of the freshwater pools that was like a quiet oasis. Most of the rooms are on or near the water with some it is possible to step off the porch into the water.
Plantation Bay is huge and set up like a village with free shuttle service around the clock and most days there is also free horse and carriages rides. We spent most of the day enjoying the pools but one day we went snorkeling right in front of the resort. It is best when the tide is high. I saw a bright blue
starfish. Another day John went to the shooting range and fired an M16 with amazing accuracy considering it had been many decades since he had fired anything. He followed that up with rock climbing. I am more interested in the sublime things of life so I went
to the spa. I even convinced John to join me. The spa is large with a Zen ambiance – they even have spa accommodations. The spa has four Jacuzzi-type pools: hot and cold, salt and freshwater; and that doesn’t include the small pool with a waterfall.
Breakfast was included in our rate. It was typical of Asian
breakfast: massive and provided something for every palate. Each morning the breakfast buffet featured a different ethnic group: American, Italian, Filipino, Asian, French, and Mexican. Americans never have a problem dining in Asia; oddly, the Asians have trouble dining in America because they love rice at all meals and rice is seldom on American menus unless it is an Asian restaurant.
One day my objective was to swim in all the fresh water pools. On the way to discovering the fourth pool I saw a pig being barbecued. Called lechon, it is served at all important celebrations, festivals, and holidays in the Philippines. It was being prepared for their Filipino Themed Dinner. Most evenings there was a themed buffet dinner. We made reservations for dinner and got their early so we could watch the chef carve the
pig and, most importantly, to get a good seat for the show. A soloist started out the evening and then we were invited to visit the buffet after which there was a great show displaying Filipino culture. People were encouraged to come up on stage and learn the coconut dance and bamboo stick dance called tinikling. They say “It is more fun in the Philippines."
