With the heat and humidity on full blast, you could always use a drink to cool off. A nearby vendor that specializes in Cantaloupe Juice and Sago’t Gulaman was just the answer to the heat.

The Melon is sweet. Strips of the cantaloupe meat float around your cup, so you get some with each sip you take. If you finish all of the juice, the cantaloupe strips are layered right in the bottom of your cup, all ready to be snacked on.

Sago’t Gulaman is a mix of sago and agar agar in a sugary caramelized liquid. This dark colored refreshment is sweet to the taste and filling with all of the sago and gelatin like cubes.

Right next to the beverage cart was a fish ball vendor. Fish meat that has been pressed and shaped into small balls are fried here. Other freshly fried goodies from chicken balls, squid balls, and tofu were available. Take your skewer and poke at what you want. Dipping sauces are there for your picking. Some sweet and spicy, while others are tarter like a vinaigrette.

Of course this is only a small sample of what street food is available. Just about every corner you turn, you are sure to find something else to snack on.

No related posts.

Neneng’s Buko Pie Shop was located by itself with a small crowd outside. We made a quick stop and picked up two pies to try out.

Inside each buttery slice of buko pie was plenty of thick cuts of coconut meat, tucked inside a flaky crust. If Neneng’s buko pie was this good, I could only imagine how delicious the other buko pies taste.

No related posts.

This sizzling platter of pork bits is a classic Filipino appetizer or pulutan. You may have seen the episode of No Reservation’s Philippines where Anthony Bourdain made a visit to Aling Lucing’s restaurant. While out on my adventures in the Philippines, I made sure that I was going to stop by Angeles City in Pampanga to try Aling Lucing’s sisig. Aling Lucing is crowned the original sisig queen of the Philippines for inventing the dish. Sisig usually is made by combining pork meat, pig ears, liver, onions, chili peppers, vinegar, and soy sauce. All of the ingredients are served on a hot platter. Hence the name sizzling sisig.

Just writing about this reminds me about the first time I tried sisig. At first I wasn’t aware of what components made sisig. All I knew is that it tasted good. When a cousin told me it was made out of parts of a pig’s head, I didn’t even flinch. Being thirteen and having someone break the news to you like that about one of your favorite foods, can be quite the surprise. By then I reached the point where my young mentality told me, it’s all about flavor, not what it’s made out of. There are so many foods out there that taste delicious, but are made from things that we think are unusual.

I’ve had sisig from many places, but Aling Lucing’s sisig has to be the best sisig I’ve tried. You are getting plenty of pork meat with lots of fatty pieces of pork face and onions to go along. One of the best things about sisig is hearing the sizzling and crackling sounds it emits from the hot platter. There was plenty of that going on here. It’s enough to get your mouth to water.

The flavor combination that Aling Lucing uses for her sisig gives just a bit of sweetness to this savory dish. Having the crunchy and soft textures of the pork, mixed with its robust flavors was very addicting. Our first trip here was so good that we returned back for a second time.

You don’t even have to travel to the Philippines to sample this popular dish. Most Filipino restaurants in your neighborhood will have it on their menus.

No related posts.

You can eat the fruit plain, but I like making a quick refreshment out of it. Just take the flesh from the apple and mix it with ice, milk, and sugar. Simple!

No related posts.

Rose shared her stories of oyster feasts that they had when she visited the Philippines. It makes me want to experience it first hand. How could you say no to these…

Just give me some lemons and Tabasco sauce and I’m ready to chow down.

No related posts.

Those who want to harvest their own salt can purchase plots land. My Mom was able to buy a plot of land in Pulupandan, where the salt we photographed is from.

When the ocean is at high tide, salt water travels down a canal into ponds. You bring a pale to the pond and gather up sea water to bring back to your plot of land where you pour it over a layer of plastic tarp. Once you let the sun evaporate the water, you are left with beautiful white sea salt.

No related posts.

Butterscotches are mini cakes topped with small chunks of peanuts sealed in colorful plastic wrap. Every province in the Philippines has their own twist to Butterscotch. The ones that I sampled were from Bacolod.

This is only one of the few updates we have featuring food from the Philippines. With Rose back from her trip, there is so much we want to share.

No related posts.

Take some shrimp and turn it into…

Tamarind Soup with Shrimp or Sinigang na Hipon, in Tagalog. This soup combines the sour and tangy flavors of tamarind with the sweetness of shrimp. Throw in some spinach and radish for the vegetables. After that, add in some spiciness with jalapeño peppers. Prepare your taste buds for an assortment of flavors.

No related posts.

No related posts.

The festival will be held in the Yerba Buena Gardens. Take this opportunity to experience the Filipino culture. There will be plenty of food, music, art, and dancing. This event is free. For more information, visit the official Pistahan website: Pistahan Official Website.

No related posts.