Lure of lechons

The Chowzter website in London gave her a top food award, and called her lechon the "tastiest dish in Asia".

Ms Dedet de la Fuente is rightfully famous for roasting little piglets stuffed with flavoured paella. She also hosts some wonderful private dinners at her home in Manila, the Philippines.

It is no surprise that the local bloggers call her the Lechon Diva.

The first time we met (that piglet and I) was after a long day of filming for our Food Surprise show in Manila.

Ms Dedet created a five-course stunner revolving around lechon, but I was too tired to fully enjoy that meal.

Earlier this month, I was back at her residence for another meal. This time, we were hungry and ready.

Four of us tore into 20 portions of juicy piglets, all with an incredibly crispy crackling and stuffed with soft, intensely fragrant truffle oil paella.

Ms Dedet roasts her lechons in a custom-made brick oven in her open backyard kitchen.

That evening, she rolled out two little piggies, all golden, shiny and glistening under the gentle warm lights by the dining table.

My heart raced a little at the sight of the expertly done piggies. But when she cut through the crackling, the sound made me weak at the knees.

SCENT

The scent of truffle and roast pork filled the air.

The meat was fork-soft and supremely flavourful, the crackling was thin and crispy, and the paella held them together.

Ms Dedet goes beyond the traditional.

She has created lechon sushi.

Just recently she came up with a version combining risoni (rice-like pasta), portobello mushrooms and cheese.

And for this Chinese New Year, she offered a festive rendition of sticky rice, cashew, Chinese sausage and mushroom, pork cubes, and water chestnut.

Ms Dedet will be in Singapore on Saturday (March 7) for a charity event. She will be offering her little truffle paella lechons at the Iskina Cebu stall at Paya Lebar for a Pig Out And Help Out dinner at 7pm.

All profits will go to a charity of her choice here. Limited seats are available, and you can book ahead at the Iskina Cebu Singapore Facebook page.

From April 8 to 12, she and her truffle rice piggies will grace the World Street Food Congress (www.wsfcongress.com) here.

But if Manila is your next destination, I encourage you to book ahead for this special private dinner.

Makansutra

Pepita's Kitchen

Facebook: Lechon Degustacion at Pepita's Kitchen

E-mail: pepitaskitchen@gmail.com

Phone: +63-9178660662