The Philippines was our first stop, and we ate plenty while we were there.
As an introduction, it may be helpful to know that while style and techniques may vary—seafood, chicken, pork, garlic, onion, citrus, vinegar, and tomatoes comprise the general ingredients native to the dishes. Filipinos like to mix sour, sweet, salty and spicy, and the results, in my opinion, are very tasty! There is always plenty of rice on the table, (no escaping the carbs) and tropical fruits like mangoes, guavas, and bananas are never far behind.
From my birth city of San Pablo in Laguna, my great-Aunt Auring spoiled us with her delicious home-cooking, dishes like lechon (roasted pig), adobo (chicken or pork in soy sauce, garlic and vinegar), crispy lumpia (filipino eggrolls), and pansit (glass noodles with chicken or pork) just to name a few.
Taste of the North: Spicy and tangy, yum.
We traveled north to Ilocos and as with any country that has a varied geography, each region has their specialties. We were told that we had to sample the special Empanadas that is considered a delicacy in the town of Vigan because they are unlike any other empanadas available anywhere else in the country. We found the northern region dishes to lean more towards spicy & garlicky, which we liked a lot. Even their longanisa (sausages) had a more distinct look and taste; they were small and chubby with more garlic than the other larger and slightly sweeter ones we had tried. All meals in the north were served with spiced, local vinegar. Delicious stuff!
Varied Longanisa from the Philippines
Fruits and more fruits!
Abraham next to a huge langka (jackfruit)
The sweet stuff
And of course, a visit to the Philippines would not be complete without having fresh coconut juice!
Fresh coconut juice, Philippines
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