If eating dishes from heirloom recipes handed down from generations and then meticulously prepared sans the shortcuts and cutting corners is your thing, then The New Town Kitchen in Carigara, Leyte will certainly float your boat.
Pastillas
As far as I can remember, as a child any trip to Tacloban would only mean one thing – PASTILLAS! This pastillas isn’t your run-off-the-mill kind. Unlike most pastillas, this pastillas is made of carabao’s milk instead of cow’s milk and requires intensive cooking and much attention which pales in comparison to the no-cook pastillas de leche.
Labtingaw!
Eversince Typhoon Yolanda ravaged and destroyed our beach house in Cambalading, Albuera, Leyte and was restored to it’a former glory almost a year after, I always spend my Sundays there. We would come late in the afternoon, go to the mercado at Albuera town proper. Albuera is quite a sleepy coastal town mostly comprised of fishing villages like Brgy. Balugo.
Hinok
Since I was a kid this kind of fish is often found in our dining table especially during Sundays in the form of inun-unan or paksiw – I guess that is the only way to cook this kind of fish. It was only in recent years that I actually appreciated, enjoyed and learned more about this kind of fish which is known in the dialect as hinok or baby ulisi (another favorite fish that I want to eat grilled.)
Best kept secret
Joel came by house so early in the morning since it’s the 1st Tuesday of the month hence we will have our regular.barangay session in the afternoon. Light-sleeper that I am I suddenly noticed his presence in my room – and as usual we had a little chit-chat until we realized we’re famished and like a small secret that we keep, we automatically knew were to eat.
Traffic!
Ormoc’s traffic is starting to gain notoriety; everyday it just.keeps on getting more congested. I do not believe in the notion that traffic is sign of a good economy. I hope the local govt. will address this situation before it goes out of control. Yesterday, I was stuck at the bridge along Osmeña St. f
or almost 30 minutes – that’s like forever for us Ormocanons. From my vantage point I can see that the traffic from the two other bridges (Alegria and Cogon) are at a standstill for minutes on end. I could blame the inummerable tricycle and single motorcycles who are mostly in a hurry and so forget or refuse to follow and abide traffic rules and basic road courtesy.
i’m back!
I was cleaning my email inbox checking old emails from as far back as 2008. I chanced upon an email back in 2011 in an attempt to gain access to this blog…I guess it was unsuccesful back in 2011. A few clicks here and there and a new password and voila! I’m back! So expect some more food adventures, and anything and everything about this quaint little city that I just love – 3 years after my last entry.
The Great Aquilino & Gregoria Manansala Reunion. 2nd Edition
The Great Aquilino & Gregoria Manansala Clan Reunion. May 21, 2011, Magandang Gensan
Organized under the National Land Settlement Administration (NLSA) of the Commonwealth Government headed by President Manuel L. Quezon, General Paulino Santos led the relocation of 62 Christian settlers from Luzon to the shores of Sarangani Bay aboard the steam ship “Basilan” of Compania Maritima on February 27, 1939.
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Hello Again! Hello Gensan!
And so I decided to activate this blog. Again!
I just got home from General Santos City. I went there to attend the Aquilino & Gregoria Manansala Grand Reunion,it was the second reunion after 7 long years. It was such a big hit, despite the really hot and humid weather. Goodbye 10 boxes worth of Glutathion IV LOL!So, yes we had a great time in Magandang Gensan. It was just myself, dad, Arianne and her son Kirk plus the yaya. That was the first time we went there sans mother dear (she’s the one from Gensan). Suffice it so say – the stay was short but sweet! We had to squeeze in a lot of invitations from lots of relatives.
Safe touchdown in General Santos City! Of course, I was stepping on my imaginary brakes! hahaha
Hello Magandang Gensan! It's nice to be back...
More Cooking
My Aunt Baby left us a few days ago. She was battling lung cancer. I know she is in a better place now…free from pain and health difficulties…
View her online obituary here
She died in New Jersey, USA. So we are still waiting for her remains to arrive in Ormoc. So before the regular novena, which were putting on hold until she arrives, we are holding praying of the rosary every night…friends and relatives come to the house to participate…and as tradition, we serve food after the prayer…so, I’m always tasked to prepare for the night snacks…my own way of saying thanks my Tita Baby.
i ken cook 