String Beans Salad

string beans salad by ilocosboy

Speaking of healthy foods, vegetable still the best.
Here is one dish for you... string beans salad.

How to prepare:
Simply half cooked the string beans with salt and favorite seasoning.
Put in the bowl and add the necessary ingredients that includes sliced onions, sliced tomatoes, ginger or pepper to make it little chili, pour a little of your choice vinegar and serve it.

Simply just like that.  Enjoy your salad string beans or as we call it sitaw or utong in Ilocano.

Ilocano Favorite Snack

This is Ilocos empanada, the favorite snack of Ilocano.

Come to Ilocos and you will find empanada vendors along the streets of Ilocos provinces selling empanada. There might distinction of Ilocos empanada aside from dough which some made it from rice flour but also the ingredients where the wrapper wrap the delicious ingredients.

One thing, empanada in Vigan have Vigan longanisa (sausage) that has the aroma of garlic and not so oily sausage. Then add the cooked then sliced egg and then the usual ingredients of onions, pepper, sometimes papaya. Wrap that in deep fry until the wrapper turn into brown or orange.

Two Big Grottos Of San Esteban

San Esteban will be known not only of beautiful and white beach, the landmark of the intact watchtower in the country and the stone craft called baldosa. This little town will have the distinction of two big grottoes of Virgin Mary both situated in coastal barangay.

These big grottos are easily seen when you visit the coastal area of the town. One along the seawater and the other is at the top of the mountain:

Grotto of Virgin Mary in barangay Apatot

This grotto can be found at the top of the mountain in barangay Apatot. According to residents it was built last 2016 by Ursa Major, one of the beach resort of the said town. You need to hike the not so high mountain for around 20 minutes (depending your age). Once you are here, overlooking the whole place particularly the west where the panorama of beach is so fascinating.

More or less 8 meters in high, the grotto of Virgin is guidance of the community and the people. Just below is another statue but this time a grotto standing in the ship..

Grilled Catfish

Speaking of catfish or as we call it "paltat", there are only two ways of cooking we prefer to this freshwater fish commonly catch in the rice fields and ponds: the fried recipe and the grilled catfish.

Lets talk about grilled because its the most preferred preparation of catfish dish. You don't buy dead catfish in the market because all of them are being sold live. People believe the live fish is best and dead catfish are considered reject.

Fun way of grilling the fish because the oil comes out that make the aroma pleasant. Slowly but surely.

But more than that, its the dip that make this fish good in the table. Having good soy sauce with chili or wasabi and the extract of calamansi or citrus makes the food very adorable.

Most Fascinating Places In Ilocos

Here are 10 places this blogger went to and found to be fascinating and amazing. Worth to visit and could be photographers subject.

Photos are taken by this blogger.

The Philippines most famous and grandest road is the Crisologo street of the Heritage City of Vigan. The cobblestone and the old two storey houses of the Spanish colonization is the nostalgic moment for the tourists who are walking just riding kalesa in the city. 

The wall painting of Candon City, Ilocos Sur is said to be the longest church painting in the Philippines. The paintings depicts the cross station of Jesus Christ. Done in acrylic bright color, anyone would be fascinate to look at the paintings inside the church.

Its not easy to get here... Licungan Sugpon, Ilocos Sur. But once you survived the 6 hours of walking up and down the path and crossing the Amburayan river, all the tiredness and stress will be washed away because of this natural landscape of nature. Its so happen that this place is one of the farthest village of Ilocos Sur.

This Baroque church of Santa Maria is one of the two UNESCO Heritage site in Ilocos Sur. The brick walled church also have 84 steps going up before reaching the top of the church. Not known to many, there is a road at the back of the church to ease the burden of climbing the stairs. Well, our old folks would love to know the other way so they can enjoy this historical and monumental church of the Philippines.

Located in Tubalina Gregorio Del Pilar are these small cabins called "agamang". These are actually built by farmers where they put their harvested rice to keep safe especially during rainy season. Agamang are mostly made from woods and sometimes cogon grass, depending on location.

This is Pinsal Falls, one of the hidden natural beauty of Ilocos Sur. Found in barangay Lingsat, Santa Maria, Ilocos Sur. the waterfall has legend between two giants who fell in love with each other: Aran and Angalo.This is also the gateway of some residents of the town of Pilar in the province of Abra. They need to climb through that stone walls to pass through.

So serene, this is the beach of Ambucao in Santiago, Ilocos Sur. The calm beach is one of the destinations of beachgoers. Not so known to many tourists but it is gaining attention now especially that resorts are growing in the said place.

This panoramic landscape got more just than the view. This is the historical place where General Tomoyoki Yamashita made his last stand during the World War 2 in the Philippines. Now, the place is being develop as one of the tourist destinations of the tourists in Ilocos Sur. Well, in fact, Bessang Pass is the coldest place in Ilocos Sur.

Where best to view the sunset? The answer... Ilocos. Not so explored yet beaches but the sunset still at its best. This is a photographers moment. In afternoon, a poet can easily write his poem. So colorful until the dark comes and bring the silhouette of the day.

The Quirino bridge between the municipalities of Santa and Bantay. But not just linking the two municipalities but the history and the present. Now develop as one of the adventure hub of the province.

The Watchtower Of San Esteban

The Bateria or as popularly known as Watchtower in San Esteban is one of the most intact watchtower in the Philippines. Many watchtower can be found in the province of Ilocos Sur like in Narvacan and Santiago but the one built by early settlers in San Esteban is still intact.

In fact, one barangay which is Bateria is probably named after it.

Watchtowers are built are built during the Spaniards colonization to guard the community against the pirates who invades the people during that time. Until now, the watchtower stands but it served now as one of the major landmark of the town of San Esteban. (photo is mine

Cornik, The Best Crunchy Corn Food

Move over corn flakes and corn delicacies, here is the best corn products... the cornik.

Cornik is deep fried corn kernel with different flavors suite the taste of everyone. Its a hard job to cook cornik. In Candon City, the corn is sun dried and then the outer layer of the kernel is peeled off then the deep frying and adding the desired flavor.

Its crunchy... this best described the food. Flavors include cheese, barbecue, hot chili among others. The crunchiness is unique comparing to the fried corn being sold in sachet in the market. Of course, the peeling off of outer layer is one of a kind process of making this good. (photo is mine)

Sabangan Beach

The Sabangan Cove name may not yet ring all over the archipelago but surely it is making good impression to travel community. Especially now that Vitalis Villa is becoming popular tourists destination and haven in Ilocandia, this not yet so explored white beach could be one soon.

But before the tourist all over the world search the place, the local tourist have been a constant visitor. During vacations and holidays, thousands of people are enjoying the beach.

Located in Sabangan, Ilocos Sur, Philippines, Sabangan Beach cove is now ready for tourist because of its mini shades including the ever beautiful beach and the green lush of the surroundings.###

Some Facts About Pure Wild Honey Of Ilocandia

Let's not talk about the health benefits of honey, we know already the good benefits of honey to our health.

Lets talk about some facts, or trivia to others, about the the wild honey harvested and extracted in the remote mountains of Ilocos region. Its hard to identify the pure honey to fake honey being sold in the market. Hope some of these facts can help you.