Paras: The Tayag Touch
By Mina Paras
Spectrum
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
THE Tayags of Angeles City share three things: they all love good food, they all play tennis, and they all study at UP. Thus, many of them are involved in either food production and/or retail (Mother Earth of Abong, the restaurant of Carmen “Meng” McTavish in Clark (now closed), Doren’s cakes. They also produced a chef in the family, Claude. Let’s not forget that the long running most popular restaurant Trellis in Quezon City has Abong’s cousin Dan Tayag for a partner, and Dan and Vina’s (Ocampo) two children are also now chefs.
My classmate and barkada through high school, Doren, used to bring me home for lunch when we were in Grade 6. We just had to cross the street from Holy Family Academy to their house by the brook, aptly named Brookside. This was later donated to Angeles City where the library now stands. Their mother, Adoracion (Doren’s namesake) was probably used to having friends of her children over for a meal. And the table was always full with various dishes, and that’s how I got my first taste of the Tayag touch.
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Mang During, 90, passed away last week after a lingering illness, most of the time at the ICU of the Philippine Heart Center, where, komareng Ely Narciso (a former director of the CDC) said, half in jest, that the family already had one post of the hospital in their name.
Doren related that, though there were plenty of offers for the siblings — all 12 of them — to stay at their brother’s house, very near the hospital, and other friends’ houses in Quezon City, the siblings declined all the offers and opted to stay close to their mother during her confinement.
Doren told me that they got the room next to the ICU, where the ones from Angeles City could take showers, change clothes and rest, like in a hotel. Except that this was not a hotel, and the only way they could get a room was if someone among them was, ah, confined for a checkup.
Do said it was Atching Meng (married to Bruce McTavish and you all know who he is) who opted to be the one. “Sometimes they would look for her and she’s out,” Doren smiles. “The nurses had to get her vitals every so often during the day.”
I got to know many of the children in later years, when the family had moved to Villa Gloria, where some of the best tennis players play.
Most of all, I came to know Claude when he was just starting to paint. I’d tell friends from Manila, ‘Oh, I knew Claude when he was in short pants.’ It’s true, though. Claude, who’s become not only a noted painter, but also a sculptor and furniture designer, chef of the first caliber, author and food columnist. I remember Claude saying that his father, the late Renato ‘Katoks’ Tayag encouraged him to try writing; the first published piece he wrote was about his father. Now Claude has a book to his name.
Used to be, Claude’s wife Mary Anne (from the Quiocs of Mabalacat) told me that eating at wakes was not encouraged. Before, and even now, only the barest was served: hard candies, coffee, juice in tetrapacks, cupcakes, and the ubiquitous butong pakwan. Customs and traditions change and people started serving real food. “I think it started in Bacolor,” Maryanne says.
Now, especially among the well-heeled, food is catered.
It’s funny, but if I ever do a food article on the best dishes, I’d include some I tasted in wakes. Like the super yummy bibingka and puto bungbung which I sampled during the wakes of Chichos’ mother Mrs. Leonor Luciano, and komareng Tessie Villarama’s mom. Were I not overcome with hiya and a waistline that was bulging out of my pants, I would have gotten second helpings of everything.
Then there’s Claude’s arroz caldo or lelot, where you ladle the rice broth in your bowl, then pile on the ingredients that you like — mine was chicken and some tokwa’t baboy — the toasted garlic and the thinly sliced parsley. I was about to put some patis on my bowl, but Claude stopped me. “You must try this,” he said, pouring on a suka with garlic “which is first press,” he added “and it’s called tulo”. The effect was fabulous. Refreshing broth with bits of chicken and tiny crispy pork. Toby de la Cruz, a cousin of Maryanne, remarked: “I may never be satisfied with any other lelot again.”
Back to Mang During, Claude long ago told me that his late father told his children that the best thing that he did for them was choosing their mother, the former Adoracion Suarez. That is the sweetest thing one can ever say of a loved one.
Source: http://www.sunstar.com.ph/pampanga/opinion/2011/06/08/paras-tayag-touch-160084
Residents or Manila travel out of town to head north to Pampanga to relax, unwind and spend a few nights in the new hotel rooms situated right on the lake of Clearwater Resort in Clark Airbase. Many visitors and tourists enjoy the feeling of waking up by the lake. The sunrise produces a spectacular sight with the sunlight reflection on the calm surface of the three-hectare fresh water lake of this famous resort in Clark.
Families with small children prefer outdoor hotel in Manila, clean and safe place in Pampanga Clark to bring kids to relax and unwind. Outdoor space is an important criterion affecting the selection of a suitable hotel in Clark Pampanga for family bonding or to relax and unwind with friends. Best hotel in Clark Pampanga offers good outdoor facilities, large picnic grounds, lake and beach and other outdoor amenities making it possible for guests of this frequently visited hotel in Clark to relax and unwind with no stress.
The safest getaway destination vacation spot near Manila convenient safe and accessible is Clearwater Beach Resort in Clark Pampanga, great for family bonding, hang out to unwind and relax near lake and trees, camping too.
When in Clark, make plans to relax and enjoy an evening at The London Pub located in Mimosa Leisure Estate of Clark Pampanga. This highly recommended resto bar where all the local executives of Pampanga, local and foreign tourists visiting Angeles City, Subic and Clark Philippines gather after a full day of fun or work.
The London Pub is a very popular resto bar for residents, tourists, business executives and visitors from Manila to hang out, drink, relax and unwind after work or a game of golf during the day. Fine English cuisine, family comfort food is served. It is also very famous for the best fish n chips in the Philippines.
http://www.LondonPubClark.com
This web site contains articles and information that will be helpful to visitors, residents and tourists traveling out of town from Manila on a short getaway to Subic, Angeles City, Pampanga and Clark Philippines. There are several web sites that contain information that might also be pertinent to what is happening in North Luzon, Subic, Tarlac, Pampanga, Clark Freeport Philippines.
Wedding couples looking for wedding reception venues and beach wedding venues can log on to this Philippines Wedding Venue web site for free information and assistance:
Yats International Leisure Philippines
For assistance with lodgings, accommodations, hotels and resorts near Manila in Subic, Pampanga, Angels City and Clark Philippines log on to http://www.HotelClarkPhilippines.com
While in Clark, one might as well add to the itinerary a visit to the famous Clark Wine Center, the largest wine shop in Philippines which offers over 2000 selections of fine vintage wine from all wine regions, vintages spanning over 50 years covering all price ranges.
http://www.ClarkWineCenter.com
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