CHAPTER 3 SOUTHERN AND CENTRAL LUZON CUISINE

Objectives:
At the completion of this chapter students
are expected to:

 Discuss the Southern and Central Luzon

cuisine
 Enumerate the popular dishes of
Southern and Central Luzon
 Describe the characteristic of Southern
and Central Luzon cuisine

CENTRAL LUZON

BULACAN

Bulakeno food is prepared using the old fashioned way.

Cooking mudfish, for example, involves fermenting fish and
packed them into banana stalks before burying them in live
coals.
Bulacan food is popular with its specialty in a variety of rice
cakes for desserts or locally called panghimagas: kutsinta,
sapin-sapin-suman, cassava cake, halaya ube and pastillas
de leche, the famed delicacy from San Miguel, Bulacan.
Since animal-raising is a major industry in the province,
Bulacan is also known for meat dishes. It is popular for
chicharon (pork rinds). The province has its version of preparing relleno and galantina.
Bulacan also has the strange way of roasting chicken, sitting in clay pot sprinkled with
salt; asado or pot roast ; and estofado, pork leg ; and kare-kare, stewed beef in peanut
sauce better than other regions.
Bulacan is a big province known for it rich culture and history. It has 21
municipalities and 569 barangays. Located 11 km north of Manila, it’s also one of the
country’s oldest provinces.
Bulacan was originally founded in 1578, seven years after the defeat of the
native Macabebe and Hagonoy clans in the Battle of Bangkusay. Official records say
Bulacan was established on March 10, 1917, during the American period.
Bordered by Pampanga to the west, Quezon and Aurora to the east, and Manila and
Rizal to the south, Bulacan is a melting pot of Filipino cuisine and culture.

Marilao’s ‘puto’
Its famous puto (steamed rice cake) is freshly made daily. Moist and sweetened
just slightly, puto is a standard side dish, if not an indispensable partner to a number of
Filipino staples like dinuguan, a savory stew of pig blood, vinegar and pork offal.
The cotchinta (commonly spelled as kutsinta) is a variant of the puto recipe. Popular
makes theirs with a blend of rice flour, brown sugar, and annatto extract (for the color).
The delicacy is consumed year-round by Bulakeños. Unlike puto, the cotchinta has a
more jelly-like consistency.
In the same town we also discovered Simeona’s Pancit Marilao, owned by three
siblings. The quaint restaurant specialty is a variant of the pancit palabok, Pancit
Marilao, which is topped with ground rice instead of pork rind. The rice is then fried in
pork oil.
Traditional palabok ingredients are used for the dish, like the thin rice noodles
and the thickened shrimp broth colored with achuete.
However, the Pancit Marilao uses slices of kamias instead of calamansi. The sour
kamias gives the dish a zesty new flavor.
Pancit Marilao is surprisingly light, compared to, Pancit Malabon. The sauce is not as
thick and lends the dish a refreshing quality.
It is topped with okoy, deep-fried baby shrimps mixed with bean sprouts, sweet
potatoes, eggs and ground pepper.

PAMPANGA

Kapampangan cuisine (Kapampangan: Lútûng
Kapampángan) differed noticeably from that of other
groups in the Philippines. The Kapampangan kitchen
is the biggest and widely used room in the
traditional Kapampangan household. When the
Philippines was under Spanish rule, Spanish friars and
sailors taught Kapampangans the basics of Spanish
cooking.[4] The Kapampangans were able to produce a
unique blend that surprised the Spanish palate. Soon
Spanish friars and government officials were
entertaining foreign guests at the expense of Kapampangan households. In the late
18th century, the Arnedo clan of Apalit were commissioned by the colonial government
to entertain foreign dignitaries that included a Cambodian prince and a Russian
archduke  Kapampangans were given the task of creating the meal and menu that was
served in the proclamation of the First Philippine Republic in Malolos, Bulacan
Some popular Kapampangan dishes that have won over the Filipino palate
across the country include its famous sisig, morcon, menudo, caldereta, estofado,
embotido, asado, lengua, lechon, chicharon, afritada, bringhi (paella), tabang talangka
(crab meat), the "tocino" or pindang and their native version of the longaniza. A unique
Kapampangan dish that is well enjoyed by other ethnic groups is nasing
biringyi (chicken saffron rice). Since nasing biringyi is so difficult to prepare, this unique
Kapampangan dish can only be enjoyed during fiestas in Pampanga. It should be
compared to the Nasi Briyani dish of Malaysia.
Kapampangan dishes that remain a challenge to other cultures include balo balo or
burung bulig (mudfish fermented in rice) of Candaba, betute tugak (stuffed frogs)
of Mexico and Magalang, adobung kamaru (mole crickets sautéed in vinegar and
garlic), calderetang barag (spicy monitor lizard stew), kubang asu (sweet and spicy dog
stew) of Macabebe and tidtad itik (duck stewed in blood) of Masantol.
While other provinces boast pristine beaches and breath-taking spots,
Pampanga being a province that is almost land-locked (if not for its coastline areas
facing Manila Bay), the province cannot brag much on nature-given wonders other than
the province’s most famous terrain Mt. Arayat. While there are not so many sights to
see in the province, it’s undeniable that Pampanga has a rich culture and heritage that
every Kapampangan is proud of. One biggest credits of this pride comes from the
Kapampangan’s way of cooking which made the province the “Culinary Capital of the
Philippines”. If you’re visiting the province, the no.1 in your to do list should be eating.
Remember this: “When in Pampanga, EAT!

Here is a list of the dishes that you shouldn’t miss in Pampanga: – 

1. Sisig

On top of the list of dishes that is well known

to be an original Kapampangan dish is – sisig!. The
dish consists of different pig parts (mostly coming
from the head) mixed with chicken or pork liver.
With these ingredients, the Kapampangan’s were
able to create an iconic dish that is very well known
around the country. World-renowned television chef
Andrew Zimmern includes sisig as one of the dishes that can change the world. You
can never claim that you went to Pampanga if you have not tasted the authentic
Kapampangan sisig. There are a couple of restaurants offering this dish, but there are
two establishments in Angeles City that are well-known because of their own take of the
sisig: “Aling Lucing’s” and “Mila’s Tokwa’t Baboy”. “Aling Lucing’s” is known as an
original for the “modern day sisig”. It is because of Lucia “Aling Lucing” Cunanan that
Angeles City was named as the “Sisig Capital of the Philippines”. Even after her
passing, the original branch of “Aling Lucing’s” still stands along the old rail road tracks
of Angeles City called “Crossing”. Although known for their Tokwa’t Baboy (thus the
name) Mila’s Tokwa’t Baboy, they are also famous for their different take on the sisig.
Instead of grilling the pig’s head, Mila’s deep-fries it before serving it on a sizzling plate,
making their sisig crunchier that the traditional sisig. This recipe of sisig was innovated
in the 80’s and is still loved until now.

2. Betute and Camaru

Having expansive rice fields

throughout the province, it’s no doubt that the
critters found in these fields ended up in the
plates of Kapampangans. Categorized as
exotic or bizzare, the betute (stuffed frog) and
camaru (crickets) are a favorite to locals. While frog legs are common for the French,
Kapampangan’s eat their frog whole, stuffed with ground pork meat, and then deep
fried. And while others cringe when thinking of eating insects, Kapampangan’s just love
their crickets cooked adobo style called camaru. If you want legitimate bragging rights of
eating exotic Kapampangan foods, then these dishes are a definite must-try.

3. Buro

Buro or balo-balo is basically

fermented rice (mixed with shrimp or fish)
which is a popular condiment in Pampanga.
Some find eating buro extreme, maybe
because of its pungent smell and
appearance, but it makes eating much better.
Once you overcome the thought of eating
fermented rice, you might find eating buro
delectable especially with deep fried hito (cat
fish), mustasa (mustard greens), and boiled
vegetables (okra, eggplant, etc.) on the side.

4. Bulanglang Kapampangan (Guava Sour Soup)

This dish looks like a typical sinigang but it

smells and tastes differently. Sinigang takes its
sourness from the tamarind used for the broth, while
bulanglang takes its sweet and sour flavor from the
native guava. Usually mixed in the fruity thick soup are
milkfish belly, ulang or fresh water prawns, and pork
and partnered with something salty like bagoong (shrimp paste), patis (fish sauce), or
soy sauce.

5. Murcon

Everybody’s Café a Pampanga-bred

restaurant is proud to say that their Murcon is the
dish that made them known in the Philippines.
Murcon is a savory meat dish which is much like
an embutido or meat loaf. Pampanga’s version of
this meat roll is stuffed with sausage or chorizo,
carrots, hard-boiled eggs, and quezo de bola –
making the flavor much richer and perfect for a
cup of steaming rice.
6. Tocino (Pindang)

The tocino is probably one of the famed

products of Pampanga that has been a staple
of Filipino breakfast item for many years. If it’s
your first time to hear about this dish, tocino is a
processed pork meat that is sweet and salty
when cooked, perfect for rice and sunny side up
egg on the side. While this product is available
nationwide, you should not miss-out on the
chance to taste the authentic Kapampangan
tocino that is offered only in the province which
is “Pindang Damulag” – a thinly sliced carabao meat cured with vinegar and
seasonings. The taste of pindang is sour compared to the sweet tocino that we are all
familiar with, but pair it with a cup of rice with sliced tomatoes on the side, and you’ll
surely experience one taste that is uniquely Kapampangan.

7. Tibuk-tibuk

Besides their main dishes,

Kapampangans also take their desserts
seriously. One dessert that you should try when
visiting Pampanga is tibuk-tibuk. This is
Pampanga’s version of Maja Blanca that is
traditionally made with carabao’s milk, with a hint
of dayap zest (local lemon) with latik on top.
Tibuk-tibuk or tibok is literally translated as “heart
beat” that describes the bubbles pulsating up and
down (that looks like a beating heart) when the pudding is cooked

8. Halo-halo

If you’re in Pampanga, don’t miss out

on the chance to try two of the well-known
halo-halo establishments in the area, which
are Razon’s Halo-halo and Kabigting’s Halo-
halo. These two names are considered as
royalties in the local halo-halo scene. What
makes their version of the halo-halo special is
they use minimal ingredients for the dessert.
Razon’s version of the halo-halo has only
three ingredients which are sun-ripened
saging na saba (sweetened local banana), macapuno, and leche flan with dayap rind
topped with finely shaved ice. Kabigting’s Halo-halo also has a handful of ingredients
which are sweet beans cooked halaya style, cream corn, and their special ingredient
which is pastillas made from carabao’s milk.

9. San Nicolas Cookies

San Nicolas Cookies or Panecillos de San

Nicolas is a simple pastry made from very
few ingredients. What makes these cookies
special are the intricate and embroidered-
like design that was shaped in hand carved
molds. The taste of the Panecillos de San
Nicolas is very milky, deliciously crunchy,
and not too sweet. The cookies are best
paired with a hot cup of Chocolate de
Batirol or coffee. Almost synonymous to
this pastry is the name Atching Lillian Borromeo—one of Pampanga’s culinary expert
and is considered as the keeper of heirloom Kapampangan recipes.

10. Turrones de Casuy

Turrones de Casuy is a favorite and an

age-old delicacy in Pampanga. It like a
nougat-like treat made of chopped cashew
nuts cooked peanut brittle style that are
shaped in long sticks wrapped in an edible
paper-thin wafer. This is a specialty product of
the town of Sta. Rita Pampanga and is sold in
most pasalubong centers all throughout the
province. If you’re planning to visit Pampanga
anytime soon, do not forget to bring a mighty
appetite. Because you’ll definitely have an
unforgettable dining experience at the country’s Culinary Capital.

CAVITE
 Cavite is one such place. It’s not easy for a non-local to name Caviteño food
beyond Bacoor’s famed halo-halo, which is something you can easily get around the
metro. It is a place known instead for its rich history, for being home to a good number
of national heroes and historical milestones.
In any given period, this information might not mean much in a province’s effort
to establish a distinct culinary identity. Cavite cannot bank on its historical currency in
order to escape the mire of gastronomic obscurity it has long been in. Except recently,
things seem to be in favor of just that: history. Amid the popularity of global flavors and
the increasing foreign franchises in the country, the past two or three years have seen
an emerging interest in local heritage cooking.
Filipinos may know Cavite for its history — but with its history is a lot of food.
The province south of Manila is considered the cradle of Philippine independence. It has
taken remnants of the Spanish colonization — from the goods traded during the galleon
trade to the use of the pidgin Spanish language Chabacano — and spun these into its
own.
From the coastal city-appropriate pancit pusit to the Mexican-inspired pipian,
Cavite offers a culinary scene that may have been sidelined due to its its proximity to
the capital. A food crawl organized by San Miguel Pure Foods Culinary Center
(SMPFCC) aims to spotlight just that.
“The tour’s stops were carefully chosen to show that Cavite’s culinary scene has
Binalot,” says SMPFCC Culinary Services Manager Llena Tan-Arcenas. “We hope that
it will make everyone appreciate and draw inspiration from the rich culinary heritage of
Cavite.”
CAVITE, home to the vanguards of the Philippine Revolution, is not known for its
cuisine. Those from Manila often bypass the other towns of Cavite and instead, opt for a
little R’n’R session at Tagaytay. You are mistaken if you think Cavite does not have any
notable culinary treasures.
One of the reasons why Caviteño food is overlooked is because even local
restaurants opt to serve westernized foods like pasta, pizza, and steaks—the reason
being that Caviteño food can simply be made at home.
This makes tasting local cuisine more challenging for hungry visitors.

CAVITEÑO BREAKFAST

A typical Caviteño breakfast (referred to as

Magdiwang breakfast by our guide), can consist
of Salsa, Tapa, Tinapang Salinas, Tortang Itlog with
burong mustasa, sibuyas at kamatis. Tableya
Chocolate from Alfonso, Cavite; Fruits from Amadeo
Cavite (Pineapple, Watermelon and Papaya).
CALANDRACAS –  A popular soup in Cavite City that uses ham hock stock as base
and has carrots, potatoes, cabbage, chickpeas, chicken, gizzard, chorizo, and
sotanghon then seasoned with patis Tanza.

MUTYA NG CAVITE - The rich creamy soup is originally from the old 7 Sisters
Restaurant, owned by the Sabater family in Marulas, Kawit. Consisting of mussels,
crab, clams, and shrimps, it shows off the fresh seafood catch available in Cavite. If you
love seafood, then this is something you must really order.

Fried Lawlaw- A Cavite City special. This Crispy deep-fried may have a funny-
sounding name but the tiny fried fish fillet is no joke to make. “It is so hard to fillet that
fish, only one small restaurant in Cavite City has been doing it since the 1800s. Crunchy
like chicaron that’s a bit salty, but perfect with rice and dipped in spicy vinegar.

VALENCIANA – Since no Pinoy meal would be complete without rice, how about a dish
that is a complete meal in itself. Valenciana is a typical dish from General Trias, it is
similar to the Spanish paella with chorizo de Bilbao, chicken and pork but with coconut
milk to give it that creamy taste.

Pancit Kawit/Pancit na May Puso ng Saging. - Pancit Kawit or Pancit Pusit has that
unique dark shade of the noodles from the squid ink. It is topped with squid rings, grated
green mangoes, and scallions, the squid ink gives it that distinct “fresh sea” flavor while
the Pancit na may Puso ng Saging, is a bit on the sour-sweet side. This Caviteñean
pancit uses combination of bihon and miki bihon cooked in achuete with small slices of
pork and thinly sliced green beans, carrots and cabbage. Instead of calamansi as
souring agent, Pancit Puso is served with thinly sliced puso ng saging (banana
blossom) cooked in generous amounts of vinegar. The pickled puso is mixed into the
pancit to achieve alternating bites of salty pancit and chewy, sour-sweet puso.

The Adobong Imus– It may look more menudo than Adobo because it uses atsuete
instead of soy sauce. It is slow-cooked in vinegar, annatto oil, bay leaves, and salt and
pepper. This manner of cooking Adobo has been an old Cavite tradition.

Pancit Malabon. Surprise! Despite popular knowledge this favorite pancit dish actually
originated from General Trias and began back in the day when General Trias was still
called San Francisco De Malabon. Made of glass noodles, shrimps, smoked fish and
eggs mixed with shrimp sauce and topped with chicharon, this version I tried is a bit
more “saucy .”
A popular salted cod fish dish present in every Caviteñean house every Lenten
season most especially on Good Friday. This is one the many dish inherited from the
Portuguese galleon traders that pre-dates Spanish occupation which uses dry salted
labahita as main ingredient. 
LAGUNA
The Philippines is differed significantly in terms of appreciation of their food,
especially with regard to delicacies. Each time they go to a particular place, it’s common
for Filipinos to purchase their popular products. It seems that there are various sweet
delicacies everywhere in the Philippines that have served as a pride, one of which is the
Laguna Province.
Aside from hot spring resorts, grand festivals, tourist destinations, and cultural
heritages, Laguna’s delicacies and food appetizers are also popular. In fact, every
municipality in Laguna has its own unique, distinctly tasteful food

ESPASOL
Espasol is a Filipino rice cake shaped like a
cylinder originating in the Laguna province and
traditionally sold during the Christmas season. It
consists of rice flour, which is cooked in coconut milk
and coconut stripes and is poured into toasting rice
meal.
The towns of Los Baños, Liliw, Nagcarlan,
Alaminos, and Pagsanjan are the best places to buy
Espasol. Espasol prices vary from city to city in Laguna.
They sell this for three packages in Liliw at P100, while you can only buy it in Los Baños
Laguna at P25 per package, which is cheaper than in Liliw but of the same quality. In
Pagsanjan, where you can buy the best Espanol, they didn't use any toasted rice flour
to dust the product. Their Espasol is much more compact and does not taste too dry,
which makes it so delicious. But it is possible to buy around Laguna, especially in
transport terminals

BUKO PIE
Buko Pie is a traditional Filipino coconut
custard cake, often referred to as a coconut pie. It is
recognized in the town of Los Baños in the province
of Laguna. It is similar to a cream pie that is very
popular in Filipinos, and the only difference is Buko
pie is made with young coconut, no creams, and
custard fillings. Buko Pie uses lighter and denser
sweetened milk, and it's filling is made up of coconut
meat. Buko Pie also uses slightly different ingredients, including macapuno tarts, a thick
and sticky special type of coconut.
It is believed that the concept of the buko pie originated from the province of
Laguna. The makers of this delicacy were the Pahud sisters from Los Baños, Laguna.
Originally, buko pie was a delicacy only available in the Philippines, but the blast-
freezing technology gave buko pie-makers the ability to export. Because it is easier to
transport and more accessible worldwide, after visiting the Philippines, people can buy it
as a pasalubong or a home gift. Buko pie before was plain, but today it uses flavors like
pandan, cinnamon, or even with the presence of almonds.
KESONG PUTI
Kesong puti is a Philippine cheese made of
soft and non-aged carabao milk and salt curdled
with vinegar, citrus, or rennet juices. It is also
possible to use goat or cow's milk to make Kesong
Puti. Kesong puti was originated in Sta. Cruz,
Laguna.
To promote this popular product of the Laguna, the
Government of Sta Cruz, Laguna has arranged this
festival. And it also helps to promote the products of
cheesemakers and the different small businesses. It
also taught people who want to venture into the
industry and people who want other income means with such a business to make this
particular white cheese.
Depending on your choices, you can eat Kesong puti with different loaves of
bread. In Laguna, hot pandesal is usually served with Kesong Puti. The flavor is salty,
and its smoothness and shape will remind you of tofu.

URARO
Uraró is a Philippine cookie that is also
known as an araró or arrowroot cookie. The
texture is dry and powdery and is usually in a
floral-shape. They come from South Luzon,
especially in Laguna, Quezon, and
Marinduque provinces.
The traditional processing of uraró is labor-
intensive. The whole thing takes a full day,
beginning with arrowroots harvesting. In a
process called pag-ilod, the roots are caught and then crushed with a stone on a wood
plate. The liquids that are extracted from this process are collected and then
pinapatining, a second process in which the water can be stored until the starch is
removed. The water is poured, and the starchy layer kneaded so that more water is
removed. Starch has finally been dried and tamed with katsa to make the delicacy.
Nevertheless, modern uraró usually comes from flour, sugar, milk, margarine (or
butter) and eggs. In some situations, a tapioca meal or rice meal is even supplemented
by arrowroot flour, leading to inferior cookies. Certain ingredients such as cocoa cream
or maple syrup may also be used to change uraró. The quality of traditional uraró made
with pure arrowroot flour and lard normally lacks in the mouth of both versions.
Bibingka is a kind of Philippine rice cake. It is typically made from galapong, cocoa
butter, margarine, and sugar. Every Christmas, side street vendors offer this tasty rice
cake along with "Puto bumbong" to the local tourist and even foreign tourists.

BIBINGKA
When you visit Laguna, Bibingka is a must-try
delicacy, and the best Bibingka will be found at the
municipality of Pagsanjan. This delicacy can be bought near the town plaza in
Pagsanjan.
Bibingka varies from your standard recipe. It's quick and tasty. No toppings, just
a simple dish. They use a clay pot and banana leaves in cooking Bibingka instead of
using stoves. Underneath the fire, there were hot coals, this traditional way of cooking
Bibingka make it more delicious.

MONAY
In different provinces, you can find various
Monay. However, in Bay, Laguna, you can find their
unique and different Monay. The shell is crooked, but
the inside is smooth. The taste can be enhanced by
adding cheese or butter.

BATANGAS
Whenever Batangas is mentioned, several things
easily come to mind. One is the balisong, the fan
knife that craftsmen have been making for
generations, known for its durability and equated
with the reputed bravery of the Batangueño
males. Another is the barako, coffee from
Liberica beans from the hills of Lipa. The
Batangueño accent with sentences usually
preceded by the trademark “ala ey” is recalled with amusement in other places, and the
Tagalog spoken seems so alien even to Tagalog speakers.
Beyond those immediate-recall images is a province rich in history. A walk through the
streets of Taal takes one to a time of century-old houses, some of them homes of noted
men and women in our nation’s past.
But for those who know food, Batangas is a
great place to source ingredients. Batangas beef is
reputed to be the best, which is why the markets in
Lemery and Padre Garcia are where traders from
Manila buy cattle. That may also explain why the
Batangas bulalo, a soup of cow’s leg, kneecap to
shin bone including the fatty marrow and
gelatinous cartilage, is more well-known than its
counterpart in other provinces such as the lauya of
Ilocos and the pakdol of Leyte and Samar.

Batangas cattle Yet it is not only meat that

gives the province its culinary fame, but also its
fish. The fish dish that is unique to and so is most identified with Batangas is the sinaing
na tulingan. The small tuna, if done the old way, is cooked in a palayok (clay pot). The
tulingan is mashed a bit by pressing the body with rock salt. Several pieces are laid in
the palayok where pork fat and dried kamias (bilimbi) line the bottom to give the dish its
unique flavor. Slow cooking and long simmering make the tulingan bones edible and a
sauce, called patis, is extracted during the cooking. The resulting sinaing is not pretty to
look at, black and mashed with a brown sauce, but it is a most delectable way with fish;
the flavor is subtle despite the amount of salt put in.
The source of fish in Batangas is the Pansipit River, and on the ridge of Tagaytay, one
can see the other two—Balayan Bay for seafood and Taal Lake for the variety of
freshwater catch. The most expensive is maliputo, already rare because big restaurants
in Manila corner these from the source. Occasionally, one finds the maliputo in the
market, but only an expert can tell if the fish is what it is supposed to be and can trust
the vendor, who guarantees that she sells the even rarer maliputo loob, which is what
they call this species of talakitok (jack) caught in Taal Lake.
Talakitok cooked as sinigang (especially the head and the tail) or grilled over burning
coconut shells that give it added aroma, the maliputo (called muslo in the province) has
a milky taste that is enhanced when dipped into another Batangas specialty, the
Balayan bagoong (fish paste), which is dilis (sardine)
fermented almost to the point of being transformed
into patis (fish sauce).
Yet it is not the big and expensive fish that are
the most prized. Visitors to the province will swear by
the small tawilis, which is dried and cooked either grilled
on skewers, or fried. The Batangueño will
take tawilis with hot chocolate or café barako poured
over the rice. The even smaller silver gray dulong are displayed in mounds in the
markets. A handful is either wrapped in banana leaves with kamias and steamed or
made into patties and fried as torta. And while the tilapia can be found anywhere in the
country, the Batangueño will say theirs is the tastiest because it comes from the lake
where there is a right mix of the water and whatever the Taal volcano has spewed in its
eruptions.
A huge pot simmers a stew called goto made of beef innards, together with some
meat and the head, the soup colored orange by achuete seeds (annatto). A slice of
meat is served by the stall owner, who completes the order with a generous ladling of
broth. On the benches sit farmers eating goto in their unique way—biting into the chili,
sipping the soup, taking the meat pieces with the rice. They usually bring the rice from
their own reserve to save on the cost of the meal. It is a good example of Batangas
frugality, and many have observed how even more tightfisted Batangueños are than the
Ilocanos who are reputed to be so. This similarity of character extends to the cuisine of
Batangas and Ilocos. Their food is cooked in the most basic way—boiling, stewing,
grilling—the flavors coming from the right mix of a minimum of spices, never anything
too aromatic and paying little attention to the presentation.
Both regions have a variety of vegetables. As in the Ilocos dinendeng, the
Batangas bulanglang contains whatever vegetable is available. A must is that the
vegetables be boiled together in rice washing and flavored with patis or salt. Sometimes
the vegetable requires that it be boiled alone, or with one other complementary
vegetable like the bulanglang na kibal (short stringbeans). And if the vegetables are
newly harvested as they surely will be in most Batangas homes that grow them in
backyards, there will be the inherent sweetness of fresh ingredients.
Both regions also use animal innards. The stew of goto at the Lemery market is like
the sinanglaw, which is much awaited by patrons in the mornings near the post office of
Vigan. Intestines, heart, spleen, liver, kidney and even the brain are chopped into tiny
strips in the Batangas taghilaw, which is the equivalent of the dish called bopis in the
Central Plains. One version of the Batangas adobo uses heart, liver and kidney.
The tinindag is barbecue of pork liver, heart, spleen and lean meat and the ears, a
favorite fare at the cockpit, eaten by dipping the whole barbecue stick into a deep
container of vinegar.
Taghilaw is the Batangas version of the more popular bopis Batangas differs
from Ilocos cuisine in the use of food coloring. The tinindag, like the goto, is bright
orange because of the achuete. Batangas City adobo is red-orange rather than the
usual brown found in other provinces. In Taal, however, the adobo sa dilaw has a tinge
of yellow because of the turmeric used.But the coloring is not what makes Batangas
cooking attractive. It is how the flavors are preserved, the ingredients of which are
supplied by nature. In Batangas kitchens, cooking is kept at a minimum to highlight
rather than to coat. Vegetables then retain their sweetness. The freshness of the fish
comes through. Meat requires very little spices to enhance its natural flavor. One’s first
impression is that Batangas dishes are unsophisticated. But the more apt description is
that the food is simple and straightforward, coming from the natural bounty of land and
sea.
The welcome sign to Cuenca, Batangas the entrance marker of Cuenca,
Batangas, where it says “Home of the Bakers.” Our guide is a true son of the town,
Lucito Chavez. His family used to have a small bakery, but he decided to open his in
Manila called Tinapayan Festival near the University of Santo Tomas. If you go to many
bakeries today, you will be told, more often than not, that their master baker comes from
Cuenca. The baking skill passes on from father to son or nephew or cousin, not
dependent on culinary diplomas, just apprenticeship.
We could have waited for the tinapay festival, a celebration of the Cuenca’s major
product and a tribute to the people who make them. It is usually scheduled in November
but that has been iffy up till today.
We visited many panaderia (traditional bakeries), some still using the pugon or antique
wood-fed ovens. Familiar breads like monay, kababayan and pan de limon were sold to
buyers who came non-stop, though in trickles, at the time we were there almost at noon.
Most buyers come in force in the early morning for their breakfast pan de sal and in late
afternoon for merienda. Chavez acquainted us with breads we hadn’t known about such
as burdado, a mamon that has an artistic curlicue design on top done with sugar icing.
But my attention was diverted by the food that is still done the traditional way there.
Chavez’s favorite place for lomi is called “Glowing Sunrise.” It doesn’t give you a
hint that this is where you can get perhaps the richest lomi I have ever tasted. It’s
loaded with fat noodles and slices of pork and innards. If you don’t know the recipe but
can discern what went into it, you can guess that lots of starch and beaten egg make for
its thick consistency. You only need a small bowl to get really full. And then you cut the
rich flavors with the bland pan de agua, its partner bread. Maybe that bread got its
name because water, at least good water, should be tasteless. And perhaps the
undulating top can be interpreted as waves. 
The lomi of Cuenca is the richest lomi. it is paired with pan de agua 
A little walk, and we were following our noses to the aroma of barbecue sizzling. At
Inday Ludy’s, the grill is constantly working. But the barbecue, again, is not the teeny-
weeny bits we sometimes buy but cubes of pork. It used to be bigger, said Chavez, so
that these were sliced in the parts that were already cooked. Then the still uncooked
insides were put back into the grill. His eyes smiled at the thought of years ago when
you got more than your money’s worth. The taste is mainly of pork and a bit of
seasoning, no marinade and no basting. It’s the pork that makes this barbecue so good,
Chavez declared. There’s nothing like pork from Cuenca, according to him, and he
would never buy pork anywhere else. He has his vehicles travel there to get pork for his
restaurant, Tinapayan Festival.
Suddenly, Chavez remembered a dish he hadn’t had for a long time. He asked if
Inday Ludy’s cooked sinangaok. It was a strange name. It was broth with chunks of pork
with fat, a bit dark with sitaw (long beans) and labanos (radish). Chavez explained that
the cooking is also called kinamatisan, cooked with tomatoes in the broth, which also
has a bit of pork blood. It has a slightly sour flavor because of the tomatoes, like
the tinola in the Visayas, which usually uses tomato as the souring agent. His mother,
Chavez said, added slices of chayote and okra.
Sinangaok is broth with chunks of pork, long beans and radish
While we took all those in, food and information, we were told that Inday Ludy is Ma.
Salud Atienza, who cooked these food when she started her restaurant in 1981. Her
heirs have continued the business, keeping the food as it must have been since it
opened, well, except that the pork cuts in the barbecue used to be bigger.
But guess what, all those food weren’t supposed to be our lunch, merely tastings. We
were going to another place but we had had too much already. Next visit, Chavez said,
we will go where the cooking uses a lot of pupor, crunchy bits that result from rendering
pork fat.
Pork lard, after all, is used in bakeries to make traditional cookies and pastries
like ensaymada. In Iloilo where several panaderias can be found, those crunchy bits or
chitterlings can also be found and are sold to restaurants. Called tulapo, these are used
as toppings for vegetable dishes, adding flavor and texture. .

RIZAL

Although only two hours away from the hustle and bustle of Metro Manila, you'll
see Rizal as a whole new world where the art, people, nature, and food are all
enchanting. You'll be drawn under the spell of their delicious dishes, all carefully,
thoughtfully crafted with a discerning eye. Fair warning, once you experience the
delights of Rizal, you might be left with the thought: why did it take you so long to
explore this side of the country? 
The under-appreciated province is filled with delicious food finds coupled with a
rich, tapestry of art culture. San Miguel Pure Foods Culinary Services Manager Llena
Tan-Arcegas hails it as, "the next Tagaytay" for good reason. Though worlds away in
every aspect, Rizal is amazingly near Metro Manila. So, if you're looking for a great
province to explore with all your senses, (especially with your sense of taste!) then look
no further.
Rizal is going to be the next Tagaytay, east of Manila.”This is the fearless
forecast of San Miguel Pure Foods culinary services manager Llena Tan-Arcenas.
“Rizal has become a favorite weekend destination for many because of its proximity to
Metro Manila. It’s just about an hour’s drive away. The roads are well paved. There’s no
traffic and congestion. And the weather is nice and cool.”
This we experienced for ourselves recently during the “Rizal Circuit: Food and Art
Tour” organized by the San Miguel Pure Foods Culinary Center (SMPFCC). The two-
day road trip took us to six towns in Rizal province: Cainta, Antipolo, Binangonan,
Angono, Pililla, and Tanay.
Before we dive into the delicious food, there's something you need to know about
Rizal; it's the cradle of Filipino art. In 1965, national artist and Angono resident, Botong
Francisco discovered petroglyphs etched on a rock shelter-art dating back to as early
as 2000 BC. It was his discerning eye, so awake to his surroundings, that saw value in
what everyone else at that time had just seen as mere scratchings. It's that kind of
discerning eye, that careful observance of nature, that made Botong into the artist that
he is. It's that same attitude that's made the dishes we found in Rizal no simple fanfare-
but works of art.
In Rizal, we found that food, just like good art, was a multisensory experience.
When you're eating something, with beautiful sights and sounds of nature and art as the
background-everything just tastes better. Maybe that's where the magic begins.
If you're heading to Antipolo for just one meal, let it be in Balaw Balaw. The moment
you set sight on the imposing three-story aging structure, its juxtaposed roofs, it's lively,
almost unkempt greens, sculptures theatrically splayed about its curb-you know you're
getting an experience.
You've probably even heard of them before as they've long established
themselves as the destination for adventurous foodies. Back in the day, before laws
were put in place to protect the now-endangered animals, they used to
serve bayawak (monitor lizard). They still serve "exotic" food though, such as crisply
fried antik (giant red ants), uok (beetle larvae), frogs, soupy balut (stunted eggs),
and juicy kuhol (snails). What you might see as exotic fare though is actually, for the
locals of Angono, their traditional food. Going beyond the exotic game, there's actually a
lot more you can enjoy from Balaw

Cainta: Bibingka Capital of the Philippines

Cainta is one of the oldest municipalities in

Luzon as well as one of the most urbanized towns
in the province of Rizal. It is also known as “the
bibingka capital of the Philippines.”On one of its
busy streets, Bonifacio Ave., is Aling Kika’s Food
Products store, which is famous for its special
bibingka. Unlike the fluffy and soft rice cakes that
we associate with Simbang Gabi at Christmastime, Aling Kika’s special bibingka is more
like biko or kalamay made with malagkit (sticky rice) and topped with latik. While most
kakanin (rice cakes) feel rather heavy in the tummy, this one actually feels light. It’s
great to get for pasalubong as well.

Antipolo: Pottery & Pork Belly

North of Cainta is Antipolo City. Here, pilgrims go to the shrine of Our Lady of
Peace and Good Voyage at the Antipolo Cathedral.
Another spot worth visiting is the Crescent Moon Café and Studio Pottery on Ascencion
Road in Barangay Dalig. We were pleasantly surprised to find this popular restaurant
still as it was when we first visited it many moons ago, with its equally popular ceramics
studio that supplies hotels, restaurants, resorts and homes with unique stoneware
pieces.
Artist Lanelle Abueva-Fernando — who, together with her late husband, Bey
Fernando, a lawyer by profession, founded the restaurant and ceramic studio in 1997
— graciously gave us an impromptu pottery-making demonstration on her foot-powered
potter’s wheel.
In-house chef Krystle Cayco gave an outdoor cooking demo using San Miguel
Pure Foods products. She used Magnolia chicken breast fillets for the Salted Egg
Chicken tenders, and Monterey Pork Belly for the Grilled Pork Belly with Green Mango
dish. We had both dishes for lunch as well as the Indonesian vegetable salad Gado-
Gado, red rice, and a suman platter. The restaurant serves Southeast Asian dishes.
They are also famous for their Alagaw appetizer made with Alagaw leaves picked fresh
from their garden.
Binangonan: Prehistoric Petroglyphs

In 1965, National Artist for Visual Arts Carlos “Botong” Francisco discovered
what is now known as the Angono-Binangonan Petroglyphs while on a field trip with a
troop of boy scouts. While the actual site is located in Binangonan, it was also named
after Angono, the hometown of Botong Francisco. The 127 human and animal figures
carved on the rock wall dating back to 3000 B.C. is believed to be the oldest work of art
in the Philippines. Not a few would like to think that the thriving community of artists in
these parts can trace their ancestry to those early prehistoric artists.

Angono: Art Capital of the Philippines

Angono is often referred to as the “Art Capital of the Philippines.” The home and
studio of National Artist Botong Francisco on Dona Aurora St. is open to anyone who
might be interested or simply curious about the life and works of the renowned artist.
His grandson who carries his name, Carlos “Totong” Francisco II, gave us an annotated
tour of the studio-cum-museum, and spoke with loving pride about his grandfather, who
greatly influenced a new breed of modernist artists during his time. Totong himself is an
artist favoring an abstract cubist approach in his works. Along Dona Aurora St., on the
concrete walls are paintings of Botong Francisco done by muralist Charlie Anorico.
Angono folk artist Perdigon Vocalan was one of the many local artists influenced by
Botong Francisco. Many of his paintings and wooden sculptures were inspired by native
myths and folklore. In 1982, Vocalan opened Balaw Balaw Restaurant and Art Gallery
on Dona Justa St., which became famous for serving exotic dishes such as sautéed
ants and crickets, as well as traditional Rizal dishes.        
Dinner the night we were there was no less exciting. For starters, we were served
Nilasing na Hipon and Crispy Alamang. The fried itik (duckling) was shredded and
guests can wrap it in pita bread with fresh veggies and condiments that were cleverly
presented in a wooden sungkaan (traditional Filipino board game).
The main event was the Minaluto, chicken adobo using Magnolia 3-way Chicken Gata
served with balaw-balaw, rice mixed with Star Margarine, salted eggs, tomatoes and
steamed okra, all served on banana leaves in a deep wooden bowl and shared “boodle
fight” dining style. Balaw-balaw is a Rizal specialty side dish made of shrimp paste and
fermented red rice called angkak, which gives it its distinct pinkish-purple color.

Pililla: Wind & bamboo farms

The Wind Farm in Pililla with its 27 giant wind turbines standing on sloping hills
towering over Laguna de Bay is fast becoming the newest tourist attraction not far from
Metro Manila.
Less well-known but no less interesting is the 10-hectare bamboo farm in Brgy.
Halayhayin, where the Kawayan Farm Restaurant can be found. “The restaurant came
about quite by accident,” says farm owner Veronica Olitin. They are the main supplier of
the giant bamboo species used for the fish pens in Laguna de Bay. Bamboo is
environment-friendly. They will grow anywhere where grass grows and they require
hardly any maintenance care. 
At the restaurant, we were served fresh labong
(bamboo shoots) lumpia almost the size of a small
plate. The lumpia is cooked fresh upon order, its
wrapper made from scratch using a mixture of
cornstarch, flour, and Magnolia brown egg. For
the filling, the fresh bamboo shoots are boiled
three times, allowed to drip dry, not squeezed so
it remains crunchy, and cooked with Magnolia
Nutri Oil and Magnolia Free Range Chicken. The
cooked labong smells and tastes like corn. “Ubod
ng sarap,” everyone agreed.

Tanay: Gourmet pizzas

Just a few kilometers away from Pililla is Tanay, which is bordered by Laguna de
Bay in the south and Antipolo City in the northwest. It contains portions of the Sierra
Madre mountains.
Tucked somewhere in its interior is a charming garden restaurant named Lutong Pugon
Tiongco’s Garden, which serves gourmet pizzas cooked in an ipil wood-fired stone oven
built by the owner himself, artist Jun Tiongco. The pugon was originally intended to
bake Jun’s pottery, but the gourmet pizzas that his wife Aya made proved to be more
profitable. They gained popularity through posts on Facebook by satisfied customers
who liked taking selfies in the Instagram-friendly restaurant.
During our visit, we were able to sample two of their bestsellers: Gambaretto Pizza
made of prawns, olives, pesto, basil and Purefoods Chicken in Brine; and Pepperoni
Pizza with Purefoods Pulled Pork BBQ and Primo d’Italia Pepperoni. The  Beefy Penne
Pasta made with Monterey ground beef was also good.

QUEZON

Home to the Philippines' most colorful festivals, Quezon not only boasts a wide
array of religious festivities, it also holds a cornucopia of food that could satisfy the
mouths of thousands and tastes of foodies all over the world.

Specialty Foods of Lucban Quezon

Food is an essential element of the tourist experience. Yet it is such an integral
part of the experience that it is only recent years that has become a subject of study in
its own right. Food, just like tourism, was many years a fringe academic discipline, and
was frowned upon as a research by student of more serious disciplines.

Pansit Habhab - Lucban has its own version of pansit. It is made of noodle and placed
on banana leaf and served without utensils. The experience is eating it straight from the
banana leaves
Langgonisang Lucban - is a famous native delicacy in Lucban, Quezon. It is a sour-y
and garlicky. This langgonisa is quite similar to the Vigan longganisa and chorizo de
bilbao, the famous garlic sausage from Spain. It has stronger garlic flavor and a bit
more sour compared to other longganisa recipes. Best eaten as a viand for garlic rice
and fried egg and dipped in vinegar.
Cassava Cake or Budin - is one of the most popular and enjoyed delicacies or Kakanin.
It is made of grated cassava (Kamoteng Kahoy) mixed with coconut milk, eggs, butter
and topped with a creamy milk mixture.
Sinukmani - is a native rice cake and a favorite snack of many Filipinos. It is made of
malagkit or glutinous rice, gata or coconut cream and sugar (brown sugar is traditionally
used). It is topped with caramelized latik to enhance the flavor. It is usually served
during family gatherings. Sinukmani is called Biko in the northern region of the
Philippines
Espasol - is a cylinder-shaped Filipino rice cake. It is made from rice flour cooked in
coconut milk and sweetened coconut strips, dusted with toasted rice flour.
Tikoy - is a dessert made out of steamed glutinous rice
. Broas - or toasted lady fingers, is crunchy bread yet so puffy that it melts inside the
mouth. It is slender, fingered-shaped biscuit (hence the named “lady fingers”) which
originally baked for Spaniards friars and government officials.
Apas - or thin biscuits, are wafers with hint of sweetness. A favorite take-home goodie,
comple-4 mented with hot beverages.
Uraro - or arrowroot cookies, is an easily digested starch extracted from the roots of the
arrowroot plant locally known as uraro.
Puto Seko - is a dry and crispy rice cracker baked sweet Filipino snack. The powdery
Puto Seko was able to capture the delectable taste of the genuine puto seko cracker,
which originated in Lucban. Its bite size proportion makes it easy to swallow. Puto seko
is only one of the Filipino rice-based delicacies.
Sinangtomas - a spicy stew of slow cooked pork ribs in tomato sauce and chilies.
Kinulog - pork and carabao beef that has been cooked in cane vinegar, onions,
peppercorns, pimenton powder, and simmered in stock for hours until the acidity is gone
and the meat is tender. The meat keeps for months. It is eaten with a sawsawan or
dipping sauce of vinegar, onions, and calamansi.
Hardinera / Jardinera – looks like embotido or meatloaf but it is steamed in a lanera
(oval pan). It contains pork cubes stewed in tomato sauce, sausage chunks, pineapples,
bell peppers, raisins (optional), and eggs.
Kiping – the décor made from rice flour thus can be eaten. The locals usually grilled it
with margarine and sugar. It can also be fried like kropek. Kiping is made up of colored
rice flour batter. It is then molded into kabal leaves and then steamed. Then the rice
wafers are hanged to dry and pealed off the leaves.
Pako salad - is made from fiddlehead fern, which has a flavor similar to watercress but
not as peppery.