In the Philippines, merienda is a term encompassing two light meals: the first is a morning snack that may correspond to a second breakfast or afternoon tea and coffee. Merienda taken in the early evening around sunset just before or in place of dinner is meanwhile distinctly referred to as merienda cena. Broadly, merienda is any sort of dish or snack in a portion smaller than the traditional “full meal” consisting of rice and snack coupled with either a cool or hot drink (usually coffee). Common fare may be sweet or savoury, ranging from breads, pastries, noodles, halo-halo, and even delicacies such as balút. At Villa Tamayo, we can prepare light meriendas and snacks throughout the day and they vary depending on what is fresh and available at the market.
