A childhood favorite street food of Tutubi, long planned to be blogged but not quite til now, is this obnoxious smelling yet delightfully satisfying bibingka recipe variant of Laguna where duck eggs are mixed with abnoy (spoiled eggs) and cooked in clay pots lined with banana leaves where it emits an obnoxious aroma.

One memorable event Tutubi regarding this Laguna delicacy is in Lingga, Pila where his friends cooked them for their group who found the smell too much to endure yet devoured the bibingka itlog in seconds right after they were served.

the bibingkang itlog is usually sold on the streets of Paete and neighboring towns but probably made in Sta. Cruz and Victoria (where the duck industry flourishes). This version is not the best though as you can see holes in them due to added flour or other extenders

The bibingkang itlog vendor at Sta. Cruz Public Market, Tutubi's suki where you can sample difference levels of obnoxiousness before you buy, you can even buy those without the rotten smell/taste but it's not the exotic type Tutubi longs for

The Bibingkang itlog (puro) has slightly yellowish color and not much holes. Costs around PhP100 per pie. You can buy them at the public markets of Lumban, Sta. Cruz, Pila and other towns

Bibingkang Itlog is best served with spicy vinegar and to make it authentic street food, sold on banana leaves, and eaten with toothpicks (as shown on the top picture). Bibingkang itlog though, like other exotic food, requires an acquired taste to enjoy it otherwise it's like a Fear Factor challenge. This is easier to ingest though than the more exotic and challenging bibingkang abnoy of Pateros, made wholly from abnoy (bugok na itlog ng itik) but fried (like torta) then dipped in spicy vinegar.

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other Bibingka Posts:
Bibingka Galapong
Tita's Delight Bibingka of Tanauan, Batangas
Vigan Royal Bibingka

Other future posts of Tutubi just on his drafts folders for ages now :)

Bibingkang Hipon of Paete
Mandaue Bibingka
Bibingkang Abnoy of Pateros

Labels: Calabarzon, Exotic Food, Laguna, Laguna Food Trip, Southern Tagalog

One of Tutubi's first adventures when he got "itchy feet" ten years ago was a tour of Ilocos from Vigan, Laoag and Pagudpud in 2002 when Pagudpud was not as commercialized as it is now.

Just last week, some of his officemates asked him how to get to Pagudpud from Laoag Airport as against the longer "how to get to Pagudpud by bus from Manila" as they're taking a Manila to Laoag flight. Here's the information he gave them

How to Get to Pagudpud from Laoag Airport:
(fresh pictures to follow once supplied by Tutubi's friends (hope they're of publishable quality too)

Manila to Laoag by air

Flights from Manila to Laoag are available from Cebu Pacific or Philippine Airlines (Tutubi's officemates took PAL with only two flight schedules to choose from: early in the morning and late in the evening)

From Laoag Airport, board a jeepney (or alternatively a tricycle) to take you to Laoag City proper (jeepney fare is PhP60.00) request the driver to drop you off where the Claveria, Cagayan-bound bus/van passes by.

(Tutubi's officemates eventually had contacts with a van-for-hire/van rental in Laoag who took took for a tour of Ilocos Norte by visiting Paoay, Bangui Wind Farm (no, they're not windmills) up to pagudpud)

Take the bus with signboard Claveria and request the bus conductor to drop you off in Pagudpud side of the national near the white beach (locals call this Centro, near Pagudpud public market and Pagudpud Town Hall)

In summary:

Laoag Airport to Laoag City proper jeepney fare: PhP60.00
Laoag to Pagudpud fare: PhP70.00
Laoag to Pagudpud travel time: just about 1.5 hours

note: due to the sheer "how log does it take to travel from Manila to pagudpud" by land (commute by bus or private car, Tutubi knows why it's called Pagudpud: pagod na, pudpud pa! :P

How far is Bangui from Pagudpud? With the distance of Pagudpud from Manila, the kilometer count does not matter anymore as when you get to Pagudpud, you're pagud na, pudpud pa ;P
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perhaps Tutubi will write Pagudpud guides on the following someday once he gets his blogging groove back:

Pagudpud Travel Guide

How to Get to Pagudpud from Vigan
How to Get to Pagudpud from Manila
How to Get to Pagudpud from Baguio
How to Commute to Pagudpud by bus

Labels: Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Region, Pagudpud