Category Archives: Cuisine

Tam-awan Village: A Showcase of Cordillera Life (Baguio City, Benguet)

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Tam-awan Village

The first leg of our Manila North Tollways Corporation (MNTC)/North Philippines Visitor’s Bureau (NPVB)-sponsored Lakbay Norte 2 Tour brought us to Baguio City, the country’s “Summer Capital,” where we were to check out the city’s art scene inspired by Baguio’s lovely natural environment and the rich Cordillera cultural heritage.  Our first stop was, fittingly, Tam-awan Village in Pinsao Proper where we were welcomed by Baguio City Visitors Bureau (BCVB) representatives Eric Pangilinan, Matt Roncal and Claire Iniong. This model village is laid out just like a traditional Cordillera village, making it accessible for those who have not had the opportunity to explore the different parts of the vast Cordillera region in the Philippines.  This recreated village, uniquely blending indigenous aesthetics and exquisite Cordilleran craftsmanship, has a charming collection of 9 authentic knock down huts built by clever mortise makers without nails or hardware Seven of these are compact and deceptively simple Ifugao huts transported from Bangaan, (Ifugao ).  The other two are more spacious Kalinga huts made of hand-hewn pine wood.  Some huts are over a hundred years old but have new cogon roofs which are periodically re-roofed from time to time.  All huts are named after the areas where they come from.

Jordan Mang-osan with one of his works  

Upon entering the compound, our media group, consisting of travel writers, bloggers and photographers, all explored the grounds including its art works at the art gallery and gazebo (across which is a stone-paved dap-ay where rituals and dances are performed) and the areas used for conferences, seminars and workshops.  Workshops here offer livelihood and crafts demonstrations on woodcarving, bamboo crafts, papermaking, weaving, printmaking, rice wine making and solar drawing, all envisioned to foster a deeper understanding, respect and pride in the cultural heritage of the Cordillera people.  The latter, a specialty of  Mr. Mang-osan, is an ancient Ifugao technique wherein a wooden surface  is burned using the sun’s rays to create an image.  

Portrait Sketching Session with local artistsA highlight of our visit was having our portraits sketched (for a fee of PhP100 per sketch), using charcoal pencil, by one of the many well-known artists who have their artwork on display. Other members of our group tried a hot cup of aromatic native Arabica coffee or sipped a glass of Winers tapuy (made from rice) or bugnay (made from Benguet strawberries) wine. Come lunchtime, we were served native pinikpikan, kintuman (brown rice), a salad of Baguio veggies and strawberry crepes for dessert.   Pinikpikan is prepared by beating a live chicken with a stick prior to cooking. The beating bruises the chicken’s flesh, bringing blood to its surface, which is said to improve the flavor after cooking.   
Tam-awan Village: 366-C Pinsao Proper, Baguio City, Benguet.  Tel: (074) 446-2949.  Fax: (074) 442-5553.  Website: www.tam-awanvillage.com. Admission: PhP50 (adults), PhP30 (students and senior citizens), and PhP20 (children).
Baguio Convention Visitors Bureau: 2/F Philippine Tourism Authority Bldg., Abad Santos Drive, Burnham Park, Baguio City, Benguet.  Tel: (074) 442-4315.  E-mail: baguio.cvb@gmail.com.

Kape Alamid: My First Taste of Coffee Heaven (Rosario, La Union)

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Kape Alamid

I first heard of kopi luwak from the 2008 movie Bucket List (literally, “things to do” before one “kicks the bucket” or dies) starring Academy Award winners Jack Nicholson (as hospital magnate and billionaire Edward Cole) and Morgan Freeman (as blue-collar mechanic Carter Chambers). Cole drinks a specific brand of coffee called kopi luwak, one of the most expensive coffees in the world, and Carter and Cole both “laugh till they cry” (an item from Carter’s bucket list) when Cole finds out that his favorite coffee comes from the undigested beans defecated from the Asian palm civet.  Well, so much for the movies.  However, the movie did bring out the curious in me as I added “trying out kopi luwak” in my own bucket list. Only lately did I find out that we had a local version called kape alamid (in the Tagalog area, but called motit coffee in the Cordilleras).

S.O.U.L. Cafe

Kafe alamid comes from civets (you guessed it, locally called alamid or musang)  who eat the coffee beans for their fleshy fruit pulp. Proteolytic enzymes in the civet’s stomach seep into the beans, making shorter peptides and more free amino acids and, when defecated, the beans keep their shape. After gathering, they are thoroughly washed, sun dried and lightly roasted. S.O.U.L (Soul for Spice of Urban Life) Café in Rosario, La Union was our first stopover (6:30 AM) on the road to Baguio City during the 5-day, North Philippines Visitors Bureau (NPVB) and Manila North Tollways Corporation (MNTC)-sponsored Lakbay Norte 2 Tour (officially launched on January 23 from the Victory Liner Terminal near Kamias St. in Quezon City).

Breakfast of Alaminos longanisa, garlic fried rice
 and tortang talong

Our hearty Filipino breakfast combo here consisted of Alaminos logganisa, boneless daing na bangus, garlic fried rice, hot chocolate, tortang talong made with creamy egg pesto and olive oil and, to kick start our day, an expresso shot of kape alamid with caramel. According to the menu, this expresso shot costs PhP350 and, according to the cafe manager, was sourced all the way from Cavite. This brewed concoction truly lived up to its name as one of the most expensive coffee in the world as it proved to be more aromatic and less bitter than the other coffee treats I’ve tried. Banish the thought of where it came from and you get a truly great coffee experience, with its great flavor without the bitter after taste of other brewed coffee.  Scratch this one from my bucket list.

The cafe’s chic interior

S.O.U.L. Cafe: Camp One, Rosario, La Union.  Tel: (072) 712-0852.  Fax: (072) 712-1190.

Jonker Street (Melaka, Malaysia)

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The last leg of our walking tour, prior to our return to our tourist bus waiting for us at the Tamil Methodist Church, was all shopping at the narrow but busy Jonker Street (Jalan Hang Jebat). From Stadthuys, we crossed a bridge over the Melaka River to get there. The Melaka River is now canalized to resemble an Amsterdam (Netherlands) canal, with a popular river cruise service running along the river.

Melaka River

Once the rich man’s street, Jonker Street is famous for its more than 15 antique shops (antique furniture, Chinese porcelain, brassware, cast iron beds, lamps, etc.).  Also along this street are cafes (Hai Nan coffee, Nyonya cuisine, beer, etc.), several art galleries,  mini-markets and souvenir shops among others. Souvenirs sold here include items made in Melaka, China and other Asian countries (Thai puppets, Balinese masks, etc).

Jonker Street

Local food stalls sell local delicacies such as cendol (a cold mixture of coconut milk, brown syrup made from the local gula melaka, and shaved ice), laksa (spicy noodle soup), durian puffs, grapes-dipped in chocolate, caramel encrusted kiwis. kaya (a spread made from coconut) filled waffles, etc. The festively-decorated Restoran Famosa, occupying a century-old former goldsmith shop, specializes in dishes served with unique chicken rice balls, actually Hainanese Chicken Rice in the form of golf ball-sized, sticky rice balls cooked in butter and ginger.

Restoran Famosa

Pedestrians here share the same road with passing vehicles and trishaws during daytime but, during weekend night markets (6 PM-12 midnight, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays), the road is closed to traffic and its atmosphere turns carnival-like.

Jonkers Street

A living proof of Melaka’s rich Baba-Nyonya heritage, its buildings are immaculately constructed with elaborate carvings on its pillars and walls.  Also along this street is the Hokkien Huay Kuan, a well-preserved clan house. Its front porch has a pair of symmetrical pillars with dragon relief.  Beyond it are a striking set of door and wall panels with intricate carvings and bold colors. Two rows of Chinese characters frame the entrance door.

Hokkien Huay Kuan (Clan House)

Restoran Famosa Chicken Rice Ball: No. 28-30, Jalan Hang Kasturi, off Jonker Street, 75200 Melaka, Malaysia. Tel: 06-286 0120. Website: www.chickenriceball.com

Original Quanjude Restaurant (Beijing, People’s Republic of China)

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After our Forbidden City tour, we returned to our coach and proceeded to the famous Quanjude Restaurant for lunch.  Established in 1864 during the   reign of the Tongzhi Emperor of the Qing Dynasty, the restaurant is known for its trademark Quanjude Peking Roast Duck and its longstanding culinary heritage.  .This recipe was originally reserved for the imperial families but the first Quanjude manager, Yang Renquan, who started out selling chicken and ducks, paid a retired chef from the palace for the imperial recipe.

The Entrance of Original Quanjude Restaurant

Peking Duck, at the Quanjude in particular, has been a favorite dish for various political leaders ranging from U.S. Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, Cuban revolutionary Fidel Castro and former German chancellor Helmut Kohl.  Now we were going to savor it plus other delectable dishes. Peking Duck, one of China’s national foods, .is cooked using open hung ovens (designed to roast up to 20 ducks at the same time) and non-smoky hardwood fuel such Chinese dates, peaches or pears to add a subtle fruity flavor with a golden crisp to the thin skin.

The cooked Peking Duck was traditionally carved in front of us and served in 3 stages. First, the skin is served dipped in sugar and garlic sauce. The meat is then served with steamed pancakes, spring onionsand sweet bean sauce.  Several vegetable dishes are provided to accompany the meat, typically cucumber sticks. We then spread the over the pancake which is then wrapped around the meat with the vegetables and then eaten by hand.

Peking Roast Duck

In 1958, the restaurant was ranked first in “Chinese Famous Dishes,” compiled by all-China famous chefs under the Ministry of Commerce.  In 1982, it was also ranked first in “Elite of Chinese Famous Dishes,” published by Japan and China.  The Quanjude restaurant chain enjoys a high reputation among domestic and overseas consumers for its peculiar roast technique and outstanding quality, selling over 2 million roast ducks served in 400 different styles to over 5 million customers annually. Quanjude has 8 direct branches and several other franchises in Beijing, 2 in Hong Kong and 1 in Melbourne (Australia).

The Original Quanjude Restaurant: No. 14, Qianmen West St., Beijing, People’s Republic of China.

Simon Viewpoint Inn and Restaurant (Banaue, Ifugao)

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We reached our destination and home for the night, Simon Viewpoint Inn and Restaurant, by 3 PM. At its concrete, railing-less view deck was the breathtaking amphitheater vista of the Batad Rice Terraces.  Our AACC photographer friends soon set up their tripods and their cameras started clicking away.

Simon Viewpoint Inn and Restaurant

The inn also had a pair of seemingly authentic rectangular and nailless one-room bale huts at the back which I enjoyed exploring. Used for cooking and sleeping, the huts are built on four sturdy amugawan tree trunk posts, 2-3 m. from the ground, to keep the vermin out.  My access to the hut was through a steep, removable bamboo or wooden ladder.  The hut also has outward slanting waist or chest-high walls, two doors, a wooden plank floor and no windows.  The steep, pyramidal, reed and grass-thatched roof conceals the walls.

A pair of Ifugao huts at the back of the inn

After a late lunch and a short power nap to recharge, I joined the others as they left to explore the Batad Rice Terraces up to the Central Viewpoint.  However, to get there, I had to conquer my acrophobia (fear of heights) as I had to traverse a lot of very narrow and high pilapil (terrace walls) along the terrace’s edges to get there.  Once back in Simon’s Inn, we again rested our tired bodies, some having their aching muscles and joints massaged by a local masseuse.  That night, it was all camaraderie, good food (pizza, pita bread, highland rice, veggies, fries, etc.), wine (native rice wine called tappuy) and song (provided by the guitar-playing and crooning Jules).  Lights out at the inn was 10 PM and gladly so as we were all dead tired.  Sleep came easy to the weary.

Food at Simon’s Inn

A Unique Ivatan Feast (Batanes)

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Back at the town proper, I was invited by Mayor Caballero to join Gov. Gato, Cong. Abad and his other esteemed guests in a true Ivatan feast at the municipal hall.  The Ivatan fare spread before us, though simple, was hearty, filling, ingenious and nutritious, using  ingredients that are rich and unusual. Its taste and texture distinguishes it from the country’s other regional cuisines.

Spiny lobster (payi)

The prepared fare consisted spiny lobster (locally called payi, here I got it at just PhP250/kilo), tasty steamed coconut crabs (tatus), flying fish (dibang, plentiful from January to June), Spanish mackerel (tanigi) and the local meatball dish called tabtab (called uvud in Mahatao).

Uved

Uved, a staple food in every Ivatan’s dining table, is a mixture of the minced or finely grated core of the banana stalk pith (the big rhizome), ground pork or beef, minced bits of deboned dibang or tanigi, sweet potatoes, ube, some pig’s blood and other rootcrops, seasoned with local herbs, garlic, onions salt and pepper, molded into small balls, steamed and then served with a salad of tomato, onions and seaweed. 

Yellow rice on kab”baya leaf

Instead of the usual white rice, we were served fragrant, delicious supas, very sticky cooked yellow rice colored and flavored with and extract of yellow ginger or turmeric (locally called nihaman). Instead of plates, we ate this unique fare on the green leaves of a local breadfruit tree called kab’baya. 

Molo District: The "Athens of the Philippines" (Iloilo City)

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Molo District, located 4 kms. from the city proper, was the former Chinese quarter of Arevalo called the Parian. Formerly a town before it was absorbed by Ilolilo City, it is also called the “Athens of the Philippines” because it produced some of the best political leaders and thinkers of the land such as Gregorio S. Araneta (secretary of the Malolos Congress), Gen. Aniceto L. Lacson and Chief Justice Ramon Avancena.  Here, you can try the popular pancit molo, spiced pork-chicken meatballs daintily wrapped in thin dough and boiled in peppery chicken-pork broth.  It was introduced here by the Chinese during the 18th century.

Church of St. Anne

The district’s twin-towered, Gothic–Renaissance Church of St. Anne, one of a few churches in Iloilo not built by the Augustinians, was built with coral rock and a tile roof, in 1831, under the supervision of Don Jose Manuel Locsin. In 1863, it was replaced by a temporary church by Fr. Jose Ma. Sichon until it was renovated in 1869 by Bishop Mariano Cuartero.  On August 4, 1886, our National Hero Jose P. Rizal visited this church to pray on his way to Manila from exile in Dapitan, referring to it as “la iglesia bonita.”  During the liberation of Iloilo in 1945, the church withstood artillery barrages but its two bell towers were totally destroyed and the church partially damaged.  It was rebuilt after the war.  The church, declared as a National Landmark by the National Historical Institute in 1992, has stained-glass windows and 5 wooden Gothic-style retablos. It is also called the Women’s Lib church because of the 16 life-size female saints’ statues lining the nave.  The district’s patron saint, St. Anne is in a prominent corner of its massive, antique wooden altar.

A nearby bandstand

In front of the church is a plaza filled with old trees, with gnarled trunks and branches, and an interesting domed gazebo which is actually a bandstand, a typical feature in Western Visayas plazas.

Church of St. Anne: cor. Jocson and San Marcos Sts., Molo District, Iloilo City, Iloilo.

La Paz District (Iloilo City)

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La Paz District, located 2 kms. from the city proper, was formerly called Lobo, Llaunon, Ilawod and Iznart (after Iloilo alcalde mayor Manuel Iznart), was established as a parish in 1868. It is noted for its La Pazbatchoy, a delicacy made of flat, scissored noodles and pork innards simmered in broth and topped with crushed pork crackers and spicy herbs.  It is served in restaurants around the market. 

Church of Our Lady of Peace
Its brick and stone, Neo-Classic style Church of Nuestra Señora de la Paz y Buen Viaje (Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage), at the plaza, was started in 1847 by Fr. Candido Gonzalez, continued by Fr. Leandro Jambrina (in 1879) and Fr. Manuel Camara (in 1880) and enlarged and finished, in 1895, by Fr. Mariano Isart.  In 1909, it was restored by Fr. Anselmo Corcuera.  The stone convent was started by Fr. Mariano Isart based on plans by Don Julio Hernandez and Don Lorenzo Romero.  It was damaged during World War II and the 1948 earthquake.  

The church interior

Two engaged columns, supporting a triangular pediment, are recent additions (1970).  The 2-level church facade is flanked by twin octagonal, domed bell towers. 

Church of Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage: Jereos St., La Paz District, Iloilo City, Iloilo.

 

Loboc River Cruise (Bohol)

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After our short bonding with the tarsiers and my church visit, we all returned to the dock where our double-hulled, flower-bedecked floating restaurant was now waiting for us.  The restaurant has 4 long tables, 8 benches, kitchen, mini-bar and comfort room and is pushed along the river by a motorized boat.   We started our cruise from Loay Bridge. Cruising along, we dined on grilled pork or fish, fried shrimps or steamed crabs, all with chopped tomatoes and onions on the side; pansit plus other native fare, all served with generous servings of pandan-scented rice on wooden plates lined with banana leaves.  We washed these all down with either ice-cold soft drinks or the much healthier buko juice.   

Loboc River Cruise

The idyllic rural scenery is also a visual treat.  Along the way we observed heartwarming daily activities like mothers washing clothes and children bathing nude or diving from coconut trees bent precariously close to the water.  We also passed returning floating restaurants and small native outriggers loaded with passengers.  The endpoint of our 2-km.  cruise was Busay (or Tontonan) Waterfalls.  The falls drops 15 m. in 2 stages and is used to generate electricity for the town.   Here, we dropped anchor and guests were given the option to go for a quick, cool swim or just continue chatting or dining.  We just did the latter.  After about 30 mins., the boat made the return trip back to Loboc.   

Busay Falls

The Kawayanan Festival (Gloria, Mindoro Oriental)

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Kawayanan Festival

Throughout my 4-day stay in the town, I was kept busy by undertaking with gusto, the role of   judge for four of the festivals’ competitions: the Bamboo Booth competition (maybe because of my being an architect), the Cookfest (my favorite pastime: eating that is, not cooking), the Street Dancing Competition and the In-Place Dance Competition (held at the gym).  It seems that the only contest I didn’t judge was the Miss Gloria Tourism 2002 beauty contest.   On my second day, to save on time, I did my bamboo booth and cookfest assignment at the same time.  It was easier said than done.  Midway through my assignment, my complexion turned from fair to really brown (like roasted lechon).  However, the cookfest was a delight as I got to sample, mostly for the first time, the town’s labong cuisine, making it a point to sample each dish once in every booth.  Of the present 22 bamboo varieties in town, only two (the first-class tinikan and bolo) are used for labong.

The street dancing parade

In succession, I tried the atsarang labong (Brgy. A. Bonifacio), embutidong labong (Brgy. Kawit), apritadang manok with labong (Brgy. Mirayan), fried lumpiang labong (Brgy. San Antonio), fresh lumpiang labong (Barangay Lucio Laurel), tortilla con labong (Brgy.  Agsalin), guinataang labong, labong salad and bola-bolang labong.   I also enjoyed the buko pandan and cassava chips, washing it all down with buko juice. So much for lunch (and dinner).  I don’t recall what I sampled in Brgy. Guimbonan but she handily won the cookfest’s grand prize.  Brgy. Malayong won the booth competition.

A daring bamboo stunt

If the cookfest was a delight, the two dance competitions were spectacles by themselves.  Costumes, musical instruments and props (including the bamboo galleon of Brgy. Lucio Laurel) used were all bamboo-inspired.  What was truly spectacular was some of the choreography (to the beat of the latest dance music) which included some death defying stunts fit for a circus.  Try balancing spread eagle on the tip of a bamboo pole using the pit of your stomach or try dancing on the top rungs of 3 1-storey high bamboo ladders held vertically together. I wouldn’t dare but they did.   In the end, Brgy. Tambong won the Street Dancing Competition (with Narra second) and Brgy. Lucio-Laurel the In-Place Dancing Competition (with Maligaya second).

A bamboo galleon

Gloria is a coastal town and beautiful black sand beaches facing the Tablas Strait extend from Barangays Tambong to Agsalin.  Too bad there is no setting sun along this coast (Mindoro Oriental faces east).  Just the same, the municipality is making efforts to develop resorts along this beautiful coast.  Part of our itinerary was a visit to these resorts. They include El Primus Jose (Brgy. Tambong Punta), Villa Escober Beach Resort (Brgy. San Antonio) and Bighani Beach Resort and Mabuhay Beach Resort, both in Brgy. Giumbonan.

My first carabao ride

On our last day, we had breakfast at the dining pavilion of Prima Farm Resort in Brgy. Bulaklakan.  This rising star of a resort has so far finished 11 airconditioned cottages with bath and TV, all beautifully built with the town’s trademark bamboo in mind.  Each are also named after one of the town’s 27 barangays and built accordingly by the barangay’s artisans.  The resort intends to finish, in the near future, its complete roster of 27 cottages.