Quezon Gastronomy

This time around let’s not just satisfy our eyes but also our tummy! Here in Quezon, you won’t starve. In fact, you need to save space in your stomach for foods from town to town. The real FOOD TRIP!!! This is not stress eating, only feeding our appetite and cravings. Quezon, without a doubt, will meet our taste of satisfaction and will go back for more. Eat now and diet later. Or on the hand, a you might ask yourself “Did I Eat That?” (DIET)

For our first stop, it’s the beautiful town of Lucban. Known for the colorful Pahiyas Festival and its cold climate but also the mouthwatering foods and delicacies the town has to offer for its tourists or should I say for everybody?

Hungry already? Then let’s try Pansit Lucban or also called Pansit Habhab. This noodle dish is best served on a piece of banana leaf and is eaten without using a fork. How? You think it’s messy? Just imagine how you eat a burger; with just your mouth. As what the locals say “Habhabin mo”. That’s why this is so-called “Pansit Habhab”. Don’t eat the banana leaf though! J  

And you know what; it’s even tastier by putting flavored vinegar. Try it and you will “habhab” more, LOLS

 

Don’t get yourself full too much because we have just started on our food trip. Do you have a sweet tooth? I get you covered. Sweet delicacy best for pasalubong for the kids, it’s meringue and oh be careful how you pronounce it, some people are quite particular on the pronunciation. Grammar Nazi! Ugh. LOLS It’s me·ringue  \ mə-ˈraŋ \ J Just google it though. Hehe.

Are you a meat lover like me? Buy a dozen or two of these Lucban Longganisa. It can easily be spotted in the whole town because it is commonly displayed almost all stores and even houses. You can also use your sense of smell because it is very distinguished and very aromatic thanks to garlic as one of its unique and main ingredients.

As what our mothers say, breakfast is the most important meal of the day so I recommend this for our breakfast tomorrow. Best eaten together with fried rice and sunny side up egg alongside with atchara or just dipped in vinegar for added taste, this combo meal is popularly known as LongSiLog.

Our next destination is the City of Tayabas. Let’s go to the one-stop strEAT at Calle Budin. The famous pasalubong street of Tayabas. Named after the iconic delicacy of Tayabas, Calle Budin sells budin in every single stall. This is an alley of storehouses offering various and best selling homemade delicacies. Sweet or not; hard or soft. Choose among them and kapag marami ka nabili, makipagtawaran ka na lang, hehe. J

Budin or Cassave Cake. Chilled or hot it’s still masarap! And oh, best choose the ones with dark tops because it melted cheese. Burn Cheesy People! HAHAHA

  

I have two hands, the left and the right and either of the two carries a can of Broas or Lady Fingers. When I was a kid, I used to eat broas for my merienda. And honestly, I liked it when I dipped it in orange juice. LOLS. Try it and you will likely love it too.

And if you find graham crackers quite boring try to replace with broas in making Ref Cake especially Christmas Season. Another new taste and a very good experiment.

And dare not to forget the very famed Yema Cake. Nothing beats the original, the Rodilla’s Yema Cake. Now offering different flavors like ube, caramel, and chocolate. Eat a slice and you will crave for more. Support local and buy our own. So sensational to the palate it will erase your mood swings. Yummy!

Kinda thirsty? Try Quezon’s best lambanog or coconut vodka. This distilled coconut spirit is world class. Well, in fact, this is export quality! A trivia I would like to share with you, Quezon Province is the country’s largest producer of coconut products. In line with this is the lambanog with the new trend offering different flavors that comes in different colors. Just.party all night long. Party until morning! Cheers Lambanog! Kampai! Tagay! Drink responsibly though

  Of course di pahuhuli, Lucena City. Haven’t had enough of pansit? This is it pansit! Chami!!! Original or tamis-anghang just don’t forget to put calamansi. Don’t mind the carbs, Chami can also be your ulam with rice. Try it!

A new trend that arises from local restaurants in Lucena City – ChamSig. Obviously Chami plus Sisig. A must try not just for merienda but also for pulutan hehe. Eat and savor and satisfy your taste buds.

And for the “One Town, One Product” (OTOP) of the city is the tinapa or the smoked fish.

This also has a very distinctive smell that you gonna love. Best eaten ng naka-kamay J with everyone’s favorite sawsawan – garlic with vinegar. The very Filipino way.

Last but definitely not the least is town of Sariaya, the best pasalubong would be “Pinagong”. Made from carabao’s milk and/or coconut milk that’s why it is very tasty. If you noticed it is shaped like a turtle or pagong in Filipino from which the name of the bread was derived because of its resemblance. The bread is crunchy on the outside, soft on the inside. A turtle's shell is hard. Inside the shell, the turtle's flesh is soft. If that’s so, “pag binato ka ng bato, batuhin mo ng Pinagong” nakaganti kana, nabusog pa sya. At masarap pa. LOLS.   

And you know what, see that extra and notable part of the bread? It’s called “utong” HAHAHA. As what the locals say, Taga-Sariaya ka kapag ang tawag mo sa tinapay na may utong ay pinagong” LOLS J

And oh, this is best partnered with coffee.

All these foods and pasalubongs are best-brought home to your loved ones residing in Lumina Sariaya. Home Sweet Home, or should I say even sweeter because of the delicacies we’ve bought from different towns. Could you imagine your home placed in such province with neighboring towns that will always satisfy your cravings and a tummy that won’t go hungry J