Introduction
Unit 1 – The Story of the Slopes of Makiling, UPLB’s Planting Ground

This unit introduces the reader to UPLB’s and neighboring communities’
history, past and present landscape and inhabitants food-related folklore (i.e., Maria Makiling lent cooking utensils to folks of Bay but the latter did not return them…) historical tidbits (i.e., food during the Japanese occupation, food served in revolts)
Unit 2 – The Harvests of Elbi

2.1. The Harvests
This chapter presents collective/individual memories of some of LB’s agricultural/processed products (i.e., thoughts of chocomilk from DTRI, LB version of the traditional gumamela bubble recipe, cocktail recipes from Biosci’s honeywine or Food Science’s fruit wines).

2.2. Of Markets and Marketers
This chapter introduces the reader to the food buying practices in the area. The suggested topics include: “pamamalengke” to the uninitiated usual/occasional market lists specifications of the nosy and meticulous
rituals unique to LB shoppers and their shopping preferences character of the different LB markets’ and their special/unique products tales of traditional roadside vendors (i.e., those selling mice, snails, snakes), and hawkers. other activities in the markets (i.e., rummages of UP students)

2.3. Divergent Palates
This chapter orients the reader to the culture of UPLB community members particularly to their diverse roots and itinerant nature spicing up the Los Baños food scene. This section will feature: restaurants in the area (including LB’s dining/take-out capital – Grove) individuals’ and organizations’ favorite recipes with local, regional and international flavors foreign influences and ingredient sources indigenization of regional and international dishes/tastes
favorite foods and caterers in the area

2.4. Taste buds in the Academe
UPLB residents are unique in their foodsense. Through the years they have enjoyed academic environs (including brilliant neighbors, programs and activities) which largely contributed to their being critical, even in the choice of food/diets. This chapter will tell of the various opportunities/events seized by the different UPLB generations which have affected their food practices and health. These include: diet consciousness in LB diet fads that came, went and returned for re-makes food events, nutrition counseling, programs (BIDANI and BIDANI balls) at Institute of Human Nutrition and Food feeding/food distribution (i.e., gift packs during Christmas/fiestas) programs of churches, schools, doctors, adult and student orgs kiddie cooking classes at the CDL (with matching food drawings)
Unit 3 - Partaking in and Celebrating the Bounty

3.1. Inside the Elbi Kitchen
Kitchens in LB, be it in the homes, orghouses, church convents, laboratories and faculty lounges, buzz with activity and interesting conversations. Sights and actions in the kitchens tell and teach a lot of the community’s prevailing culture and that of the old and new schools. This chapter thus shares with the reader essentials of the Elbi kitchen-what is never absent in the cupboard or fridge what variant of this goes into this dish and what doesn’t work some kitchen tips (i.e., measurement of ingredients as in rice, etc) other things done in the kitchen (i.e., concocting herbal stuff in the kitchen, product development) kitchen designs/architecture and kitchen tools.

3.2. Feasting in Los Baños
This chapter will take our readers to dining events of the past and present consumed, relished and celebrated by LB. To be particularly featured in this section are dinners/meals and dinner settings of: church celebrations (there are a handful! – St. Therese, San Antonio de Padua, Church Among the Palms, Victory Church Fellowship, Lakas Angkan, etc) family occasions (i.e., birthdays, anniversaries, milestones—including infants’ and children’s ‘firsts’, graduation, summer breaks, holidays) school reunions, loyalty day picnics civic fundraisers, meetings parties after a cultural show or thesis defense, graduation/recognition parties funerals

We may also include here: tales on etiquette (there was a course offered by Home Tech then regarding social graces) caterers and personalities famous for their parties/food left-over food management use of food waste (i.e., slops, garden use, etc.)

3.3. Extended Feasts
Existent in LB is a culture of eating after a meal. Some students have their after-dinner gimiks (read as B-O-O-Z-E or B-E-A-N-S). A number of yuppies proceed to the coffeeshops, if not to the bars of LB square or Grove. This portion thus describes the food that really punctuates some resident’s meals. Of interest here are: favorite hang-outs (i.e., Agrix, frathouses, watering holes, coffeehouses) best-selling pulutan and alcoholic drinks concocted by students and beerhouses/bars drinking games streetfood at night after-booze shops (i.e., lugawan, 7-11, ministop)
Unit 4 - Sating Appetites, Savoring the Land

This portion will serve as the summary and conclusion of the book (also the food tourism portion of the book). We will leave the reader excited for “pabaons” like buko pie, espasol, etc.

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Each meal comes with a side salad of fresh vegetables.

It’s best to reserve ahead of time as the place cannot accomodate that much people. Phone number is: 09062901680

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Milenyo I

Milenyo II

Magkano pamasahe sa jeep noong undergrad kayo?

Old Chem building fire (kailan nga ba talaga yun?)

Fastfood not so fast…

Any comments?

So one night, my friend and I went barbecue-hopping. We’ve always bought barbecue from Surigao chicken. Unfortunately, Surigao chicken was closing up so we tried the other stalls.  So from one stall to the next, we tasted each one. Not that good though, most are too sweet. The verdict? It’s still Surigao Chicken which serves the best barbecue, not only pork but also chicken (of course), liver and gizzard.Dip in sweet soy sauce with loads of chili – it will surely satisfy your cravings any day!

The best way to eat it? Have it delivered at Jungle Java (on their tables outside or near the bar stools) and drink the night away.

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And by the way, it also a good idea to befriend a Thai student. You will surely be invited to a Thai feast.

• Sembreak means most of the shops were close. No Ellen’s fried chicken for a week, no LB Square gimik – ang tahimik sa campus!
• But I do like this time of the year, with the campus so quiet, it’s like having the campus to myself for a week. When I stayed at IH, I usually go to the field early morning bringing my cup of coffee. Very few joggers and no jeepneys that early – so peaceful.
• Signs of Christmas are here – from Crossing where there is a shop dubbed “Divisoria ng Los Banos” to the putong bumbong stall just outside UP Gate to Christmas songs on the radio. Soon there’ll Christmas decorations, the Carabao Park will be decorated with the Belen, Parolan and Apo Run!
• The first time I had buko pie, it was only 25 pesos. I think it’s 150 pesos per box now.
• I remember we had a one-eyed cat at Womens’. We called him Garfield. In IH, there is a dog named Adobo.
• Had sukiyaki and sushi for dinner with friends at Komeshi, the Japanese resto at Raymundo Gate. Good thing there is a variety of food to eat here in Los Banos. Some must-try: Paella Valenciana at Bonito’s (order a day before), Italian pasta dishes at Joes in Umali, chicken sisig at Conga (Agrix), seafood salad at Namjai Thai, chicken with nuts at Ning’s Thai.
• Enrollment again next week. In graduate school, one unit costs 1000 pesos!
• Mudspring and Peak Two are close for a few months since Milenyo came.
• Campus figures? Would you believe me if I tell you that one famous figure from Humanities, a professor always clad in Barong Tagalog and quite ancient then but has since retired now dons a sporty attire -with bike, cycling shorts and goggles?
• Anymore scary stories to tell?
• Need to get in touch with UPLB people or look up directory? Check out UPLB’s website: http://www.uplb.edu.ph

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Tita Melba’s is located at Ruby St., Umali Subd. Just go by Raymundo Gate,

Back then in Los Baños, a cup of brewed coffee was difficult to be had. That’s why I relish the thought of going to IRRI library to research(as an excuse, hehehe) then having a cup of brewed coffee in IRRI’s cafeteria. It cost around 1.50 then, with milk and sugar already. Now, it costs around 7 pesos and it tastes so bland.

There are other options though. If you find yourself at IRRI, they have a coffee shop that offers freshly brewed coffee, cakes, pastries and pasta. It is operated by Bean Hub, which has another branch at Vega Mall. A cup of barako coffee is only 20 pesos. Good enough to wake you up.

Outside the UP Gate, just walk along Grove and you will find coffee shops dotting Lopez Avenue all the way to Agapita. Among the notable ones are Bean Hub (Vega Mall and IRRI), Coffee Blends (in front of Agrix), Ristretto (Agapita), Isis (LB Square) and Café Amalia (Agapita). They also offer pasta, sandwiches and cakes to complement your coffee experience. Coffee Blends, Isis and Ristretto close quite late so they are good choices to go for after-dinner coffee.

For a coffeholic like me, going to coffee shops could be very expensive. So I got my own coffee maker and brew my own coffee. I have one at the apartment and maintain the office coffee maker. This poses another quest as to what coffee should I buy for brewing. As much as possible, I try to buy locally produced coffee. So far I’ve tried kapeng barako from Batangas, Aguinaldo blend from Cavite, Benguet Gold from Benguet and Monks Blend from Bukidnon. I get coffee as pasalabung from abroad and my favorite is the Don Francisco Vanilla Nut coffee I usually request from my cousins. From Quebec, where I went to recently, I got to talking about coffee with a French-Canadian and she gave me a bag of coffee granules from a Quebecoise cafe.

But those branded coffees are still expensive. Fortunately, I have discovered that Robinson’s supermarket sells barako coffee beans and they can grind it for you. It is by far, the best barako coffee I have tasted.

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