Click to view full screen
- Title:
- San Nicolas Bread
- Description:
- It is unknown when some of the most popular fiesta customs began in the Philippines. The Augustinian church at Macabebe, Pampanga was established in 1575 with the Augustinian from Italy, St. Nicholas of Tolentino (c.1246-1395) as its patron saint. Father Medina provides us a rare date when the September 10 San Nicolas fiesta was celebrated with distribution of blessed bread. While prior at Cebu in 1626, he sent a colleague to preach at Carcar town’s fiesta mass. The preacher earlier had asked the foremost man of the city in both position and wealth to make and provide “little loaves.” We know them as “pan de San Nicolas.” While fancy cookies sporting the holy image in bas relief are what many think of as the Philippine festival “pan,” simple buns were also given to devotees. A cross-marked bread was customary in some European parishes. One’s ration of blessed bread or biscuit is used until the next fiesta to heal anyone who gets sick and to fertilise fields toward a bountiful harvest. The custom strengthens faith as empowerment. Pan de San Nicolas cookies were decorated in the Philippines with bas relief made using wooden baking cards. We still do not know when that cookie tradition began for sure. I love the fragrance of anise and coconut milk when we bake them at home. Commercial versions lack the anise. Food history is the aspiration for constancy confronted by change.
- Subjects:
- Cookies Fasts and feasts Pan de San Nicolas San Nicolas fiesta
- Exhibition:
- Juan Medina 50
- Source:
- Painting from The Metropolitan Museum of Art. “The Exultation of St. Nicholas of Tolentino” by Giovanni di Paolo, c. 1450.
- Type:
- Image;Still Image
- Format:
- image/jpeg
Source
- Preferred Citation:
- "San Nicolas Bread", Philippine Food History, Felice P. Sta. Maria
- Reference Link:
- felicepstamaria.net/items/coll107.html
Rights
- Rights:
- public domain