Secret Kitchens of Samar Kulinarya Tour: Flavors of Catbalogan

A mid-morning seafood breakfast with a view of Maqueda Bay. It just keeps getting better and better at the Secret Kitchens of Samar Kulinarya Tour...

My second day for the Secret Kitchens of Samar Kulinarya Tour by the Department of Tourism Eastern Visayas and Catbalogan City Tourism Office highlighted even more traditional flavors with a sumptuous mid-morning breakfast spread, including fresh seafood and native steamed rice cakes at one of the city's picturesque spots with an amazing view of the bay. It's just another day at #CaptivatingCatbalogan...

After an early morning light breakfast at King Bean Cafe (see my post, Flavors of Catbalogan: Breakfast at King Bean Cafe), the Catbalogan City Tourism Office pulled all the stops and prepared an impressive feast of homemade dishes using the day's freshest catch. The abundant harvests from the land and seas play a vital role in Samar's economy and cultural heritage, and the feast prepared by the Catbalogan City Tourism Office reflects this richness and diversity. Al fresco dining with a view like this, it does get better and better every single day in Eastern Visayas.

That morning, native delicacies were laid on a banana leaf including Puto Ligong made from rice and another variety from black rice, Linupak Nga Pinipig, Linupak Nga Bilanghoy or cassava, Suman Latik, Puto Conserva, Pinato with pinipig and peanuts, and Kurukod, a sweet suman made from cassava filled with creamy coconut. The variety of steamed rice cakes is indicative of the vibrant culinary culture of Samar, celebrating the very essence of "Karasa," which means "delicious" in the native dialect. Each bite reveals yet another flavorful side of Samar, a testament to the richness of the land.

And there's more, as Samar's famed seafood delicacies were laid on the table. Tasty Tahong Chips, deep-fried Crispy Squid, and the traditional Bulad adds both color and flavor to the feast, representing yet another pillar in Samar's economy and culinary tradition. It's never a complete Eastern Visayas experience without fresh seafood. And we had the best of Samar elaborately decked out on the table.

Perfectly crunchy Crispy Squid deep-fried just a few minutes earlier...

...and the famous Tahong Chips from the municipality of Jiabong was also served with a fresh tomato salsa. Made from fresh mussels, the crisp chips have a natural palate-pleasing briny flavor, and once you start, you just can't stop.  

Prepared from cherished family recipes, the homestyle Lapu-Lapu with Tausi is pure freshness on a plate. The fresh grouper is delicately steamed with black beans and spring onions adding depth and flavor to the subtle sweetness of the fish.  Back in Manila, this is something you would serve only on special occasions. Not in Samar. "This is everyday fare here in Samar," said my host beaming with pride. A visit to the local market in Catbalogan would feature an assortment of fresh catch, landed just a few hours earlier that day. A few found their way to our mid-morning breakfast spread just a few hours later...

...like these Chili Crabs cooked with loads of garlic, ginger, and pepper topped with fresh spring onions. Surrounded by the bountiful waters of the Philippine Sea to its east and north, the San Bernardino Straight separating it from Southeastern Luzon, the Camotes and Visayas Seas to the west, and the Bohol Sea and Surigao Straight to the south, Samar is blessed with an abundance of marine resources. The seas remain a vital element in Samar's economy, and its impact is immediately felt and experienced in its rich culinary heritage. With easy access to fresh seafood, Samar's local cuisine always includes fresh seafood as a daily staple.

Samar's iconic Bulad, or dried fish, is another customary dish in the province and a typical breakfast favorite. "Bulad," which literally translates to "sun-dried," is a traditional process of preserving fish, where fresh fish are gutted and salted before being dried under the sun. The sharp notes of the salt used during the drying process hits the palate with its bold and upfront flavors, followed by a whisper of sweetness from the fish. Simple, clean and rustic flavors, good food doesn't always have to be overly complicated.

Fresh Scallops stewed in soy sauce and pepper is another homestyle dish that's pretty common in many households in Samar. Having a bowl of scallops all to yourself back in Manila may cost an arm and a leg, but this is Samar, and you can have all the scallops you want. So go ahead, have another bowl... 

Many dishes in the Visayas include the use of the Batuan, a sour fruit common to the region. The tart sourness adds a unique flavor profile to many of the local dishes, and is even used as a local pickle. My host even shared their family's version of pickled batuan, and it's the perfect palate cleanser between dishes. The wide assortment of homemade dishes, with my hosts sharing a tasty piece of their home, made this mid-morning breakfast even more special. A few more bites and you soon realize that the secret kitchens of Samar can be found in each and every home, with their own cherished family recipes handed down for generations. The flavors are fresh and clean, real and honest. 

After a satisfying breakfast of fresh seafood, my hosts then served a variety of local delicacies made from the abundant harvests of the land, including popular varieties using rice, coconut, peanuts, and cassava as the main ingredients.

The nutty sweetness of the native delicacies capped yet another flavorful experience in my Secret Kitchens of Samar Kulinarya Tour...

...and one more bite of the local puto...

...and the Suman Latik with its thick and sweet coconut sauce, made an already memorable trip to Samar so much more special. It's traditional flavors like these, preserved and maintained for generations, that weaves rich layers to the social fabric that defines any local culture. In two full days of culinary discovery, I've experienced "karasa," that sincere expression of delight with the varied and diverse flavors of Samar.

My thanks to the entire team of the Department of Tourism Eastern Visayas and the Catbalogan City Tourism Office for letting me experience and discover the Secret Kitchens of Samar. From the first bite all the way to the last, it was a culinary journey like no other. And I can't wait to be back again...

For more information on Eastern Visayas, visit the Department of Tourism's cool FB Page for Eastern Visayas at https://www.facebook.com/easternvisayas/.

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