Food that binds

 Sampling savory dishes at the Tagaytay Food Festival

By Earl D.C. Bracamonte 

The Tagaytay Food Festival successfully culminated its three-day event at the Taal Vista Hotel. Simply dubbed "Food That Binds," the event celebrated the city as food haven; where friends, families, chefs, and cultures gathered over good food and shared stories.

"This is a convergence of farmers and restaurants. Despite the volcano erupting a few days ago, plus the weather disturbance (with typhoon Crising looming over Luzon), it's the best time to visit Tagaytay as a destination," enthused foodfest co-founder Rhea Sycip.

Daily farmers' kiosks were set-up around the hotel's ballroom area; proffering various farm produce and fresh catch. The three-day foodfest, meanwhile, was a full plate.

At the Grand Tasting spread on the first night, we sampled great dishes from various kitchens. My personal preferences included Morgano's Braised beef, which was tender tasty morsels of meat on rice; cheviche samplers from Gorio's, as well as Paella negra and callos from Asador dos Mestizos.

We found sweet endings from Fatted Calf (an assortment of cookies and pastries), Farmers Table (Buco polvoron crumble pie), and Taal Vista (Pineapple coco panacotta). The Distilleria Limtuaco kiosk provided the evening's deluge of cocktails, with one featuring its globally-renowned Chocolate Liquer called 'Dubai Martini.'

"This is an exciting mix of culinary talents - from comfort food to haute cuisine! This food festival showcases local pride and agricultural abundance. Every bite is a story of heritage. Both gourmets and goirmands found wonder in every artisanal dish," intimated foodfest co-founder Chef JayJay Sycip.

Whether sampling dishes or purchasing farm produce, visitors and attendees to the Tagaytay Food Festival had a memorable gastronomic experience. They were all looking forward to next year's edition.