#11 Balai Sadyaya
We needed to take a break right after an enlightening tour at Villa Sariaya, so we spent it at Balai Sadyaya, one of Quezon’s premiere resorts. Serving guests for almost 6 years, Balai Sadyaya has managed to garner popularity among tourists because of its beautiful location, giving its guests a splendid view of Mt. Banahaw.
Thank you for these delicious pork adobo and beef caldereta, Balai Sadyaya!
The charming Balai Sadyaya only has a few guest rooms, a pool, a function hall and pockets of garden surrounding the resort. To know more about Balai Sadyaya, you can visit their site at https://www.facebook.com/BalaiSadyayaResort
#12 Lambanog-manufacturing store
On our way to Tina Decal’s Farm, we stopped by this small lambanog-manufacturing store along the streets of Quezon. It was a fairly short visit, but it was so much fun. Some of us even drank shots of Lambanog! (It has 80% proof btw.)
To learn more on how lambanog/coconut wine is made, check out this video-https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GYNtBiklGC8 🙂
Lambanog, or coconut wine, is very popular in the Philippines, and it is regularly drunk by some Southern Tagalog natives.Take note of the word “regularly”. Crazy right?! When I tasted it, it was actually delicious, but it was very strong at the same time. There is that “hagod” feel when it runs down your throat hahaha
“Tama na yan, inuman naaaa!”
#13 Tina Decal’s farm for Food Demo
This awesome lolo and lola tandem right here serenaded us with an on-the-spot song. (P.S. We asked them if they’re couples, but they said they were not, and that they were really just longtime partners #NeededToMakeSure)
For the demonstration, Ms. Tina Decal let us enjoy their buko juice first while she and her crew prepared the necessary ingredients to cook Kalamay– in “bayanihan style”. How does “bayanihan cooking style” work? Well, like the word bayanihan’s meaning, it simply involves a group of people working hand in hand to cook the food.
(top)The PHILTOA heads having fun rounding the flour with their hands, which was later on used in the cooking of the kalamay in the arinola
(bottom) Thank you kuyas for the buko juice!
(top)Ms. Tina Decal said that cooking the kalamay in bayanihan style, especially the mixing part, is not for everybody, and it truly is! There must be ‘poetry in motion’ as two people mix the kalamay with trunks of a banana tree.
(bottom) The finished product after an hour of mixing and cooking. MMM, YUMMEE!
Ms. Tina Decal demonstrationg to us how they cook the seasonal _________
(bottom) Sinbulot, the by-product of the process of cooking kalamay
We also experienced their “tagayan ritual”, wherein shot glasses of lambanog are being passed around. It is said that this ritual is commonly done among males wherein one male give his share of lambanog to each companion. While doing the ritual, one of us attempted to balance a shot glass on his head… and it fell! I don’t know if it was a result of tipsiness or what hahaha. That ritual was so much fun to do!
The ‘ceremonial’ lyrics to be sung during the “tagayan ritual”. I wasn’t able to keep up with the lyrics though while the tagayan ritual was ongoing hahaha
