Where does the best Lambanog come from?

There is an ongoing debate that still rages today among the Lambanog drinkers of Southern Tagalog. This has waged on since the invention of the drink and probably will keep on going till all the coconut trees are cut in the region. Where does the best Lambanog come from?

Many proponents would support the premise that Lambanog from San Juan, Batangas is the best and they would stake their lives and honor to prove this point.

Personally I prefer the Wakas, Tayabas variety of Lambanog. It has a less bitter taste than the batangueno drink which is due to the milder clime of Wakas, Tayabas compared to the hot and harsh environment of San Juan, Batangas.  It is colloquially known as “Chivas Wakas”.

I believe my townsfolk and clansmen of San Juan, Batangas wil disown me after they read this post but hey I will stand up for what I think is right. 🙂

For more information click on http://tayabas.ph/.

Kalye Budin of the City of Tayabas

Tayabas has always been one bastions of Quezon’s limited but tasty cuisine. In fact a particular area is named after one of its famous cassava cake know in Quezon and nearby province as Budin. This area is located in and around Emilio Jacinto street of the City of Tayabas and is colloquially known as Kalye Budin (Budin street).

Kalye Budin is filled with stalls that sells Quezon delicacies such as Budin (a baked cassava/tapioca/manioc pudding), Espasol (sticky rice snack), Tikoy (the Tagalog steamed variety not the Chinese one), Nilupak (cassava or banana pounded to a sticky pudding consistency) and assorted biscuits and candies.

There are other things you can but at Kalye Budin like Lambanog ( a coconut spirit), Longganisang Lucban (Lucban Sausage), many types of chicharon such as chicharon baboy (pork rind withy fat), chicharon bulaklak (fried pork intestines), chicharon manok (fried chicken skins) , also a selection of fried noodles (singaling) can be seen in the stalls.

This place is not a tourist trap and most stalls welcome a healthy dose of haggling and negotiation. Most sellers can understand a bit of English just mind that you must speak slowly and clearly for some of the vendors to understand.

Kalye Budin has its share of tragedies like fires & floods but still continued to prosper just like the spirit of the residents of the City of Tayabas.

Pictures courtesy Qtechbpo.

Budin

Lambanog

Cuisine of Quezon

Cuisine of Quezon is not as rich as say the other provinces but it can hold its own it taste of rather than in quantity of dishes.

Kiping

The most famous amongst Quezon’s dishes are pancit habhab (the act of eating directly from a plate or leaf without using one’s hands or utensils) also know as pancit Lucban, longganisang lucban and the colorful yet tasteless kiping which is basically rice flour colored and formed using a leaf as a mold.

Lucena and Tayabas (there isa a debated who started which first) has its lechong lugaw which is a lugaw topped with lechon and adobong lechon.

Pancit Lucban aka Pancit Habhab

Then there is Lambanog which is common in coconut growing provinces such as Batangas and Quezon and another beverage is Nipa wine aka tuba ng sasa which is basically fermented nipa sap.

Lucena also has its love affair with noodles like Lomi and its famous Chami which right now I am missing terribly.