From Laguna’s farms to your table
Laguna’s bounty takes centerstage, celebrated by three homegrown chefs finding inspiration in the farmers and artisans who take pride in fruits of their land.
Sa Pantalan organizers chefs Gel Salonga-Datu, Ted Salonga and Dino Datu.
Photographs by elizabeth timbol for the daily tribune
For many Manileños, Laguna is a favorite destination for many different reasons. Many head off to Liliw for their tsinelas, while many go to San Pablo for beautiful stoneware and pottery. During a trip over pre-pandemic, it was interesting to learn about the rich food heritage of the province, grown from the wealth of local produce from the area. Celebrating this bounty is the recent “Sa Pantalan: Biyaheng Pangkatagalugan,” a food and heritage festival held annually in Sta. Cruz, Laguna.
Sa Pantalan is the brainchild of siblings Theodore “Day” Salonga, his sister Gel Salonga-Datu and her husband Dino Datu. All professional chefs, they are the team behind the hugely popular Ted’s Diner, a little coffee shop in Sta. Cruz, Laguna, from where they serve some of the best cakes and pastries in town. Their bibingka cheesecake and strawberry shortcake have fans willingly driving two hours over for a slice! Inspired by the breadth and depth of the culinary heritage of the region, and the work of local artisans, they began mounting this festival to draw more attention to it. And they had the perfect venue – Ted’s Warehouse, right behind the coffee shop.
Sculpture by Bayani Rey Alcala.
Now on its fourth year, the cultural festival brings together artists, skilled craftsmen, farmers, backyard food enterprises from all over Laguna under one roof. What a diverse selection, too!
Local purveyor Sierrezza specialized in raw honey, and also fruit chewies dehydrated sans any added sugar or oil. Kakaw Galleon displayed chocolate truffles that could rival premium chocolatiers, including their own take on the viral Dubai chocolate bar. Pure calamansi powder from the Samahan Ng Organikong Laguna (SOIL) is a must for citrus lovers, but stocks ran out quite quickly.
A crowd favorite was Dream Nature Farm’s fresh ricotta. On the produce side, there were juicy watermelons and dragon fruit, eggplant, tomatoes and even some fiery Carolina reaper chilis. Local artists, and designers even had their wares on display, plus a live session of piña being embroidered on site. On the way out, there are also cakes, pastries and bottled sauces from the Ted’s Diner booth that can’t be missed.
