Pampanga cuisine defines delicious food

Everybody’s Pocholo Jorolan shows how they cooked frog.

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO – What’s delicious for you may not be for them but Pampanga cuisine simply defines what delicious food is all about.

Students from the province who enrolled in Metro Manila universities often encountered reactions such as “food is very delicious in your place” immediately after introducing themselves as Capampangans.

“Where are you from in Pampanga? They say tocino and longganiza are good there,” said the freshman student who lives in Manila.

“I am from Mabalacat and we have what you are looking for in our public market,” answered back his classmate of the first class Pampanga municipality.  

WE SAY PASSION

Punto Central Luzon spoke with true-blooded Capampangans who tried their best to explain the reasons why Capampangan food is superb to the taste buds of both foreigners and locals.

City of San Fernando Tourism Office head Ching Pangilinan-Gonzales, Nineteen-year old restaurant manager Erle Cruz of Angeles City and veteran broadcast journalist Diosdado “Deng” Pangilinan of Mabalacat share and explain why “Pampanga cuisine has always been described as delicious.”

Ching, Erle and Deng have one common statement when asked about the secret of Capampangan food makers.

“The passion applied in cooking is the key,” they say.

CAKES GALORE

Erle is a Hotel and Restaurant management student at the Holy Angel University. After school, between 5 p.m. to 12 a.m. or until 1:00 a.m. on weekends, she runs the family-owned Ciocollo Restaurant and Café at Friendship, Cutcut, Angeles City.

Opened by Chef Froilan Cruz and her mother Teresita in 2007, Ciocollo instantly became a hit largely due to their cakes baked by Teresita.  

They have Salted Caramel Chocolate, Sophia Cake, Truffle Chocolate, Ferrero Cake, Velvety Crème Brulee Cheesecake, among others.

But the must-try is Ciocollo’s best seller: Pistachio Sansrival.      

“We have customers here that buy cakes in bulk,” said Erle who was interviewed at Ciocollo on a Monday but the café was almost full of customers. The price of one whole cake ranges from P1,200 to P1,500. 

She says that over the next few months after its opening, Ciocollo became a haven for people looking for great ambience and more importantly, “high-quality” meals. 

But the price is truly affordable, Erle adds. She pointed the lechon kawali order costing just little over P200.

Ciocollo’s Roast Beef Belly Au Jus is one of the best selling recipes of Chef Froilan, who studied at the Culinary School of America in the USA. The beef meal is priced just over P300 pesos.

“I say passion is the secret in making great Pampanga food. But at Ciocollo, we make sure we improve over the years to satisfy our growing customers,” she added.

FAMOUS ONES

Jerry Santos said “I reward myself by eating at Ciocollo.”   

“When I have visitors, I bring them here as the café caters to people from all walks life,” he said
Jerry, a resident of Bacolor, Pampanga, says “Ciocollo is the newer alternative” to other famous restaurants and food outlets such as Everybody’s Restaurant in San Fernando established more than 50 years ago by the family of Pocholo Jorolon.

“Of course, they must try Everybody’s and other famous food outlets. But people look for affordable but superb food served in a cool and not-so-crowded ambience,” says Jerry who was one of the many customers.

Everybody’s is famous for its morcon, tocino damulag and seasonal recipes borne out of frogs and the exotic camaro, which looks like insects at first glance.                   

Deng recently enrolled at the MOST Institute culinary school in Balibago, Angeles City “just to cook well”, which is expected of both Capampangan men and women.   

He said Capampangan foods are “simply irresistible and unforgettable because our cooks used the best ingredients and at no limit to bring out the best.”     

Deng, who loves to explore food from all over the province, says longganiza sold at any stall at the Candaba, Pampanga public market “are also great.” 

No less than Candaba Mayor Jerry Pelayo recommends them as “pasalubong” to his visitors, including journalists. 

Deng recommends visitors to try Cabalen restaurants at SM City Clark and SM City Pampanga and the newly-opened Binulo Restaurant at Clark for authentic Capampangan food.

“We really have other great restaurants in Angeles City and Pampanga but I can’t mention them all in one sitting,” says Deng, also board chairman of the Mabalacat Water District.   

PROMOTION

City of San Fernando Mayor Oscar Rodriguez recently included “Fiestang Pamangan Capampangan” in the annual Sinukwan Festival held December to promote Pampanga foods and products, says Ching.

She says the annual Frog Festival of San Fernando promotes the cooking of frogs in various ways.      

Parents of Ching are both from Pampanga. But her mother has roots from Bataan.

She stressed that Capampangan food “are different and more delicious compared to meals prepared in other regions and provinces, including Bataan.” 

“No offense meant. But even my mom agrees,” she adds.

According to Pangilinan, “suklati di batirul” or warm chocolate drink introduced by the Spanish in the 1700s is readily available in Sta. Rita. The same town also creates duman – a rice variety costing P1,200 per kilo – and made from it are suman.   

In nearby Guagua town, Galan’s chicharon products are selling like hot cakes at any given time.

Try halo-halo made by Cabigting’s of Arayat, Corazon’s of Angeles City and Razon’s of Guagua.

Pabalan’s delicacies in Magalang town is known for its pastillas de leche.

The list doesn’t end here.

Just visit Pampanga and get to happily experience eating – or what delicious food really means for the majority.

Sta. Rita folk prepares suman.

Ciocollo’s Lechon Kawali and Pistachio Sansrival cake. Photos by Ric Gonzales