The primary-ever Siargao Meals and Wine Pageant shifts the highlight from surfboards to meals, celebrating flavors as wealthy and numerous because the island itself
SURIGAO DEL NORTE, Philippines – For years, Siargao Island has been the nation’s crown jewel of browsing, a tropical dream the place huge barrels draw wave chasers from throughout the globe. This week, the island is setting its desk for a distinct form of journey.
The primary-ever Siargao Meals and Wine Pageant is shifting the highlight from surfboards to serving meals, celebrating flavors as wealthy and numerous because the island itself.
Launched on Thursday, August 14, in Common Luna city, Surigao del Norte, the week-long feast is a component showcase, half dialog, aiming to carry collectively cooks, carinderia cooks, farmers, foragers, and creatives to discover what Siargao tastes like – and what it may turn out to be.
Canadian-Filipino Andrew Malarky, the lead pageant organizer, mentioned through the Opening Gala and Dinner that the motivation for internet hosting the occasion is to indicate the world that the island’s magic isn’t simply in its waves.
“Siargao is blessed with such expertise that I feel is one thing we will actually maintain pricey to our hearts. And greater than only a tourism vacation spot or a surf vacation spot, we’re additionally a meals vacation spot. And that comes via all aspects of our meals scene, from the carinderias to the cafes to the eating places to the fantastic eating,” mentioned Malarky, Wild Siargao’s chef.
Pageant actions embody the Espresso Crawl, the place move holders can discover Siargao’s espresso tradition via a self-guided tour of associate cafés.
One other crawl is the “Suroy Suroy sa Karinderya,” a tour of native eateries serving their signature dishes whereas introducing guests to the households behind them.
“This meals crawl pays tribute to the native eateries and households who’ve been quietly shaping Siargao’s culinary id lengthy earlier than it turned a journey hotspot. These are the kitchens that fed generations, served after storms, and stayed open via waves of change,” organizers mentioned on their web site.
Among the many stops is Pan de Siargao, identified for its much-loved native pleasure pan de coco, and its iconic pan de surf, formed like a surfboard.
Jennelyn Gonzalo, co-owner of Pan de Siargao, mentioned the bakery has been within the household for generations, handed all the way down to her husband, who started baking at a younger age below his dad and mom’ steerage.
The bakery, which makes use of a standard wood-fired oven referred to as a pugon, sells pan de coco and pan de surf for P5 every. They put together the dough in a small kitchen, then carry it to a roadside spot alongside Tourism Highway, the place it’s baked within the pugon so passersby can watch the bread being cooked.
“What’s vital right here is getting the correct taste and consistency. The coaching takes one 12 months, which is why the kneading course of could be very intricate,” Gonzalo mentioned.
She added that they hope the pageant will assist enhance the bakery’s visibility.
Whereas different festivals deal with status, Malarky famous that this one is about inclusivity.
“Plenty of the opposite meals and wine festivals are about the perfect of the perfect. However for us, it’s concerning the group. That’s why right here in Siargao, we’ve got included native carinderias as a result of even the perfect of the perfect can nonetheless be the carinderia. We wish to promote all people from each layer,” he mentioned.
Aside from the showcase, the pageant will even host dialogues amongst farmers and fishermen via workshops.
“Particularly, via the provision chain, we wish to open the dialogue for fishermen, for agriculture, and learn the way we will assist and be a extra sustainable island for ourselves and future generations,” he mentioned.
An occasion passbook value P500, obtainable at Sayak Airport in Del Carmen city and at collaborating institutions, grants entry to each the Carinderia and Espresso Crawls. Guests can gather stamps from collaborating eateries and low outlets after ordering their signature dishes, with prizes and goodies up for grabs.
The pageant runs till Wednesday, August 20. – Rappler.com
