Panutsa in sursur (coconut shells)

We had just finished an adrenalin-filled morning zip lining and driving ATVs at Pugad Pugo Adventure Park in Pugo, La Union and we were all tired and taking catnaps when we arrived at Pozorrubio, Pangasinan for a less tiring, quieter and more educational cottage industry observation tour as guests of Mayor Artemio Chan and Pangasinan Visitors Bureau (PVB) representatives Ms. Marion Puzon and Ms. Montserrat Escano.  This time we were to observe the making of  patupat, a uniquely Ilocano delicacy made from sticky rice called malagkit and wrapped in coconut or banana leaves.  The patupat of Pozorrubio is reportedly the best in the country. The factory, located in a large, open G.I.-roofed shack, was located right in the midst of a sugar plantation which was a short but quite muddy hike from the road where our special media bus was parked.

The  now motor-driven dadapilan (sugar cane mill)

The traditional method for making patupat starts with the dadapilan, the sugar cane mill.  For years, the mills were driven by carabaos but now they use motors.   Here, sugar cane is fed into the mill and pressed by its big iron rollers to extract sugar cane juice. At the same time, uncooked glutinous rice is poured into intricately designed, rectangular baskets or bags of different sizes made from banana or coconut palm leaves cut into even widths, then tied up and sealed.  The weaving of this basket is an art by itself. Using young coconut leaves with the midribs removed and knotted at both ends, the baskets are woven  with one leave overlapping the other, ending with two corners.  After the knots are removed, they are then joined to complete the basket. The baskets with the glutinous rice are then cooked and caramelized for at least 30 mins. in a large kawa or taliasi (cauldron) filled with a mixture of boiling and bubbling sugar cane juice and coconut milk, over a fire fueled by pressed sugar cane stalks. After boiling, the patupat are then tied together and hanged to drip. Soon, they would be ready to be served, cold or hot, and will be good for 3 days. On the other hand, the boiled sugar cane juice and coconut milk concoction, once thoroughly cooked and sticky, is poured into sursur (cut coconut bowls) then dried to be sold as panutsa or matamis na bao (brown sugarcane).  Thus, very little is wasted in the process.  The patupat has made Pozorrubio proud and is the star of the Patupat Festival, held annually in the town since 1999.