Pinangat is a famous native chili-hot delicacy of the town of Camalig. A vegetable dish cooked in

coconut milk mixed with select spices and its most important ingredient, the TARO (gabi in Filipino and natong in Bicol) leaves.

Story Behind Pinangat

Camalig as a second class town is one of the most picturesque and the earliest town founded in 1569 in the Province of Albay. It is situated approximately 8, 000 feet below the crater of Mount Mayon, the world renowned volcano because of its most perfect cone. It is composed of fifty barangays nestled

among the verdant fields and rolling hills where gabi plants grow abundantly. These are the plants from which the tender leaves are gathered and made into pinangat, which is Bicol’s gastronomic delight and a signature dish as well. Local gourmets are easily agreed that none can equal the quality of pinangat in Camalig. Whenever visitors come to Bicol, the first thing they invariably look for is their favorite pinangat from Camalig. Even balikbayans do not fail to take home

along with them to their host country a box or two of frozen pinangat as pasalubong. That’s how popular and special Camalig pinangat is as a food dish.

How to Prepare Pinangat?

Pinangat is a nutritious vegetable dish whose main ingredient includes

shredded gabi leaves, a bit of red ginger, tiny shrimps (balaw) or a slice of salted fish

(kanduli) or pork. Crushed pepper (siling labuyo) is added to the mixture to make the

pinangat hot. The entire recipe is then wrapped in gabi leaves and tied in small bundles.

These are placed in a palayok and cooked in coconut milk.

Pinangat is definitely a palate teaser, appetizing and yummy. It is in fact the pride of Camalig.

By history and even in the Ibalong Epic, Baltog planted the best variety of gabi in Tondol which is now known as Tondo, a sitio of Barangay Tagaytay in Camalig, Albay. In other words, the advent of pinangat was brought about by such event giving a good source of the product which has been a custom of the people in the locality to make it an ordinary viand.

Considering therefore the delicacy, the people increase greatly the production and make it as a potential source of their livelihood which grew into commercial proportion.

At present, pinangat made in Camalig is considered as signature dish and gastronomic delight in the Bicol Region which is now palatably accepted internationally.

Pinangat is one of Bicol’s trademark food other than the pilinut and its various incarnations and Bicol express, to name a few. Made from gabi leaves mixed with gata (coconut extract). Camalig in Albay is known for this delectable dish. It comes in hot and not so hot versions. Pinangat placed inside a large steamer to cook. Tied up with coconut leaves and ready to be eaten.

Source: the official website of Camalig, Albay

____________________________

THE OFFICIAL WEBSITE OF CAMALIG ALBAY : www.camalig.gov.ph

It proven once again that the beauty of our place is worldwide choice.  Year ago the Survivor choose the Caramoan to be their venue in one of their episode, maybe because of it exotic and paradise like island. But today it was proven that it  was not only Caramoan has international beauty but Legaspi City have it too. The Amazing Race Asia Season 4 choose the Legaspi City as one of their segment location. It only shows that BICOL Region is now gaining its popularity in terms of tourism and culture worldwide. 

Do you want to watch the full episode of Amazing Race in Legaspi City? Click here

Survivor (Survivor is a reality television game show format produced in many countries throughout the world. In the show, contestants are isolated in the wilderness and compete for cash and other prizes. The show uses a system of progressive elimination, allowing the contestants to vote off other tribe members until only one final contestant remains and wins the title of "Sole Survivor". The format for Survivor was created in 1992 by British television producer Charlie Parsons.)

Amazing Race Asia Season 4(The Amazing Race is a reality television game show in which teams of two people, who have some form of a preexisting personal relationship, race around the world in competition with other teams. Contestants strive to arrive first at "pit stops" at the end of each leg of the race to win prizes and to avoid coming in last, which carries the possibility of elimination or a significant disadvantage in the following leg (segment). Contestants travel to and within multiple countries in a variety of transportation modes, including planes, balloons, helicopters, trucks, bicycles, taxicabs, rental cars, trains, buses, boats, and by foot.)

__________________________________________________________________________

Looking for Hotel Accommodation? click here to view our Hotel Directory 

Embarcadero de Legazpi

by Ronald Redito (click here to check his website)

Embarcadero de Legazpi is strategically situated at the heart of Legazpi Port Area, Legazpi City-a first class partially-urban city, capital of Albay province. Noted for having one of the most organized road network and public transport, Legazpi City gives easier and convenient access for Embarcadero for the commuting public – be it jeepneys (from various points of the Albay province to Legazpi City), trimobiles (from specific barangays of Legazpi, and buses (from other Bicol Provinces and the Metro Manila).

Legazpi City is 55 minutes away from Manila via air transport and 10 hours via land transport – and Embarcadero is a mere 10-minute drive from the City Bus Terminal. Embarcadero is comprised of retail, restaurants, markets, a major civic space and landmark lighthouse, with a future waterfront hotel and spa, and an Information Technology (IT) Park with an estimated 8,000-seat Call Center. Embarcadero will “activate” the waterfront creating an attractive and vibrant focus for the city’s leisure and lifestyle activities with selected business areas operational 24/7.

Embarcadero will function as a waterfront promenade, with theatrical lighting and performance spaces creating a lively, family friendly environment during the day and at night.

It “soft” opened last July 18, 2009. Operational businesses include: Kitaro, Tapa King, La Mia Tazza Café, Mercury Drug, Harbour Wok, Bigg’s Diner, Gerry’s Grill,

Here are some photos when my girl friend and I had the chance to visit the place. It is also one of my favorite place to work. I can just bring my laptop and stay at La Mia Tazza where there is FREE Wifi.

5 Habits to Break Before It's Too Late 

by Momlogic.com, on Mon Oct 19, 2009 7:03am PDT

by JJ Virgin

"Someday," you say, "I'm going to get myhealth back on track, after this next project," or "whenI get back from my cruise," or "when the kids get a little older" ... C'mon, you know your listof reasons -- or what I call EXCUSES -- better than I.

Look, if you're waiting for some magical day to appear, youjust may be waiting forever. These days do not "show up";you show up for THEM. I have identified five critical areas, badhabits that many people mindlessly follow. Do you realize that eachand every day of your life that you do not reverse these dangeroustrends, you get farther and farther from your ultimate goal ofliving a fulfilling life?

Take a look at each area, determine how you stack up,and then make the fix today:

1) Stealing from sleep:Studies show that a minimum of seven to nine hours of uninterruptedsleep (at night) are essential for health. Sleep is the time whenyour body repairs and recovers from all of the metabolicprocesses that your body performs every second. Sleepsupports healthy weight management, raises growthhormone, and heals the adrenals. If you are watching TV, working onyour PC, or otherwise stimulating yourself so that you are unableto go to sleep by 11 PM, then establish the Power Down Hour andturn to more relaxing activities like baths, light novels, orcuddling with a loved one (or pet!) at least an hour or two beforebedtime. Then ... retrain yourself to sleep through the night.

2) Skipping breakfast: How many times do you find yourself dashingout the door to start your day, only to discover that you forgot toeat? Listen, your body has just "fasted" overnight,and in order to fuel yourself for the day (and lower stresshormones), you must eat a balanced meal that includes proteins,fats, and carbohydrates. Otherwise, your body will turn on itselffor fuel, and it isn't fat but muscle that it's going totarget ... which will cascade into a very nasty sequence of healthconsequences that will make you fat, old, and tired before yourtime.

3) Blowing off exercise: If you think you can manage your health andweight through dietary means alone, it won't work. Period. Exercise is crucial for stimulating proper physical andhormonal response necessary for building muscle and bone, burningfat, letting you sleep, keeping you young, giving you energy -- thelist is endless. More important is the CORRECT type of exercise,which involves high-intensity interval training, along withresistance workouts. If you can't find 20-30 minutes a day toincorporate these exercises into your life (oh yeah, that is ALLyou need, by the way), then you can kiss your health goodbye.

4) Noshingat night: Strapping on the feedbag in the eveningsbasically signals your body to hold off on burning existing fatstores, raises stress hormones before bedtime, and screws up yourbody's natural digestive processes at a time when it should beready to shut down and repair. If you are eating in ahormonally-balanced way during your evening meal, there isabsolutely no need to munch afterward.

5) Not counting your beverages: One of the craziest things I encounter inmy work is the lack of consideration of high-calorie, high-sugardrinks in the diet. Yes, those healthy "Jumbo Juices,"designer coffee slurpees (hey, they may as well be, given all thesugar in them), and those harmless little cocktails every night,especially those fruit-flavored martini and tequila drinks, canreally pack on the pounds in a hurry. Make the switch to healthieroptions like iced green tea -- or, my favorite, Emergen-C -- forsome sparkling mineral replacements that not only satisfy, but alsofuel and nourish!