New Washington delicacies, specialties and products

 New Washington has a lot of offerings when it comes to food. You can order the regular yummy crabs and prawns. 

We have also another snack locally called "suman". The flour is made from a native palm called "ambolong". The flour is locally called "okao". The flour is mixed with grated young coconut and sugar. It is the oil from the coconut that act as the catalyst in cooking. It take special skill to wrapped these in banana leaves. The secret is to heat the leaves just enough (eahob) since banana leaves tear easily without the heat treatment. It has a tacky texture. These are great for snacks. It is similar to the Ilocos "tupig" young coconut mixed in glutinous rice but in this case broiled.

There is also another worm locally called "sasing" a marine worm dug from the inter tidal zone of the Lagatik river. It is eaten raw. These worms are not for the squeamish and the faint hearted. In a sense they are exotic and for other people are taboo. It is mentioned here for their uniqueness and has been part of local food culture.

Of course we have the regular glutinous rice (malagkit) cooked in coconut milk and wrapped in coconut fronds. Locally it is called "ibos". We can also find these in other part of the country, other giving it a twist of their own usually in the way it is wrapped.

 For the adventurous (shade of Fear Factor) you may want to experience eating a local delicacy called "tamiluk". It is a wood worm that feed on dead mangrove trees. 

Beliefs In New Washington Aklan

There is a drink popular in the Visayas (Philippines) called "tuba". This drink is exotic, a form of coconut wine. Fresh "tuba" has wine like smell but milder (compared to red wine from fermented grapes) and taste like one but sweeter. Although sweetness and sourness I would say depend on the age of the coconut tree and other factors. There is however a belief that the taste of "tuba" depend on the "tuba" gatherer's skill (manang-gite) raising it to an art.

"Tuba" is derived from the sap drawn from the peduncle of the coconut tree using a very sharp scythe. The peduncle is slice thin {1 to 2 mm., thick and 2 to 3 slices) across the length to expose fresh peduncle everyday until it is used up. The slicing is done everyday since the peduncle dies up at the end. Slicing also increases the production of sap.As much as a liter of sap can be drawn from each peduncle in a twenty four hour period, but this may depend again on the age of the coconut tree.

Local folks drink it as a beverage which can make you red in the face, tipsy and mildly inebriated.The effect is comparable to drinking beer but may vary from person to person. The alcohol content is of interest to pursue. "Tuba" do not keep long. This is because it readily ferments to vinegar. One to two days old "tuba" is sour to the taste. "Tuba" is enjoyed fresh from the coconut tree, just like freshly baked bread from the oven.

There was this American expatriate (a Richardson) who love "tuba" so much he has steady supply everyday. "Tuba"is a drinking experience.

Another way of enjoying "tuba" is by putting one raw chicken egg in one glass of "tuba", stir well and drink. It makes a potent brew.