Last weekend, our neighbor Charo traveled to Baguio City for a day trip. Through Facebook, we were able to exchange messages, and my sister sent a message sweetly asking for strawberries as pasalubong (take home presents). Yesterday, they called on us and handed us a few strawberries, which I quickly photographed:
There were more strawberries actually, I just chose this bunch for this picture. These were my sister's, but before I handed it to her, I ate one of the strawberries and it was so delicious! Strawberries from that part of the country really taste best during this time.
I quickly posted that particular strawberry picture in my Facebook wall (my way of saying "Thank You"), and a few minutes after Charo commented on the picture, she sent over another pasalubong - the sundot kulangot. Kulangot in English meant "booger," and as unhygienic as the name was, it actually tasted nice. Well, they probably named this food like that because the food was enclosed in small fruit shells and one has to use the pointer finger to get it, much like picking your own nose. I had fun taking pictures of this regional food, and I had more fun eating it.
Now for my Top Ten.
Well, Tuesdays here in my blog is food blahbbies, where I basically write about any food topics, and since I am joining Top Ten Tuesdays, I decided that my top ten would be related to the topic and / or picture(s) I posted.
My Top 10 Baguio - Related Foods (in random order):
- Strawberries. This is the only place in the Philippines I know that grows this fruit, and when one speaks of Baguio (or La Trinidad), one would always speak of this fruit.
- Fresh Vegetables. Since this is the coolest place in the country, the place had so many vegetables to offer. Among the veggies I love include broccoli, oyster mushrooms, and chayote tops.
- Oh My Gulay! While in the subject of Baguio vegetables, Oh My Gulay! (Oh My Vegetables!) is not only a place to enjoy some nice snacks, it's also a sanctuary for art lovers.
- Lengua de Gato. Sweet cookies that remind me of childhood.
- Strawberry Taho. Taho is soft soybean pudding, and normally it is served with caramel and tapioca pearls. Here in Baguio, taho is served with fresh strawberries and strawberry syrup.
- Macaroni-Shaped Chicharon. I wasn't able to take a picture of this one, but it's a type of junk food sold by ambulant vendors that is shaped like elbow macaroni. Whenever I am in Burnham Park, I'd always hope I'd see a vendor selling this so I can buy at least one serving.
- Arharn Thai Kitchen. Located along Leonard Wood Rd., this is where I got to taste my first Thai food and I fell in love with it.
- Peanut Brittle. Another well known Baguio food product. There are so many choices (the cheapest would have to be crushed peanuts mixed with caramel), but my favorite is the one made by Baguio Paradise, because the not only are the peanuts whole, they also use honey.
- Good Shepherd Ube Jam. If you buy a bottle of Ube Jam (even if it is labeled "Good Shepherd") at the pasalubong shops, chances are it would be stale when you reach home. If you want to be sure you get the freshest jam (Ube by the way is purple yam), one must purchase it directly from the Good Shepherd Convent.
- Sunshine Bakery. I do my own trips in Baguio, but at times I would be with my Aunt Julie and some cousins. If I would be with them, one thing we always do was to buy some bread at this bakery before we take the bus home (home in this case would be our house in La Union, just two hours or so away) so we would be able to have some snacks while on the road. My favorite was the ensaymada.
It was just last March that I traveled to Baguio, and doing this post made me miss the city. I know people would tell Baguio has seen better days, that it wasn't as pretty as it was before, but even if it's "infested" with so many local and foreign tourists, not to mention students from other places studying in Baguio, I still get excited to travel there. Hopefully before 2011 ends, I could have the chance to travel there again.
*** Jenn ***
I come from a family who loves cooking and eating. I never had any formal training in cooking and that I taught myself how to cook based on the handed down recipes, but I could say that I can cook good food. In 2008, I started documenting my food trips for my