For the Coffee Table Book - Issue #13

Hanging rice or puso are fist-sized pouches of young (or yellow) coconut palm leaves containing cooked rice.

The yellow coconut leaves are woven into pouches where grains of rice are placed and boiled. For lack of a direct translation, they were called "hanging rice" because they are often seen dangling or "hanging" from a bamboo stand. And along with this distinguishing quality, puso are best for mobile meals.

Puso is also a means of livelihood for poor Cebuanos. Walking through alleys in major public markets in Cebu, one would always see puso delivered smoking hot to food stalls along the streets selling barbecue and other grilled food, although puso are not limited to this kind of food selection. They also go well with a selection of stews.

Puso is an integral part of the culture of the Cebuanos. Through the years, it has become a symbol of the life and living of the Cebuano - always on the move and highly adaptable.

(Featured here is a lady preparing the yellow fist-sized pouches, in Olango Island, Cebu.)