Native Delicacies of Lucban

Aside from being the home of mountains and springs rich in bountiful agricultural harvests, Lucban town boasts also of its native delicacies.

Starting off from the pansit habhab which I ate upon arrival which is so enjoyable to eat. It is the most popular food in this town. It is a noodle just placed on a small banana leaf. This is something unique. Eating noodles without any fork or chopsticks but directly licked or slurped by mouth. Pansit habhab costs only 10 pesos or sometimes its 7 pesos.

There were many stalls that sell pasalubong. One of the best sold items is the Lucban longganiza. It is a mixture of meat, garlic and sugar. The taste is so good perfect for sinangag na kanin, fried egg and suka plus coffee. This lonnganiza is smaller in size compared to the Ilocos or Pampanga longganizas.

There are other items sold for pasalubong such as the broas, apas, torones , tamales and many others. I bought urraro that looks like puto seko. It tastes good. Ube candies are also good. It is cheaper to buy at the market with 5pesos difference than outside.

Kiping is a rice wafer prepared months or weeks before the festival. Its not just a decoration but it can be eaten. It is fried or grilled. It’s like kropek or cracker that is crunchy but no taste.

Banana is abundant in Lucban. I have seen a unique color of banana which is reddish pink and they call it reynes. It was displayed during the Pahiyas. What is common that I saw on the streets is the grilling of bananas. I tried it which costs only 5 pesos and it tastes so good. Simply delicious, firm to the bite and naturally sweet. No fancy sugar just like banana qeue.

Suman is famous also in the Tagalog region. It is usually wrapped in banana leaf or coconut leaf. This is perfectly matched with ripe mango or tsokolate or simply sugar. My host Tita Rosy Babista served me with this and gave me some to take home. I remember she also made embutido, dinuguan and hardinira.

My Lucban trip was another food adventure.