Families That Hosted Us

We decided to take the ten-hour drive to Laoag, Ilocos Norte, from Manila, where Annette Ablan’s cook showed us how to make the traditional pinakbet and dinuguan. There we met Bonito Singson, a prominent businessman of Vigan, Ilocos Sur, who invited us to his home in Vigan, which had a huge high-ceilinged kitchen renovated in the style of the old bahay-nabato home. On our way to Vigan, we stopped at Dingras to visit the Puruganan house and watch Glezy Valencia make the most delicious puto and tupig [Ilocano sticky rice cakes] I had ever eaten. Carla Pacis, a descendant of the Syquia family, hosted several meals at the Syquia Mansion. Both Bonito and Carla had longtime cooks renowned for their delicious rendering of traditional Ilocano cooking.