Sunday, July 29, 2012

What is Kapampangan Cuisine?

If you want to know more about the real Kapampangan cuisine, visit the Museo ning Angeles' Culinarium
 
The Culinarium at the Museo ning Angeles displays photos of Kapampangan cuisine. During Kapampangan tours, cooking demos are presented and the tasty Pampango dishes and snacks - tibok-tibok, tarts, halo-halo - are served to the guests. 
Sisig" means "to snack on something sour." Do you know that the original sisig is actually made from vegetables?  The present sisig actually originated at Angeles City when the Americans were occupying Clarkfield Airbase. Aling Lucing is known to have started the popular sisig with oxbrain. The sisig is now a popular appetizer for beer drinkers.  Variations of the sisig have evolved - with mayonaise (yaks), with chicharon, lechon, bangus, chicken etc. - but no recipe can match the original Pampango sisig.
We tasted the Aling Lucing's sisig at the Nepo Mall. Half order is P75.00.


Various regions have their own version of the sinigang.
In Pampanga, we call it "Bulanglang."

"Buru", "Balobalo" or fermented rice is a partner for the crispy or grilled hito or tilapia and vegies like the mustasa, okra and eggplant. The crispy chicharon also taste good when dipped in buru.
Frogs are usually harvested from the rice fields. Want to taste a frog? In Pampanga, the frog is a delicacy. Frogs are clean and taste like chicken.

Batute or Frog Cuisine - it can be stuffed or simply fried or grilled! I dare you to try this and you will crave for more.

Mole crikets or "kamaru" feed on the roots of the rice plant. Adobong kamru is one Pampango exotic dish. When you eat this dish, you will taste the sour flavor and feel the crunch as you bite the crickets. YUMMY!

Saturday, July 28, 2012

Julia visits "Museo ning Angeles"

Julia infront of the Museum of  Angeles City, Pampanga - July 28, 2012
Old photos of Angeles City

Sketches of Costumes of Filipino Soldiers

The diorama displays very detailed designs of dolls
with the costumes created by Patis Tesoro
A Filipino Wedding diorama

Tita Dina tells Julia about the diorama.

Harvesting palay diorama

A "kusina" or traditional kitchen diorama
Harvesting sugarcane diorama
The Church as seen from the museum

Tita Dina and Julia

Traidtional cooking tools at the Culinarium of the museum
Tita Dina organizes Cultural and Culinary Tours of the Province of Pampanga. A visit to the Museo ng Angeles is one of the highlights. If interested to join a Kapampangan tour, email: dina_maglalang@yahoo.com.

Sunday, July 22, 2012

Amazing Lola Cons at Work!


Photo of a Day Lily by Elsie Crawford
I am a big fan of Lola Cons! And I am really impressed by her beautiful paintings especially the flowers. One time I sent her a sunflower photo and she easily painted the photo and gave the painting to me. View the sunflower painting.

My friend who lives in the US usually posts photos of her flowers in her garden at FB. I download them and send them to Lola Cons for her painting hobby. This time I downloaded a photo of a "day lily" from Elsie's photos. Elsie says that she will buy Lola's painting when she finishes the project. Here is Lola busy painting the day lily flower. Amazing Lola at 89+ yrs old!

Lola Cons applies her pastel with precision

Magic strokes by Lola Cons
The final painting of "The DayLilies" by Lola Cons

Friday, July 20, 2012

Wooden Spoon

Wooden Spoon is a new and cozy restaurant which is located at Katipunan Ave. infront of Miriam College and Ateneo De Manila University. The place is owned and managed by Chef Sandy Daza from a family known for their cooking - remember the TV shows, "Cooking with Nora Daza" and then "Cooking with Sandy Daza" - these shows were one of the pioneering cooking shows which we watched before the many cooking and chef shows in cable TV. Intrigued by what Sandy is cooking for Wooden Spoon, we tried the resto for lunch.

We ordered Lumpiang Sotanghon, Stuffed Pechay and Shrimp Pampango.
Lumpiang Sotanghon (3 pcs @ P95.00)
The lumpia is an imitation of the Vientamese lumpia. Good but oily.

Stuffed Pechay (P195.00)
The stuffed petchay was tasty, a little spicy but has a unique taste. Will order this again when we return.
Shrimp Pampango (P225.00)
The shrimp pampango is their version of nilasing na hipon. What makes it different is the dip made from taba ng talangka.

The resto occupies two floors with a seating capacity of about 40. Parking may be difficult so we suggest you park nearby or inside Ateneo and walk.

Photos by Apple