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Soft and chewy puto (rice cake) and kutsinta in all its goodness.

I grew up eating small white puto or rice cakes during Sundays after hearing the mass. I remember how it tasted--soft, chewy and bite-sized, a perfect merienda. It's packed and served on a banana leaf for that honest-to-goodness Filipino merienda experience. I don't know if the leaf had something to do with its taste, but perhaps it comes with the package. It's only now that I've learned to know ehre this bite-sized puto came from, it's from Calasiao, Pangasinan. And it comes with its partner and perfect pair, Kutsinta--a rather sweet but sticky merienda usually served along side Calasiao's famous puto.

I so love this mini version of puto. It's not bulky and being bite-sized, it is easier for kids to eat. Kyle eats a mouthful of Calasiao's puto as compared to the large ones, he would really come back for more because it's easier to eat, not to mention tastier.

One thing that sets this food apart from all the other foods is perhaps, you grab a sense of culture and tradition when you eat native delicacies such as Puto Calasiao. Serve this during merienda and your kids will learn more about our country. They will even be surprised how cute it looks like.