As part of my Bisita Kapamilya (Love Ones Visiting) this April that all started in Pangasinan last week, I was back to visit another good Granny here in Tarlac on the second week—it's my Lola Peggy. I have stayed with her for two days which I think it's never enough.
Though nothing much to do here, I got the chance to enjoy the fresh cooked, all-Filipino food.
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| Dinengdeng - an Ilocano cuisine. The dish contains a variety of vegetables with fish or other meat. Commonly savored with bagoong to create a distinctive flavorful taste. |
Have you ever wonder where did we get these fresh ingredients?
Sta. Ignacia Central Market
It all started here—at the Sta. Ignacia Central Market.
Usually, when we think of marketplaces, there is just one thing that comes to our mind. You might think its crowded, stinky, sticky or maybe dirty and I could have might agree.
But upon seeing this public market here in Tarlac, I started to see it in a different perspective. For me this is a place not just simply built for buying and selling goods but this setting most of the time displays the richness of this little town on agriculture and economy. It's a place where local food, vegetables and commodities meet and being showcased in a unique presentation. It's a small community of vendors that present their own barangay's unique, exotic and rare products that usually surprise any market goer.
Some of the vegetables here are organically grown at the vendor's own backyards but some of them are commercially grown in big farms too.
Would you believe that a kilo of tomatoes here just costs as cheap as Php 8? While in Manila, only four medium size tomatoes is my Php 8 can only buy!
There's also one thing here that made me crave instantly for something sweet. There is a small stall at one of the corners of this market that sells the yummiest Latik (rice cake cooked with coconut milk and sugar) in town. I bought a serving and the next day, Lola and I came back to buy more simply because I just can't get enough of its chunky, sweet, milky taste!
If you really want more mouth-watering Ilocano rice delicacy, Patupat is a must-try! Inside of this weaved pouch made of palm leaves is malagkit (sticky rice) cooked and soaked in boiling sugar cane syrup.
The food in the province sometimes the reason why I want to stay here longer. I might not experience the luxury of the city life Manila can give, but the food around here is amazingly enticing, unique and cheap. I just don't have much time to stay here since I work in Manila. But if given a chance to come back during a weekend, I won't hesitate to grab that chance.
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