Ilocos Road Trip: A Gastronomic Adventure

Traveling up north became a food trip  for me. Although I am from the north, I am really not the type to put twist on recipes. I also do not offer my kind of food to people around me because I know that they find it weird that I am eating such. But all these changed when my sisters-in-law decided to have a road trip up north.

kare-kareng bagnet

sinigang na bagnet

pinakbet

 When we say food, we think of  certain province's delicacy. Say Bicol express, Bacolod inasal, Ilocos bagnet and so on. Since we were in Ilocos, we had to try the famous bagnet and pinakbet. We had our first lunch at Tummytalk in Vigan and we had pinakbet, kare-kareng bagnet and sinigang na bagnet.  The food was great. I have been craving for authentic Ilocano food for so long and there it was, putting an end to my cravings.

pinakbet na sili

Dinner time was also a surprise because I did not expect a restaurant to serve something I never dared share to my peers before. They thought it was weird back then. Cafe Leona, also situated in Vigan served pinakbet na sili. This time I urged my sisters-in-law to try it because it is really not hot. They did. I believe they enjoyed it.

pinakbet pizza

crunchy dinuguan

We also tried the famous pinakbet pizza of Herencia Cafe. They also have fish sinigang (you get to choose from different fish variety) and crunchy dinuguan.

My favorite was the pinakbet pizza and I believe I had three slices... This is aside from having rice, dinuguan and sinigang.I have to admit that I was never that full my whole life. :)

I enjoyed our trip because of the sites--old churches and all and of course, THE FOOD!

Visiting Ilocos

My last visit to Ilocos, if I am not mistaken was almost 2 decades ago. It was a relatives wedding.

I can vaguely remember how everybody looks like so when my sister-in-law decided to have a road trip to Ilocos, I thought, it is time to visit my relatives and show my companions where I once used to play.

Everybody was so welcoming. Lolo Lario, Lola Imay, Lola Julia and Inang Maria (my father's mother) were there. My Mama and Papa were there too. They traveled all the way from Cagayan Valley to join us. My father's cousins gladly welcomed us even if they do not know my companion. They prepared dinner for us. They cooked calderetang kambing (goat), papaitan and kilawin (kambing). I was not able to take a picture because we were so busy eating.

We spent the night at Lola Laring's house. She was so warm and even stayed up late just to have a chat with us. I can still remember her old house. It was made of wood. But it's all different now. Her house is now modern. It's huge and was built with modern materials.

I was telling my sister-in-law how they "cook" tobacco using a pugon made of soil and hay and we were lucky enough to see one in Napo Magsingal, Ilocos Sur. We took pictures of it.

Pugon

Tobacco inside the pugon

We also saw bamboo bridges. I used to cross this kind of bridge when I was young. We use to roam around not minding even if it is 12 noon and the sun is burning.

Now it is my daughter's turn. She was scared of course but at least she experienced crossing such bridge and she can share stories about the bridge and her whole experience in Ilocos.

Fashion Station

I finally decided to leave my job and start a business. It was a hard decision but I have to make it. My kids are growing fast and I feel guilty for not having enough time for them. I know that having a business is not easy and it still requires time but at least I have more time for my kids and I get to do what I want.

My partner and I started last year. We sell fashionable clothes, bags and footwear. We joined bazaars and set up on online shopping facebook account. Our items are a mix of imported and local goods.

Just like other businesses, we experienced growing pains but I can say that it was all worth it and I am proud to say that we were able to buy things for our bazaar and we bought it using our profit.

Another Blessing

I haven't been blogging for quite a while but hey, I'm back.

I remember feeling so weak and tired a few months back. I can't find any possible reason why. My routine has been the same an I can't think of an issue that would make me feel stressed. I was not getting better as the days go by. I felt worst everyday. I was skipping work 4 days in one week and it was not a good sign.

One suggested that I undergo pregnancy test since I was also experiencing nausea and vomiting. I did. That ultimately gave me the answer. I'm carrying my third! It was not planned but this is not to say that I don't like it. In fact, I'm happy that my family is growing.

I visited my OB-Gyne after...

Wish List

I know it's just October but I am already getting ready with my Christmas Gift List. Every year I find it harder to find gifts. Kids grow so fast that you worry whether their going to like your gift or not. They do not like toys anymore. It is a challenge for me and I welcome it.

My Hubby is not like me. He would probably suggest buying shirts for male teens and blouses for female teens to make shopping easier. I like surprises. I hope I can do a better job hunting for gifts this year than last year. As for my hubby, driving to where I want to go and carrying my shopping bag will be his contribution. Sounds fair to me.