Two things that stood out during a recent 36-hour trip to Ormoc City in Leyte were the sweetness of their tiny Queen pineapples and the way Ormocanons measure time.
Cut into sun-shaped discs and spread out like a bright deck of cards, the fruit was a revelation as one could eat even the core that was pliant and had a slight crunch. If you’re ever offered some, always accept as it’s seldom available outside Leyte.
We were there to attend the launch “Homemade: A Taste of Ormoc,” a passion project of Mayor Lucy Torres Gomez that was three years in the making. The hard-cover book edited by lifestyle writer Bum Tenorio consists of 77 entries ranging from poultry, meat and seafood to soups, salads and native snacks.
When Lucy tapped Bum three years ago, they instantly agreed that the entries would be written in a manner highlighting each person’s story on how their specialty came to be.
As it turns out, many of the dishes included in the book were borne out of necessity whether it was a way to augment the family income after a spouse fell ill, or an attempt to limit food wastage.
The origin story of Estrella Inong’s red chorizo can be traced back to the 1990s when one day she was left with a mound of unsold pork.
“Waste is a sin to a woman raised on scraps,” she said.
Estrella experimented, adding spices and making a few mistakes along the way until she became one of the few FDA-accredited chorizo makers in the city. At the book launch held last weekend, her specialty in all its bright red, sticky-sweet glory was one of the featured appetizers that included chicharon bulaklak, fishballs and “shakoy,” a fried cruller dusted with sugar.
Since I had a few hours free, I went around the city on my own. I hailed a tricycle that took me to Centro, an open-air venue consisting of food stalls selling everything from lechon by the kilo to pineapple shakes. A friend had praised the plain sisig at Cedesta — remind them, no egg or mayo — made from “maskara” or pork face.
There were two elderly ladies slicing onions and peeling ginger. When I asked how long they had been selling sisig, one of them replied, “We were open even before Yolanda,” referring to the super typhoon that slammed into the province in 2013 resulting in multiple casualties and widespread damage. They, and many Ormocanons, have since picked up the pieces.
I took another tricycle to Yoyi’s, a small bakery located near the Church of Saints Peter and Paul. Their coin-shaped pineapple tarts are individually marked with a cross and make for a sweet and thoughtful pasalubong.
In her speech later that evening, Mayor Lucy recalled how she has often said that a city is defined by its people.
“Today, I am reminded that a city is also remembered by the stories its people choose to share. My hope is that every reader who opens this book discovers something beyond its pages...I hope that each ‘taste of Ormoc’ instills a deeper appreciation for the stories, emotions and values that define Ormoc today.”
Dressed in barong or Filipinana, invited guests had the chance to sample some of the dishes featured in the book. There was humba, embutido, pancit, fried chicken and lechon but the one item I really enjoyed that evening was the fresh lumpia with its soft egg wrapper and addictive garlic sauce. It reminded me of the ones my Cebu-based uncle used to make. I’m not ashamed to say I ate three.