The idea behind “Foodprints,” my new food show on the Lifestyle TV network, is to go to each province or town in the country and discover and share unknown food items.

 

If the province is known for a  dish, we either show how this dish is made or give its history. It never ceases to amaze us what discoveries we have.

 

The ultimate goal is we want to promote Philippine cuisine. We tell the viewer where to go when visiting the province. Another idea is to make the viewer realize, “I didn’t know we have that in that province.”

 

‘Balobalo’

 

In the show’s first season, we featured Ilocos Norte, Bulacan and Batangas. To me, it is still like opening a gift for Christmas—you really don’t know what to expect.

 

We experienced the best representation of authentic Ilocos Norte cuisine at Dawang’s. Super sarap. We were 20 in the group, all stuffed, and our bill was P1,800. How can you beat that?

 

This second season (starting May 18, Sunday, 8:30 p.m.), one of the places we will feature is Spain. We will show Spanish dishes that are familiar to us and how they have evolved into ours through the years. It was such an unbelievable food tour of never-ending discoveries. It was the best food tour I have ever experienced.

 

Just last week, we came back from Pampanga, one of the most featured food destinations on Philippine television. So, we wanted to be different. For example, tocino is known by everyone, but do you know how it’s made?

 

Balobalo or burong isda is also popular. Do you know how it’s made? Do you know who invented sans rival and sisig? And are there other hidden dishes of the province?

 

Where do you go for the best halo-halo? To me, the best is Razon’s, then Kabigting’s. But did you know that the halo-halo at Razon’s San Fernando tastes different from the ones I have tried outside the province? I sampled just its leche flan and it was so rich, creamy and simply delicious. No wonder it hits the spot.

 

San Nicolas Cookies

 

We also visited the legendary Aling Lucing’s Sisig. It’s still a winner, although it has moved from the original riles ng tren location to the other side of the street and built a bigger place.

 

I also met one of the makers of San Nicolas Cookies. Atching Lillian Borromeo showed us the recipe and how it’s made. She has another product, San Nicolas Cookies with a filling of kundol and yema. What a wonderful combination.

 

Borromeo was a winner at the Great Maya Cookfest and she recalled how my mom Nora Daza influenced her culinary career. Listening to her story brought me to tears. These are the unsung heroes of our culinary world.

 

We went to VFW or Veterans of Foreign Wars restaurant which serves authentic American comfort food like chicken fried steak, pot roast, baby back ribs, meat loaf. The place has over 300 members and is open to the public.

 

Everybody’s Café in San Fernando will always be a winner in my book. It still serves authentic Kapampangan food.

 

The specialty at AFC (Angeles Fried Chicken) tastes superb with soft and sweet homemade dinner rolls. Sarap!

 

Mila’s ‘sisig’

 

I don’t eat pork, or try not to, when I control my diet. Don’t get me wrong, because I love pork or anything unhealthy. And the show is my excuse to indulge.

 

One of the most memorable places that our Pampanga guide Anne Marie Castro took us to was Mila’s Tokwa’t Baboy. The presentation was unique—hot, crispy tokwa on one side of the plate, and tender, salty-sour baboy on the other side topped with celery leaves. Sarap!

 

The barbecue made with tocino is also a winner.

 

But the one I couldn’t forget was Mila’s sisig—crispy, sticky, and bursting with mild vinegar flavors with tiny morsels of chopped finger sili that gives it a spicy kick. It will make your nose perspire in satisfaction. I have not tasted a better-tasting sisig in my entire existence.

 

It’s really so good that it makes you think of your loved ones. I just had to text my wife about it.

 

Normally, with pork, I take a few bites in front of the camera and stop. Here, I almost finished a whole sizzling plate all to myself, way after our director Cris said, “Cut!”

 

Happy eating!

 

 

 

Follow me on Instagram, sandydaza77.

 

Mila’s Tokwa’t Baboy and her sisig is in Angeles City. Call tel. 045-8886727.

 

Pampanga food tours of Anne Marie Castro’s Sweet Escapade: tel. 0917-5008308. E-mail [email protected].

 

Call VFW restaurant at tel. 0947-3406299. E-mail [email protected].