Cornucopia

Table Conversation: The Other Bicolano Gold

By Anonymous Paul on 18 October, 2009

Daet Pineapples
Daet Pineapples
It seemed like a lifetime ago when a buddy of mine and I spent countless weekends roughing it in faraway towns pursuing a certain water sport. I’d probably need a totally different blog just to detail all the mishaps and adventures we experienced. But one such province we frequented was Daet, Camarines Norte. After some long, tiring sessions in the Pacific Ocean we’d most often have dinner at this Bagasbas beach restaurant called Kusina ni Tita Angel (which served excellent food) and always ordered the sweetest, most refreshing pineapple shakes. Best ever. They were inexpensive at about P10 to P15 a glass. And upon countless inferences came to a conclusion that the mixture didn’t indeed contain any dairy or any other funky ingredients. It was simply made of ice and some Daet pineapples whizzed together in a blender; with just a touch of sugar added, if at all. So we made it a point to bring home some of these pineapples during one trip. And it was like P20 for four pieces. Unbelievable, I know. We brought home a trunk-load.

Some nearly ten years down the road, let’s say yesterday, I was walking along the street, going to the office, when I saw a vendor with a cartload of pineapples. They were small (just slightly bigger than a fist) and smelled so intense you could probably get a whiff of it a block away. While the vendor was peeling some I could see the juices just flowing from the yellow flesh. These were unmistakably from Daet. I bought four pieces for P20. Unbelievably the same price in Manila regardless of transportation costs.

I hurriedly peeled them as I got home and the musky aroma just filled the kitchen. Slicing the fruit was quite a task because of all the slippery nectar but my goodness, the taste just brought back memories. These are probably the sweetest pineapples you can find anywhere. A little bit fibrous, though not as much as its bigger relatives but definitely only the tiniest hint of acidity….if at all. There is indeed more than only one type of gold abundant in Bicol.

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  • OCTOBER 19, 2009 4:54 PM

    zoi said...

    hi paul, my first time to comment here but been following the blog for quite a while now. just want to thank you for writing about daet's pineapple (or labo - where i came from - where this variety is in abundance. now based in canada, you just made me sorely miss this gold of a fruit! btw, have you tried "ginataang pinya with balaw (fermented fish paste, i assume in english). it is to die for!! i always ask my sister from labo to cook this for me and send here via friends coming back.
    thanks again!
    Z

  • OCTOBER 20, 2009 5:02 AM

    anonymous paul said...

    I've not tried the ginataang pinya with balaw but that sounds interesting. like a sweet salty kind of thing. thanks for the tip! been wanting to go back to bicol actually and try other stuff beyond the laings and the bicol expresses.

  • OCTOBER 21, 2009 1:35 PM

    ?u8mypinkc00kies? said...

    must agree.. love the pineapples from Bicol :D

  • OCTOBER 27, 2009 3:53 AM

    solraya said...

    I can taste and smell the pineapples as you were peeling them.

    Where did you get them? You just said near your office...but where can we find this vendor?

    :)

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