I’ve taken a breather from blogging for a more significant endeavor but while my mind was busy with other things my heart longed for updates on this site. Now that things have settled down a bit, I’ve started to collect my thoughts and have lined up so many things to share with you.

First, I’m going to tell you our escapade in Tapaz, Capiz last May 15, 2020. It was the first time I’ve set foot in San Julian, where many of my relatives from the father side lived from generations to generations. It took us two hours to reach the town due to a rerouting caused by a minor damage in one of the bridges in Lambunao. The road was terrible but the bonus was we were able to see the town of Bingawan. It’s quite remote and far from major highways so it’s not often that you see this charming little town.

We were invited by Raidz, another friend of mine to visit their hometown. It’s the fiesta of San Julian and since it’s far from the city, we expected to taste some dishes cooked in the traditional way without the artificial taste of Magic Sarap. When we arrived around 10:30 a.m., ibos was the first thing they served accompanied by slices of sweet ripe mangoes. Then came a steaming bowl of binakol, tinola na baboy with ubad and monggo and a platter of pork hamonada prepared by their cook whom everybody hires when there are fiestas. We were the first to taste the dishes since the other guests were still in the church for the mass. The other dishes were still being cooked in the backyard in large dulasi and kalderos. I ate a lot of tinola na baboy with ubad and monggo. It seemed I’ve never eaten them for so long a time.

In the province, every house you visit has something to offer, it’s either you eat lunch again or just taste their desserts ranging from the fruits they specially reserved for the fiesta to their proudly made buko-pandan salad. The host would always want you to eat something. It’s kind of hard to refuse sometimes. Before we go, each of us received a plastic bag with achara (pickled papaya) a cup of fruit salad and a bunch of ibos inside. These were simple gestures of generosity and hospitality we often miss in the city.

Since I love to write about the food I ate, I also began to take notice the caterers that I’ve met. Let me introduce to you Cecille’s Catering. Please give me some feedbacks if you have tasted their food.

A dinner buffet was held last April 25, 2010 to welcome guests and friends to the soft opening of Cecille’s Catering & Pension House, strategically located along the road, near Floreville Subdivision, Buray, Oton. I was there that night to witness this grand event. Thanks to my very, very good friend Made. The food was lavish and the venue was filled to the rafters.

To give you an idea how grand the occasion was, there were fifty or more six-seater round tables placed inside the air-conditioned dining hall on the second floor. A smaller function room on the right was also filled with tables to accommodate 60-80 persons. The lawn below has barely a space left for visitors. The spacious lobby in the second floor was lined with buffet tables filled with different kinds of dishes.

Cecille’s Catering is ready to serve you with its wide selection of delicious dishes and desserts for all occasions. Cecille’s Catering is the official caterer of PRISAA Region VI and it has another branch in Zamboanga.

For inquiries and reservation please call 396-4493, 396-4495; fax (033) 510-2487

the upperground lobby

morcon

pork

spacious, newly frunished room

dorm type accomodation for budget conscious

This summer I had a grand time picking fruits with my nephews. It reminded me of my own fruit hunting expeditions two decades ago. It was fun and relaxing to do this once again! Our place is blessed with plenty of fruits like kamatsile (jocote), sinigwelas (Spanish plum) and duhat (Java plum) and many others.

Kamatsile or kamonsil was quite a challenge to get. You have to use a bamboo pole to pick the fruit. Sometimes you get a stiff neck as a result of looking up  at the kamatsile tree for hours. It is hard to climb the tree because of thorns and the branches need to be cleared first. The wind and the glare of the sunlight can make your fruit picking experience a bit disappointing but it’s worth the effort when you start eating the “bukaka” – the biggest of the bunch which is sun-ripened with a tinge of yellow orange to dark red and it tastes sweeter compared to the green ones. Kamatsile fruit is recommended for people with diabetes.

Duhat, our local version of grapes could also be difficult to get because of the presence of pala’ or humongous red ants. Their bite could be painful and become itchy which could trigger your allergies. The presence of hundreds of ants (black or red) means the fruit is sweet. Don’t be turned off because if there’s a will, there’s a way.

Sinigwelas were the easiest to pick among the three. The tree doesn’t grow very tall and it has long flexible branches. This tree shed all its leaves once it began to bear fruits so its easy to spot the thick, juicy, mouth-watering berry that you want. Sinigwelas becomes a host to black, thumb-sized bugs called labug-labog once the leaves began to show. Don’t be scared because they’re totally harmless.

the hard and fun way to pick kamatsile

the stash

consuming the stash

reaching for the most plump and juicy duhat

grab one! grab 'em all!

sinigwelas tree is home to the bugs we call "labug-labog"

One of the good things when you travel is the chance to taste some local food, which you seldom find in your own place. Peking was one peculiar eats that I’ve seen only in Antique. Peking sounds familiar but it’s not what you think it is. It also didn’t originate from China. My officemate got curious and tried to extract a bit of info from the tindera while making some tawad for a whole bunch of Peking she bought for pasalubong and for resale. I really admire this lady for being so business-minded.

If I was there when she met the tindera, I could have squeezed more background info that pertains to the methods of preparation and cooking. Anyway, I’m going to share with you what my officemate told me to satisfy your curiosity.

It’s made of kamote which was finely grated, dried under the sun and fried. A thick sugarcane syrup or lasaw makes a perfect garnish to the thin wafer. It tasted like Clover (junk food) without the salt and other artificial flavorings.

I’m quite puzzled how they cook to maintain the shape of the fold without cracking. I’ll research further on the subject and if I have a chance I’d like to see how it is made.

We left Pandan, Antique while the sun was still blazingly hot and two hours later we were already buying our admission tickets at the entrance of Sampaguita Gardens in New Washington, Aklan. Thanks to our friend who is a very good driver. By the way, the tickets can be redeemed for food items or souvenirs. This was my second time in Sampaguita Gardens and third time in Washington, Aklan.

Sampaguita Gardens is a vacationers’ haven whose main attraction is the Precious Moments dolls. The dolls were adorable with their big, tear drop eyes and pug noses, created by Sam Butcher from Missouri, USA. They come in several sizes and made of imported materials. Cute figurines are also for sale for PM dolls collectors. A three-storey American-inspired mansion was housing the doll/souvenir shop and exhibits. It looked like a big Christmas cottage decorated with colorful holiday trimmings.

Another must-see  is the chapel which was built on the right side of the compound painted with PM dolls images from walls to ceiling, including the walls outside of the building. The doorman said that it was Sir Sam himself, as he is fondly called, who painted all the images which he was able to finish a couple of years ago.

There’s a big building at the back of the compound which has several rooms that can be rented if you want to stay for a longer period of time. It has a simple but impressive lobby with a nice view of the ocean. Other attractions and facilities include two fancy restaurants, museum, adult and kiddie pools, a replica of the house of Sam Butcher, poolside bar and restaurant, kiddie park and rides among others. Sampaguita Gardens is one of a kind in Panay and perhaps in the whole Philippines. I wish they’d continue to develop the place for continued patronage of visitors.

Before we hit the road, we had bam-i, loaf bread and softdrinks at the poolside resto. We used our tickets to pay for the food and we added some cash for the extra. The sun was about to set when we left for a three and a half hour ride back to Iloilo City.

Visit http://www.preciousmoments.com/

Precious Moments huggables

wall paintings made by Sam Butcher

swimming pool

hotel's lobby

the shepherds

Knowing my weakness, a very good friend of mine invited me to come with them to Phaidon Beach Resort in Pandan, Antique. My friend knows that I always like to go to places I’ve never been before. It’s supposed to be a strictly-for-the-office-staff only excursion because the van has only 15 seats but I was lucky and happy that they’ve counted me in.

PHAIDON, pronounced “phai-don” means Philippine – Austrian Investment Duyong Offenberger – Network was already attracting foreign tourists especially the Austrians through the internet. It offers diving lessons but foreigners come here mostly to escape from the hustle and bustle of big cities where they came from. The sand wasn’t as powdery white as Boracay’s but the view was spectacular on both sides. Mountain ranges in the south were refreshing to the eyes and the blue waters of the shore that stretches towards the horizon gave a calming effect and a sense of endless  space.

Our stay was short which lasted for a few hours only but it was long enough to allow us to play “cat and dog” in the water which made the ladies squeal and burst with laughter. We had a great time eating our baon in the picnic shade and later munched on the sweet Indian mango that Maam Zaldivar gave us at San Jose. After lunch some find a quiet place to rest. JP and Rhaine laid their sarong on the grass under the shade of the coconut trees while the rest got back to the water and swim. After everyone showered and dressed up, we returned to the van and continued our road trip to the next destination: Sampaguita Gardens in New Washington, Aklan.

Here is the link if you want to know the rates and types of accommodations.

long stretch of white sand; cool, inviting water

picnic shade facing the mountains

awesome view from the picnic shade

sweet indian mango

bungalow for rent

cottage with aircon

Fresh, simple, satisfying. . . A catchy tagline that speaks about what Appetite is offering. This new restaurant has created delectable dishes that will surely tickle your appetite. They also serve great-tasting meals for only P55.00 with free Iced Tea. Try also their best-selling pizza, which is available in three mouth-watering flavors for only P90.00 a plate.

The interior is painted with earth colors and has decorative wood panels highlighted by subdued lighting designed to give the place a cool ambiance for an intimate dinner with your family and loved ones. Fully air-conditioned, wi-fi zone, and has a function room big enough for 20 persons.

Appetite Restaurant is very accessible, located below Spa Riviera along Gen.Luna Street. Owned and managed by a young couple who have worked with professional chefs of leading restaurants in Iloilo City.

For orders and reservation, please call 5093319.

Thanks for Mike and Mane for the set meal pics.

Beef with Mushroom @ P55 w/ free iced tea

Chicken Afritada @ P55 w/ free iced tea

Pan-Fried Fish Fillet @ P55 w/ free iced tea

Crispy Fried Chicken @ P55 w/ free iced tea

Pizza Frutas @ P110 only

I think many of us aren’t familiar with tauri but those who grew up in the farm may have eaten this kind of bean. In our place we call this marayo. It is usually abundant during the months of July and August. This protein rich food is not commercially popular unlike mongo which is widely used and you can always buy this in the market. Mongo is the shorter version, small and plump while tauri is a bit elongated. The taste is also different. Mongo is richer with a distinct taste while tauri is a bit bland when unsalted.

I really wonder why I can’t find here in Iloilo City a carinderia selling cooked tauri or a dish made of tauri. Even the internet provides me no information at all. I called up a government agency concerned with our crops but they, too, wasn’t able to provide the information that I need.

Green tauri (young) is a staple of laswa in remote towns. Green tauri, malunggay and fresh tomatoes go together perfectly. I’m already happy with this together with dried tabagak or sapsap. The dried tauri also taste good but it will need several hours of boiling. It will taste even better if the boiled dried tauri is sauted in garlic and onions. Another variation is to add small slices of chicken or mixed with pork.

Happy Easter!

laswa made of tauri, malunggay and tomatoes. healthy!

dried tauri

tauri plantation

green tauri

For many weeks now, I heard many, many times the woman fish vendor, shouting “Lobo-loboooo!” while making rounds in the subdivision where I pass by everyday. It means it’s the season of lobo-lobo once again. Lobo-lobo is a very tiny fish which others call as tabios. Tabios (Pandaka pygmaea) is related with the goby fish, which is found also in other parts of Asia.

To show you how it looks like when it’s still uncooked, I asked her if I could take a picture of this silvery white fish with a transparent flesh.

Lobo-lobo is great when you cook it as an omelet or we call it in Ilonngo as torta. Just add a little flour. Sprinkle with chopped spring onions. Make a patty. Dip in a bowl of beaten eggs, fry and there you go. A hot lobo-lobo torta in minutes! The secret of a tasty fried lobo-lobo is to fry it over high heat until it is slightly brown. Make sure it’s not over-cooked. Best paired with sinangag or just plain, warm steamed rice. Grab a bottle of ketchup and enjoy your tasty lobo-lobo. Have a nice day!

Pandaka pygmaea

“Mapahorno ka?” is the usual question the bakery attendant would ask if he sees that you are holding a pack of meat or you would say to him: “Mapalechon ako.” The question is quite confusing if this is the first time you were asked about it. Mapahorno and mapalechon are two different things. Mapahorno is an Ilonggo term for roasting your chicken or pork in a firewood fueled brick oven while mapalechon is a process of grilling your whole pig or chicken over a burning pile of chracoal. Mapahorno comes form the word hornohan, a kind of oven used by bakeries before the lpg or electric ovens were available. I heard that Panaderia de Molo and Los Filipinos Bakery are accepting this kind of job for P25 – 75 per kilo. This great idea was shared to me by Maam Chit when she invited us to have lunch at their new house in Leganez. The one in the picture was roasted in Los Filipinos Bakery in Iznart St.

Ginhurno nga baboy is an ideal way to roast your pork. It’s cheaper and no mess to clean up in your oven afterwards. The skin and the meat taste better than your ordinary lechon. Try it, and you’ll know the difference.

Here’s how to prepare your meat for the hornohan:

First, check the bakery if they can still accept your order. Ask your meat vendor to give you tiyan sang baboy. Then request him to remove the fine hairs for you. They’re good at it and it’ll save you time.

Rub the meat with a cup of salt to remove the sebo and impurities, then wash it with tap water. Repeat the process until it is thoroughly clean. Pat dry. Sprinkle with salt. No soy sauce or kalamansi please. The natural taste of roasted pork comes out with just a small amount of salt.

the hornohan in Panaderia ni Paa as featured in ExploreIloilo.com