Friday, February 10, 2012

Turon de Bohol and Halo-halo


All along, I thought the turon I frequently buy when in Quiapo was the best.  That was until my niece treated me to a Turon de Bohol at Saffron's. Incredibly delicious it was!

And then there's also Saffron's halo-halo served in a coconut shell.  Not only does it make a delightful dessert, or a refreshing merienda treat, the serving is quite plentiful, too.  I dare you finish one all by yourself! 


Merienda is a much favored pastime by Filipinos.  It is often served at four in the afternoon; however, at households that begin their day at the break of dawn, there can be a merienda served around ten in the morning.  

Typical merienda fares can be pandesal sandwiches, noodles, and salads.  There’s also soup like congee or arroz caldo, bachoypancit molo; and dinuguan served with puto; and different kinds of sweets. Tea, coffee or soft drinks are offered as refreshments.

Moreover, some of the most popular local merienda fares are made with glutinous rice and coconut  But then again, all in all they can be almost  anything: bibingkang cassava (cassava cake), cuchinta (steamed rice cake with lye water), palitaw (sweet rice dumplings), puto keso (steamed muffins with cheese), pichi-pichi,  biko (sticky rice cake with caramel topping), emapanda (meat turnovers), guinataang mais (corn in coconut milk), maruya (banana fritters),ensaymada (cheese buns), and siopao (steamed buns with filling).

Replica of a 19th-century ice box
Now, going back to Turon de Bohol and halo-halo, whenever enjoying these treats here in Bohol, I couldn't help but wonder when ice, or blocks of it, arrived for the first time in this region.  I may never find out due to my limited access to historical data on Bohol, but I have a fairly good idea when it arrived in old Manila (Intramuros).  It was when the country was still under Spanish rule.

Blocks of ice were imported from Boston back then.  Smaller chunks of which would then be delivered house-to-house wrapped in cloth or rice husks on a horse-drawn cart. A typically-affluent household back then spent about a thousand pesos a month to get a daily delivery.

The fortunate owners of ice boxes (as in above photo) were not the only ones able to buy and store ice during that time. According to Ambeth Ocampo, the alternative method used to store a block of ice was wrapping it with a blanket and then putting it in the part of the house which was least cool, or inside a dry closet without any circulating air. Supposedly, with the exception of the sun and fire, whatever will keep a man warm will keep ice cold.

Also, according to Ocampo, the ice came from the Boston Lakes, famous of which was Wenham Lake ice. It was so pure and very clean, as well as stayed cool longer than other ices. It also proved suitable for putting in one’s drink or mixing with food. Hence the reason why the imported ice that Manilans enjoyed then came all the way from Boston.

But of more interest was the fact that had it not been the export of ice to India, in which Manila happened to be along the route, local folks back then would have never experienced any chilled refreshments or sorbet. 

Ocampo wrote, “On Average, the trip from Boston to Calcutta took 103 days; the record breaking time was 86 days. Now, how much of ice melted? Well, to give you an idea, only 38 tons of ice reached Calcutta from the original 160 tons that left Boston. It was a loss of 76 percent, but the Tudor Ice Company still made money. It must have been very profitable, because it was not long before Tudor had about a dozen competitors.”

Before Manila's ice age, the locals enjoyed a glass of water cooled in an earthenware tapayan. Ocampo knew about this. What he was unable to find from archives and old newspapers were firsthand accounts of the Filipino’s first encounter with ice. He believes that such stories would definitely make an interesting footnote in our cultural history.

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Source:
The Ice Man Cometh by Ambeth Ocampo
Anvil Publishing 1993


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53 comments:

  1. I was just wondering myself the other day where, when and how halo-halo originated. this indeed somehow provides light to that burning question i had :D

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    1. Hi KM! Glad the post was of some help to you.

      Cheers!

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  2. Your list of merienda makes me drool! Ang sasarap :-) And turon is one of my favorites. Those in your photo look crunchy yum.

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    1. Iba talaga ang mga Pinoy merienda, hindi ba, Iska? Ang sasarap!

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  3. I should taste this Turon. I have been here in Bohol for a year now but haven't gone to Saffron yet. Probably, after I give birth, I'll pay Saffron a visit :)

    Thanks for sharing. Mine is here

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    1. It is delicious, Mylene!

      Those sea shells you mentioned in your blog look really tasty. What I'm on the lookout for here in Bohol is the rumpi fish. They say it is incredibly delectable, especially when cooked as tinola with tanglad.

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  4. Sarap nung turon!!! did you try Bohol Bee Farm's halo-halo? sarap!!

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    1. Not yet but now that you mentioned it, I most definitely will. I overdosed on their ice cream, though ... hehe.

      Cheers!

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  5. You know I love turon, too, but I haven't tried eating it with ice cream. That halo-halo in coconut shell is delightful!

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    1. Same with me, Tetcha. The apple pie a la mode was the only dessert with a scoop of ice cream that I've eaten . . . and will always love. But then came Turon de Bohol. My world changed.

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  6. I like the Ice Box. Nice piece to have at home. And I'd love to try that turon my favorite merienda. What's that budbod all around? Peanuts?

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    1. The budbod are peanut and egg white cookie crumbs. The peanut and egg white cookies are shaped like Kisses chocolates, and they are one of the most popular pasalubong items coming from Bohol.

      As for the ice box, it would make an interesting collectible item, wouldn't it?

      Cheers!

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  7. I always want to try that turon with ice cream but I can't coz if I, Mj will take that order as well and she is not allowed yet sigh BTW here's my entry for FTF Sahm’s Dining Diary

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    1. Oh, okay. You wouldn't want her to eat something she is not yet allowed. But it is heavenly, though :)

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  8. That looks so perfect! Miss eating turon and other pinoy snacks..

    Visiting for RT 2- hope you can stop by:)

    http://www.cassandrasminicorner.com/2012/02/caterpillar-stuff-toy.html

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    1. If you're in the States, there's got to be a Pinoy eatery there somewhere. And if there is one, certainly, they are serving Pinoy merienda fares.

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  9. looks yummy, i feel hungry all of this look special! i follow you hope you could visit me here and follow me too! thanks Wifey Online Diary

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    1. That's what Food Trip Friday is doing to me ... making me feel hungry with all those foods that everyone is posting ... hehe.

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  10. That sure looks yum!! I've tried Filipino cuisine only once, I thoroughly enjoyed it!

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    1. They sure are, Geetlee. Quite popular amongst Pinoys.

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  11. You are truly correct with the choice of words that you choose to describe the type of merienda that a Filipino would enjoy eating and would feel happiness after enjoying those delicious merienda.. I truly admire you, you give learning to your readers.

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    1. Thank you! Just hope they appreciate my trivias :)

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  12. Yes, these desserts are very rich ... beautiful pictures. Greetings.

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  13. I did not know they import ice from Boston during that era! I wonder why did not just get it from Japan, which is so much closer.

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    1. Japan was closed to the rest of the world at that time, bertN. And those who ventured uninvited were usually held prisoners and summarily executed.

      One of those who suffered such fate was a Filipino, San Lorenzo Ruiz, a Chinoy. He was beatified by Pope John Paul II in Manila and later canonized on October 28, 1987. He holds the distinction of being the first person beatified outside the Vatican. He also holds the honor of being the first Filipino saint, the "most improbable of saints," as Pope John Paul II described him during the canonization ceremony. He is the patron saint of Binondo Church in Manila.

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  14. Wow! That's quite the dessert! Great and colorful. :)

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  15. turon ala mode looks fabulous! and the halo-halo is mouth-watering---a marriage of east and west. imported ice---what an innovation in that era.

    welcome to FTF, tito Eric. love this post.:p

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    1. Thank you, Luna! With all these memes I've been joining, I am now all over the place ... hehe!

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  16. Yummy. I want to eat them soon. :)

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    1. Just come on over to Panglao Island, cocomino :)

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  17. yummilicious halo-halo ha ha...but I am not turon eater coz i don't like the crispy wrapper. If ever kakain ako ng turon, huhubaran ko muna lol.

    Visiting from FTF.

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    1. Might as well just go for the good old banana cue, Kat ... hehe! Ako naman, I love the textures of the crispy wrapper and the soft banana. Same with lumpiang toge.

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  18. i am not exaggerating!!! i was teary-eyed at the sight of Halo2x and that toron! I sooo miss that!! I wonder when will I be able to go home to Pinas? sigh! homesick! thanks for the visit..

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    1. Hala! You might have to order the bottled ingredients (red monggo, langka, kaong, nata de coco, etc.) from Pinas. As for the ice shaver, there has got to be an oriental store where you are ... they may carry it. Then you can make your own halo-halo. As for the turon, you may have just to wait until you come back for vacation.

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  19. Unfortunately, not in the state where I live. It is very hard to find any pinoy snacks here maybe in California.. Anyway, I'm back for FTF!

    Hope you can stop by:)

    http://www.mommys4seasonsjourney.com/2012/02/meat-loaf.html

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    1. Oh I see, Leah. Just wait until you come back home for a visit, Leah.

      Ok, will check out your site now.

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  20. That's looks like a really cool dessert to try. I should try it the next time I visit the Phililippines. The last time we were there we went down to Cebu.

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    1. These are fabulous Pinoy desserts, Dominique, and you've got to try them. Panglao Island is not too far off from Cebu.

      Cheers!

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  21. that ube ice cream in real buko looks heavenly. Darn, I'm missing it terribly :)

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    1. Better take some time off to smell the buko, BW. Hope your relatives here are all right after that nasty earthquake. Come home even for a quick vacation and indulge on local foods :)

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  22. Turon or as what my son called, Banana roll is one of his favorite afternoon snack too.and thanks to your article,I learned something new about Halo-Halo.
    Welcome to FTF and Thanks for joining!!!!

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    1. The pleasure is mine, FTF!

      Your son is quite smart :)

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  23. the halo-halo looks refreshing, miss it very much :-( Returning the visit from FTF.

    http://www.adventurousjessy.com/2012/02/our-foods-at-the-chuck-e-cheese.html

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    1. And I can eat halo-halo here anytime ... hehehe! Time for you for a blaikbayan vacation :)

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  24. I will feature your Halo-Halo for this week's Food Feature at FTF. Thanks again for joining and hope to see you again this week.

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  25. turon and halo-halo looks so perfect...sarap! lalo ko po tuloy na-miss ang mga pagkaing Pinoy, hayyy! walang kaparis! thanks din for sharing information about it. :) visiting late from FTF, hope to see you around. thanks and have a great week.

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  26. Bohol is on the list on our vacation back to Pinas and we are definitely going. I have to find that place by then. Love pinoy food for sure and I miss it. Halu-halo is one of the food that I miss so much! Oh I bet I can finish the entire setting myself. hahahaha... Thanks for stopping by!

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    1. My pleasure, Adin! And hope you come and visit Pinas soon!

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  27. Turon and Halo2 are two of my favorite Filipino foods!! and they are served together?? That's too good to be true! :) haha.. thanks for the visit. Here to return some love, though a bit late!

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    1. No, they are not served together, Raya. That would be too much :)

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