Errands to the north!

    T he Ilocos region is composed of 4 provinces, Pangasinan, Ilocos norte, Ilocos sur and La union. It is also known as Lupang Ilocos.  Majority of the population speaks Ilocano, the third largest spoken language in the Philippines, although a significant number also speak Pangasinense.        T he region has a coast and sloping extents that are prone to typhoon in wet months, however devastatingly hot during the dry season. This is the setting of illocano food. It's salty because of the closeness to the ocean. there is even a whole territory named after asin (salt) in Pangasinan. Fish is preserved by drying, and of course, reduced into a paste or sauce by fermentation

  In the Halo Halo de Iloko restaurant of San Fernando, you can taste one of the best halo halos in the country. What makes this halo-halo so delicious is the mix of local ingredients. These include Saging from Agoo, Ube San Gabriel, pastillas made from carabao’s milk, and creamy homemade ice cream.

  Pigar-pigar is thin beef slices sauteed in onions and cabbage. It is a popular pulutan in Dagupan City, Pangasinan. It is also commonly served on top of hot rice. Because of its light seasoning, it is usually served with a dipping sauce of fresh chili, calamansi juice and soy sauce. I can’t quite compare this to any mainstream Filipino dish. It’s oily, beefy, saucy and delicious all at the same time. In my opinion, the best pigar-pigar in Dagupan can be tasted in Puzon’s Pigar-pigar, located along the highway of Lucao District.

       After falling in love with  empanadas in Argentina , we could not wait to discover the traditional empanadas of Batac City. Batac is the oldest town in the Province of Ilocos Norte and was founded in 1587 by the Augustinians. The city is famous for the Batac Empanadas which are considered some of the best in the country. There is even an Empanada festival that takes place every year on the 23rd of June. One of the most striking characteristics of the Batac empanada is its bright orange color. The empanadas are deep-fried and stuffed with green papaya, chopped up longganisa sausages and hard-boiled eggs. The orange-colored dough is made of rice flour and the color comes from the use of  annatto seeds

     We all Know that Vigan longganisa is a must eaten food when you're visiting ilocos. This delicacy became popular because of it's taste that pleases sausage lovers.  Longganisa is an emblematic Ilocos food. These pork sausages are the star at any Ilocano table. The sausages from Vigan are the most famous and they are distinctly small and plump.  These sausages are made from ground pork, mixed with garlic, vinegar and a mix of other local seasonings. They are delicious and have a spicy bite. These traditional sausages are not to be missed on a trip to the Ilocos region.