Cavite Food and Heritage Tour with Transitions Optical: Cavite's Best with Ka Julia's Kakanin

Muche, Alikaya, and Sinudsod...the best of Cavite by Ka Julia.

With an agrarian economy based on rice, the fertile lands of Cavite have yielded bountiful rice harvests for generations. And the locals have transformed this staple into sweet treats, unique to the province of Cavite.

The Diocesan Shrine of the Immaculate Conception of Mary in Naic was our second stop in the Cavite Food and Heritage Tour with Transitions Lenses, as Guillermo "Ige" Ramos and RJ Ledesma led us inside the sprawling gardens at the back of the church. Built in the early 1800s, the gothic-inspired church is situated beside the Spanish administration building, now converted as the Naic Central School, the only remaining casa hacienda from colonial times still in use. The old casa hacienda was also the site where Cavite's proud son, Emilio Aguinaldo and his Magdalo faction of the revolutionary movement imprisoned Andres Bonifacio of the opposing Magdiwang bloc. Here's an insider tip, make the time to visit the old building, now a school, and take a peek in the actual cell where the patriots were incarcerated for an up close and personal experience of history...

Links with Spain run deep, with the Roman Catholic faith remaining as the country's dominant religion. In the early morning light, the arch's prominent features are highlighted with the mid-morning rush of students flowing under it. Bright blue skies and perfect weather, it's just another typical day at Naic...

The excessive glare of the mid-morning sun is easily tackled by Transitions Optical, automatically adapting to the different light conditions. As Guillermo "Ige" Ramos and RJ Ledesma led us behind the church to the garden, my pair of prescription Transition Lenses immediately shifted with the changing light, as the tint slowly faded under the shaded area. With Transitions Optical, it's all about experiencing and seeing #LifeInTheBestLight, both indoors and out, to match your active lifestyle. And throughout the tour, I experienced perfect visual clarity in different light conditions without skipping a beat, or changing eyewear (for more on the Cavite Food and Heritage Tour with Transitions Optical, see my previous posts, A Rebel Breakfast at Malen's and Tanza's Calle Real and The Pink Table). All you need is one pair of prescription Transition Lenses for all your adventures in all light conditions, allowing you to immerse yourself completely in the special tour of Cavite. At the garden, Ka Julia prepared her signature kakanin...

Ka Julia and her daughter Isla skillfully demonstrated how to prepare Cavite's signature rice-based delicacies. The abundance of rice, the very heart and foundation of the province's agrarian economy, has also inspired the creation of comforting sweets and delicacies, each one celebrating the versatility of this culinary staple.

The native kakanin, made from what Guillermo "Ige" Ramos described as the "crops of oppression," specifically corn, rice and coconut, form the soul of traditional Filipino cuisine. Ka Julia's Sinudsod, a thin and delicate soft crepe made from rice and galapong, with sweet coconut water, creamy coconut milk and ice cubes combine for a unique taste of Cavite. It's a refreshing snack to beat the heat, made with rice and coconut. Only in Cavite...

Ka Julia's sweet Alikaya, a sweet kakanin made with black or purple rice topped with latik, is another must-try delicacy.

Muche, deep-fried ground rice flour cakes stuffed with sweetened mung bean, is another tasty expression with rice, comfortingly familiar, almost like the Chinese Buchi, yet refreshingly new and different. Each delicacy is lovingly prepared by Ka Julia and her family using cherished family recipes, preserving Cavite's culinary traditions.

The Cavite Food and Heritage Tour with Transitions Optical offers a unique sensory experience, with the flavors of Cavite as an integral part of the experience. And seeing it all in perfect visual clarity allows you to fully appreciate the vibe of the province, and see it all in life's best light with Transitions Optical.

For more on Transitions Optical Philippines, visit their website at http://www.transitions.com/en-ph/ and FB Page here at https://www.facebook.com/TransitionsPhilippines.

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