Davao’s durian sweetens Rody’s inaugural menu

DAVAO’S famous durian will provide the sweet ending to President-elect Rodrigo Duterte’s inauguration and meeting with the diplomatic corps.

But the fruit would be featured in tartlets, not in its unadulterated pungent form.

The menu for today’s historic ceremonies will feature food that showcases the rich Filipino culinary heritage, according to a Palace statement.

The menu’s shortness also reflects the incoming administration’s simplicity, it said.

The menu offers lumpiang ubod (coconut pith spring roll), pandesal (bun) with kesong puti (goat cheese), and Vigan longganisa (native sausage) grilled on the spot, monggo (mung bean) soup with smoked fish and alugbati (malabar spinach) in demitasse cups, fried saba (Cardava banana) slices; and durian tartlet.

The guests may wash these all down with pine-mango cooler or dalandan (native orange) juice.

Via Mare, a Palace-accredited concessionaire, will prepare the dishes.

Monggo soup is said to be a favorite of the incoming President, who was a longtime mayor of Davao City.

Durian, on the other hand, grows in abundance in the Davao region and is well known for its strong, distinct smell.

The fruit has been turned into other delicacies, such as candy, ice cream and jam.

In the run-up to his inauguration, Duterte stressed his desire for a simple ceremony.

He decided to forgo the usual practice of taking his oath of office at Rizal Park’s Quirino Grandstand and hold it instead at Malacañang.