Last November 11, 2024, the students of SOAN 148: Introduction to Cultural Heritage batch ’24-’25 from the Department of Sociology and Anthropology of Ateneo de Manila University invited us for a very special Cagayan Valley Dinner!
Sponsored by the Mamasita Foundation, the dinner is held annually at the premises of the university. This year, it was held at the Roof Deck of Leong Hall of ADMU in Loyola Heights, QC.
Entitled, “Down The River To The Sea,” the dinner featured 6 delightful dishes that made a flavorful combo of salty and savory treat that perfectly complimented one another.
The Menu consisted of:
- Okoy – a deep-fried fritter that they made with a river fish from Cagayan Valley.
- Kalyente – which is Carabao skin served with various aromatics and chopped to small pieces.
- Pancit Cabagan from Isabella – Prepare by Anapi, an eatery in Cubao that is run by residents from Cabagan.
- Igado – a very popular dish that features liver, pease, garbanzos, and bell peppers.
- Grilled Malaga – Served with pickled tomatoes in the local salmuera-style.
- Tupig – Stickey rice and coconut strips wrapped in banana leaves from Lallo, Cagayan province.
- And to commemorate the citrus orchards of Nueva Vizcaya, a citrus-based drink was served.
The whole dinner was conceptualized by Richard Sera, a cook in Las Palmas de San Jose Resort in Tuguegarao and Jake Coballes, a food anthropologist also in Tuguegarao and largely prepared by the Ateneo Multipurpose Cooking Alternative.
