5 Pasalubong Ideas From Tarlac

Once you go exploring in Tarlac, you're bound to get pleasantly surprised. It will even come to a point that you can't get enough. And just like what happens every time we get "attached" to a place, you'll want to take home a part of it.

So, when you inevitably get sepanx from Tarlac, here are five local products reminiscent of its character that you could take home and share (or not) with your loved ones.

Suman is a classic Filipino dish and every town has a version of it. In Tarlac, you'll chance upon a grilled variety. It's got the gooey goodness of your typical suman but with a smokey taste and crispy-in-some-parts texture. It's the perfect merienda!

Binalay can be purchase from YRN Food Products located in Poblacion B Camiling, Tarlac. You may contact them at +63 950 578 0037 or +63 917 938 5009.

If you like tamarind and sour things, you'll love these dried candied kamias (tree cucumber). It's juicy, and has that sugary-and-sour thing going. It's a little addictive so I suggest to get more than one. 

You can get dried kamias from the Hardinero Agriculture Cooperative located in Sitio Maserpat Sta. Ines East Sta. Ignacia, Tarlac. Order through +63 995 5179 679.

Regular white vinegar can be one-dimensional in terms of flavor. If you want the usual tang but also crave something a little fruity, try the Mango Vinegar. It's a delicious dipping sauce that, if you add some diced tomatoes, pairs so well with fish!

Hardinero Agriculture Cooperative also produces mango vinegar and other mango products like burong mangga.

Water lily has become somewhat of an irony. It had been used to "beautify" Pasig River which was great...in the beginning. It can reproduce rapidly, tending to clog waterways that result into floods. Because of this, the plant has been considered a pest. In Tarlac, however, these pests are turned into sturdy, rustic-looking bags that could be a more sustainable alternative to paper bags. If you want something that'll last one seating, this would be a thoughtful pasalubong.

For inquiries and orders, you may contact Ms. Cynthia of the Water Lily Handicraft Project at +63 920 946 5515.

I'm a huge fan of leche flan, and it's one of those desserts that you shouldn't mess with if you do not know what you are doing. When I first heard about this leche flan in an egg, I was skeptical. But after seeing how it's made and upon learning the recycling mentality behind its inception (you wouldn't have to throw the eggshells that you'll use in making flan, at least not just yet). It's also tasty and comes in chocolate, too!

This innovation is made by Zwitoffer House of Sweets. Get in touch with them through their Facebook page.