3 Must-try Food/Drink in Ilocos Norte That Will Help You Beat the Summer Heat
ILOCOS NORTE, PHILIPPINES - Summer may already be ending in the Philippines but it still feels like we are still in the middle of it due to the dryness of the surrounding air and the scorching heat from the sun despite the occasional, intermittent rains that we experienced last week!
We went to Ilocos Norte last weekend to visit once again the province and to enjoy once more the activities that it offers and we could not have been happier about the fact that we were able to maximize Ilocos without the rain peeking in to say "Hi" and bidding us a surprise visit! Much to our gratitude towards the weather being on our good side, we were also secretly cursing the headache-inducing, stroke-summoning heat! Good thing Ilocos has a lot of cold, novel and delicious treats that helped us combat the supposedly unbearable heat.
1. DRAGON FRUIT ICE CREAM
Unlike other tropical fruit-bearing trees, Dragonfruit tree is something that we do not see regularly anywhere. So imagine our reactions when we heard this ice cream man shout "dragonfruit flavor!" the moment we stepped outside the Marcos Museum like we have discovered something great; it was definitely mixed delight and relief that were plastered on our faces. I may not remember anymore how dragonfruit tastes like but somehow I enjoyed the idea that I was munching on something novel. Though it may have come off a tad too sweet for my taste, I still extremely enjoyed the nice bits of mashed dragon fruit I chewed on in the process and not to mention the bright and vibrant pink which made me totally forget how sweaty I am! Complementing the pink, dragonfruit ice cream was the green pandan that made the overall look the more eye-candy!
Price Point: It was definitely a well-spent 20 pesos!
Where to Find: In Batac, in front of the Marcos Museum.
2. SALAMAGUI JUICE
If you are on the lookout for a drink that will flatter your palate, the Salamagui juice would definitely be for you! Tamarind in English, Salamagui is usually consumed as it is or made as a candy. Sweet prior gulping and sour once swallowed, tasting this Salamagui juice would blow your mind off you would want to have another round of it. This beats to the pulp the usual fruit shakes that you normally consume during summer.
Price point: 1 glass for Php 50 and 1 pitcher (6 glasses) for Php 185
Where to Find: Saramsam Cafe, Balay da Blas Pensionne House
3. MARUNGGAY SHERBET
When you taste the Marunggay (Malunggay) Sherbet, you would not be able to determine that this is a leaf-based sherbet as there is no taste or any hint of green leaves there at all. For one, this can be attributed from the fact that the malunggay does not have a distinctive taste at all and that it is unexpectedly creamy with some hints of cheese bits inside. So if you happen to have kids with you on the trip who takes a step back by the sight of greens or vegetables, you can easily outwit them through giving them this healthy sherbet!
Price Point: 49 pesos
Where to Find: Saramsam Cafe, Balay da Blas Pensionne House
