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06 May 2007

For the love of corniks

A bag of cornsI AM RELISHING the last few grams of corniks, about to say goodbye to the only genuine Philippine snack that I can have in India. I bought the crunchy corn snack by the bag during my recent travel to Manila, hoping it could last until my next home visit. Alas, it is such an addicting and delicious break from the masala-infused snacks of India, that those three bags are gone in sixty seconds.

Toasted in garlic and drizzled with salt, corniks is a truly riveting Philippine snack that ranks with Magnolia Popsicle, Choc-Nut chocolate bars, banana cue, and halo-halo as amongst the best loved childhood favorites for most Filipinos—and amongst their top all-time sinful indulgences. I have no idea where the name corniks stems from; obviously, it is a take-off from “corn”.

My Indian friends and colleagues never had the chance to try my bags of corniks. I am not sure they would enjoy the snack anyway. Last week, I discovered two staple Philippine vegetables—kangkong and pechay—being sold as specialty foods in HyperCity. I was so thrilled at the discovery that I sent an SMS to a former colleague in HyperCity.

“Thanks for carrying these vegetables! I will be their biggest consumer in India!”

What she said made me laugh. She replied, “And probably the only one.”

Related Sites:
Corny Snacks, Garlicky Corniks, India's First Hypermarket Opens

3 INTERACTIONS:

JMom said...

ah, another cornik afficionado! We brought back bags of cornick from our trip to the Philippines last December. Alas, we are now in the same boat as you :(

Thanks for the linkback.

Visual Merchandisers' Association of the Philippines said...

In my recent trip to NY, I brought with me fifteen 1-kilo bags of that crunchy, salty yellowish thing of which I have personally delivered it to my aunt living in a smokey apartment in Park Avenue. Bringing those stuffs abroad is not a problem to me. We used to bag sackful of Ilocos Chichacorn (oh yes, may spicy flavor na sya ngayon!!!) on our way home whenever we go to San Ildefonso where my brother-in-law's roots are. It's a good thing na hindi ko nakahiligang kumain ng bagnet (a regional meat delicacy in Ilocos similarly known as "crispy pata.") although admittedly, I'll sneak into it and take a few bites whenever ginisang bagoong and inihaw na talong with matching tinadtad na hilaw na mangga is served. Sus!
I just hope that you also bring butong pakwan (watermelon seeds) to complete your snack extravaganza..

Feri

Paul Ancheta said...

Naku, don't start with the bagoong bit. That's the one singular thing I missed last month in Manila.

Of course, I gorged on singkamas. The househelp bought one sack of it!

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