Pancit Bato of Camarines Sur

Pancit bato packaged in plastic.

Cooked pancit bato.

Pancit bato translates to "rock noodles," but the name has nothing to do with stones. Pancit bato is actually a type of noodles from the town of Bato in Camarines Sur, where the famous Lake Bato may be found. It is made of flour and heat-dried. It's been said that this is traditionally done under the sun over stones, but the commercial way of doing it is to use oven or furnace heat.

The dry noodles are shaped into blocks and packaged in plastic. It used to be that only the original pancit bato was available in stores, there are now several varieties or flavors offered for sale like Malunggay, Kalabasa (Squash), and Carrot. These make for tasty choices to satisfy different palates who want to taste something different from the usual pancit bihon and canton fare.

Cooking pancit bato is easy as it is also the same way pancit canton is prepared. It also uses the same ingredients and cooked pretty much with the same steps. The noodles are immersed in hot water until soft. They are then drained of water. After that, the vegetables (chopped carrot, cabbage, etc.), chicken liver, and seasonings are added. When cooked, pancit bato is best served and eaten while hot.

Pancit bato factory and store along the highway of Bato town.

Pancit bato can be bought in store-factories along the highway in the town of Bato. Just pull over when you see a store. They're near the turn to Iriga.

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Cream Dory Fish Farm in CamSur, Philippines

Mr. Galicia of the cream dory fish farm in Pamukid, San Fernando, Bicol.

Are you looking for cream dory fish for sale in the Philippines? Being an archipelago, the Philippines is a country with lots of fish and sea food. But one thing that's not native to it is the Cream Dory (Pangasius) fish, which is related to the catfish. In recent years fish and sea food traders have brought in the Cream Dory fish which is now bred locally in farms like the one in Pamukid, San Fernando, Camarines Sur in Bicol. It's all about Bicol being a perfect place to farm the fish. For many fans of fish in the Philippines, this is good news as the Cream Dory is something of a celebrity with it's exquisite taste that's perfect for many fish recipes. It already becoming as popular as the ubiquitous Tilapia.

Cream Dory Fish Iriga-style Sinigang Recipe 

The Cream Dory, a freshwater fish, used to flourish in the Mekong river in Vietnam. Because this river is polluted, it's been wrongly given the reputation as a toxic fish. But really, it's not the fish that's dirty - it's the water. So enterprising people did something that sent the Cream Dory to an all time high in the popularity level. They farmed the fish. Now, Cream Dory fish is being served as part of expensive dishes in countries like the Philippines.

Farmers are taking notice and they see a big sea food trading market opening up as the Cream Dory become better known to Filipinos (although it's a freshwater fish). Already it's being sold at SM supermarkets and restaurant chains. With Cream Dory fish farms being established in the Philippines like this one in and about Bicol (just beside the highway near the giant sardine can billboard in Pamukid), the Cream Dory fish and sea food traders will likely find new food outlets to supply. As prices go down, more Filipinos will be enjoying this delicious fish as a dinner table staple. Cream Dory fish is best served steamed with light soy sauce and leeks.

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Emerald Grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes in Iriga, Camarines Sur, Bicol Offers Panoramic View

In Iriga, in Camarines Sur in the Bicol region in the Philippines, there's a hill called Calvario. It is where the Emerald Grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes in Iriga can be found. During the Tinagba festival held in February, the first harvests of the season are offered here. In Lent, a crucifixion play is held here.

There is a convention center at the foot of the grotto and a hotel. You can go to the top of the grotto after severl flights of stairs. At the top is an altar, which reminds you of the altar of a church. The statue of the Virgin Mary is to the right, set in the concrete wall. Below the altar is where tourists and locals usually congregate to socialize and to experience the grand view of Mt. Iriga and a few distant mountains, including the famous Mt. Mayon in Legaspi City.

The grotto is accessible through two big gates. If the one beside the hotel is closed, visitors will have to go around to enter from the other side. A guard goes around every once in a while, but the security usually cannot keep up with the activities of people going up to the altar, where debris accumulates. Near dusk,  the lights are switched on which allows the grotto to be a visible emerald gem from a distance.

 

The Secret of Fr.Ludovico Acernese (1835-1916) Diocesan Priest Padua, OFM Cap. / Rediscovering his Historical-Spiritual Journey / Claretian Publications