Puto Calasiao

Lore & Background

The tradition of Puto Calasiao dates back to the early 1900s and originated in the town of Calasiao in Pangasinan, from which it takes its name. Considered the town's 'white gold' and iconic delicacy, Puto Calasiao is known for being sweet, fluffy, chewy, and cup-shaped, with small, bite-sized soft rice cakes.

Puto Calasiao is made from semi-glutinous rice that is soaked in water, ground and fermented alongside sugar to taste in earthen jars for at least three days, and steamed. It can be topped with cheese or drizzled with chocolate syrup for variation.

The Puto Calasiao Festival is celebrated every early December in Calasiao, Pangasinan, in the Philippines. It is the town's pride and cultural heritage. During the festival, the local villagers and people outside the region come in for the culinary competition for varieties of Puto Calasiao and to celebrate the feast. The festival promotes unity in its community.

Reader's Guide

Puto Calasiao is significant as the iconic delicacy and 'white gold' of Calasiao, Pangasinan, where its tradition dates back to the early 1900s. Its legacy is tied to the town's identity and cultural heritage, celebrated annually in the Puto Calasiao Festival every early December. The festival features a culinary competition for varieties of Puto Calasiao, drawing local villagers and people from outside the region, and promotes community unity. The rice cake itself is notable for its melt-in-the-mouth texture, achieved through a fermentation process of at least three days in earthen jars using semi-glutinous rice and sugar. Variations include toppings of cheese or chocolate syrup. As a type of puto, it is well-known throughout the Philippines for its small, bite-sized, cup-shaped form that is sweet, fluffy, and chewy.