A Silay Treasure -- Emma Lacson's Pili Squares

I discovered a Silaynon treasure that I think will keep me going back to this wonderful city time and again. For the simple reason that this treasure can be found only in one place, in one house in Silay.

I speak of those tidbits of ambrosial goodness -- Emma Lacson's Pili Squares.

This small, elegantly designed maroon box hides a confectionary triumph.

The pili squares are mildly nutty, moist, chewy, buttery yet not cloying or oily. A box contains pre-cut 2 inch long bars that have a flaky, thin crust on the bottom.

Surprisingly, the bars are also not too sweet -- something that I cannot say for most of Negros' candies and pastries -- which definitely adds to their delectable taste.

I have had pili mazapan and pili pastries in Bicol -- where it is acclaimed as the regional delicacy but nothing I have tasted in Bicol compares to this Silaynon treat.

You can buy these delicacies from the old Lacson heritage house in Silay City, right along the main road, across a BPI bank branch. Just knock on the green gate and someone will let you in.

We were led up right to the kitchen on the second floor. I saw the tin pans and the ovens that are used in making the pili squares. This huge steel topped table is where the bars are cooled and sliced before they are wrapped in foil and boxed.

This old heavy duty mixer is still in use and has probably churned out millions of pili squares since this delicacy has been around since 1925.

Emma Lacson passed away last year but her daughter continues to make the pili squares from her mother's secret recipe.

The Lacson kitchen is comforting in its homespun simplicity. While we wait for orders, something good is cooking and the smells waft across the room.

Laden with boxes of pili squares (which somehow are never quite enough once you get home and start eating them), we make the long trek down the steep stairs outside the house.

The stairs are quite high and we have to make sure not to trip or slip -- not so much for our safety we joke, but for the safekeeping of the precious bundles of Emma Lacson's Pili Squares.

Going back in time -- Hacienda Rosalia in Manapla

One of the very special experiences I enjoyed this past trip to Bacolod was to have visited the old Gaston mansion, centerpiece of Hacienda Rosalia in Manapla, an hour's drive away from Bacolod City.

The Gaston Mansion, a cultural heritage house in Negros, sometimes opens its doors to private groups. It can be arranged that lunch will be served by the household staff as part of the tour.

We were fortunate that our tour guide, the aforementioned Bambi Borromeo, was a good friend of the current resident and owner of the Gaston Mansion -- no less than the esteemed retired prelate, Monsignor Guillermo Gaston.

Perhaps Bambi said, he might be home and we would meet him during lunch.

The Gaston Mansion may look familiar to you, if you have seen Peque Gallaga's 1982 masterpiece, Oro Plata Mata.

This stately and elegant house hidden within the heart of Hacienda Rosalia is set amidst lush, verdant grounds.

The gorgeous garden is a study in disheveled orderliness. Flowers, shrubs, trees, potted palms, herbs -- a riot of color and greenery!

We were amazed upon entering the second floor dining room.

The long, 24 seater antique wooden table was formally set for five.

Crystal stemware, antique silverware, fine china and linen napkins brought back visions of a bygone age when people still saw mealtimes as formal occasions.

It was going to be a very special lunch.

And special it was indeed! Monsignor Gaston was at home and very kindly stayed with us over lunch, regaling us with stories of the Hacienda, the mansion, his studies, travels and experiences.

The conversation was stimulating and scintillating -- I closed my eyes and imagined that I was taking part in a tertulia, the setting was just so right!

Monsignor Gaston has found culinary acclaim among his friends for his French Onion soup. His many years in France during his younger days helped him master this classic french recipe.

The table just outside the dining room, on the breezy azotea overlooking the garden, was laid out with a buffet of the house specialties. While it was Monsignor who cooked our soup, his staff have been trained to prepare the traditional recipes handed down from generations of Gastons.

Each dish was identified by a handwritten place card.

The rice was elegantly presented, molded into a perfect round and sprinkled with finely chopped herbs, taken from the garden.

We were served tender pork chops, cooked in olive oil and with tomatoes and a lively, piquant mustard sauce.

Another traditional Gaston heirloom dish was the Adobo Milyonario.

The everyday chicken and pork adobo had been simmered and stewed till falling off the bone tender. Lightly sauced with drippings, garlic, soy sauce and olive oil -- it was transformed into a dish fit for the most discerning palate!

While I no longer eat meat, I enjoyed this vicariously through my friends who, unmindful of the genteel and small appetites that characterized ladies of a bygone era, went back for seconds and thirds of this dish!

Thankfully, Monsignor Gaston also served Garlicky Prawns -- there they were, fat and fresh, redolent with garlic and butter. The sauce was heavy with shrimp aligue. I could not resist.

Yes, I spooned the sauce over my rice.

Que barbaridad!

We started the meal with a classic French soup, we ended it with a classic French dessert.

Crepes aux creme de marrons. Thin, melt in your mouth crepes with a sweet chestnut filling and with whole candied marrons on top.

After lunch, we left Monsignor Gaston who had to leave to say mass in another town.

We walked through the back of the house, taking a shortcut to the hacienda's very own private chapel.

Called the Chapel of the Cart Wheels, it was designed and built by Monsignor Gaston to serve as the center for worship for the family and all the people who lived in the hacienda.

The chapel stands across the fields behind the house. Shaped like a tall, outsized and stylized native salakot, the structure is made of items that are indigenous to Hacienda Rosalia and its daily endeavours.

Serving as base of the wooden, cone shaped roof are dozens of old, used cart wheels, taken from the carts that used to haul sugar cane from the hacienda's fields to the sugar mill.

When he designed this chapel, the monsignor wanted a place that would celebrate the people of Hacienda Rosalia. A place that would give glory to God through the work of their hands.

Ora et labora. Prayer and work.

The old cart wheels form the walls of the chapel, giving it a cool and airy atmosphere.

The portion behind the altar is made of native stone which adds to the coolness of the interiors. The rest of the round structure is fully made up of the cart wheels, they function as windows and walls, even as a stylized frame for the Christ above the stone altar.

This chapel is consecrated and Monsignor says mass here every Sunday and during holy days of obligation. Weddings and baptisms are regularly held here.

It is the hacienda's parish church.

For me, The Chapel of the Cart Wheels is a unique and extremely personal expression of faith.

The faith of Monsignor Gaston and of his flock in Hacienda Rosalia.

Old, Low, High - My Tokyo Walk

It's not always about food when I'm in Tokyo -- it's also about exploring, discovering and just walking about this really unique city.

 I go to Tokyo for business, and most of the time I go alone, so I try to stay an extra day -- presentations and meetings are done, time to relax, unwind and have some me time!

I wake up to this view when I'm in Tokyo. The city unfolds before me and I can't wait to get out and start my day!

Today, I've decided on the theme for my little walkabout ... I want to experience the various nuances of the city.  

My walk will start with visiting the "old" side of Tokyo.

So, I take the metro, riding the Ginza line all the way to the end -- to one of my favorite places in Tokyo, Asakusa. It's a must-go-to every time I'm in town.  I love the vibe of Asakusa. 

In the old days, Asakusa was the center of  the city's shitamachi or low or old town.

Since it's a popular tourist destination, you can stop off at the Tourist Info Center for tips on how to walk around the area.

Right at the corner of Asakusa, you can catch a glimpse of the new Tokyo Sky Tree, now the tallest tower in the world.  It stands by the Sumidagawa, the river that runs through Tokyo.

Old style rickshaws can be hired in Asakusa, you can have yourself pulled around the area by young Japanese rickshaw drivers.

The rickshaws are parked by the sidewalk and since it's still early morning, most of them are waiting for customers.

I walk past this very old tempura store where tendon is the main specialty.  I've enjoyed a number of solitary lunches here but for now, it's just after 9 a.m and too early for lunch!


And here is the first torii or gate that welcomes you to the entrance to the Senso-ji, the most famous Buddhist temple in Tokyo.

Beyond the gate starts Nakamise dori, a shopping lane lined with shops selling all sorts of toys, kimonos, souvenirs, sweets, candies, Japanese crafts that date back to the olden days. There are other smaller alleys and lanes off Nakamise dori where the locals shop for clothes and shoes. 

I've spent many a happy hour meandering along the side streets of Nakamise dori.

Another gate comes up after the shops end, beyond which is the temple.

Just before I climb the Senso ji Temple steps, I pause by this urn where sticks of incense burn continuously.  People believe that the smoke from the urn can heal all sorts of ailments.  The trick is to stand and waft the smoke onto the part of your body that you feel needs healing the most.

And right inside the Senso ji Temple is the image of the Buddhist deity Kannon, the goddess of mercy.  Devotees clasp their hands and bow their heads in supplication and to thank the goddess for blessings she has bestowed on them.

Off to the side of the temple are rows of fortune cards. You whisper a wish to the deity, shake the canister and get the wooden stick that falls out from the hole.  Each stick has a japanese number character (which is exactly like the character on a mahjong tile!) which matches the various small drawers.  Open the one that matches your number and the answer to your question or wish is printed in the piece of paper.

If you're not happy with the answer, that's okay.  Just fold the paper and tie it on the many lines set up outside -- with so many little pieces of paper tied on the lines, I'm  thinking that many wishes were not granted today.

I stand on the steps of the temple, looking out on the people who have come to Senso ji this morning.


As I get ready to leave, I look up at the Five Storied pagoda, which is right beside the Senso ji Temple.

Then, it's back to the metro to take the train to the next destination!

I get off at Ueno and since it's midday and a weekday, the usually busy train station is quite empty. Ueno is another old district of Tokyo.  The station has exits for the famous Ueno Park and Zoo and the Tokyo Museum is close by but those are not my destinations for today.

I get off the station and into the hot and humid day.  

My plan is to go across Ueno Station and walk all the way to Okachimachi through the Ameyokocho Market which is a narrow alley that runs right beside the JR Railway Tracks.  After World War II, Ameyokocho was also known as the place to go for US goods -- PX in my vocabulary!

Today, Ameyokocho offers up all sorts of shops where there are bargains to be had, in a city as expensive as Tokyo.

It feels like Divisoria!  There are lots of stores selling all kinds of trendy apparel -- casual clothes like shirts, tees and jeans.

Ameyokocho is a major attraction in Ueno and tourists and locals alike both love shopping here.

Footwear spills out onto the sidewalk.  Lots of sandals and sneakers, given the hot September weather.

You can also do your food shopping here -- there are all sorts of fresh meats, seafoods and produce that are available.

My favorite chain drugstore, Matsumoto Kiyoshi!  I absolutely love this place and find all sorts of tonics, cosmetics, remedies, skin care and hair care products that are available only in Japan.

If you start to feel a little hungry, there are Japanese style carinderias where you can sit and have a meal.

As I walk closer to Okachimachi, sporting goods stores start to proliferate.  Okachimachi is the go to place for golf enthusiasts -- serious bargains can be had here for both used and brand new golf equipment.

Finally, my walk through the "low" part of Tokyo ends at the JR Okachimachi station!

I go up the platform and don't have to wait for too long before the train comes to whisk me away to the last segment of my walk for today.

I'm headed for Omotesando, definitely a "high" part of Tokyo.

I get off at the JR Harajuku Station.  It's a weekday so there aren't any cosplay dressers (by the way, they've all moved out to Akihabara) but there are a couple of guys with differently colored hair!

Takeshita Street, right across the station, is the heart of the Harajuku spirit. But that's not my destination for today so I walk on.

The tree lined Omotesando avenue leads to all things expensive and premium, Tokyo's "high" life indeed.

Omotesando actually means "front approach" and this refers to the Meiji-jingu Shrine which stands at the end of the avenue. I make a mental note to visit next time I'm in Tokyo.

Aside from the leafy and shady trees that line the avenue and the expensive shops that stand beside each other, there are metal quasi benches  -- you can sit and rest, take a phone call or just watch the people walking by.

Small shops dot the avenue -- I pause and take a photo of this really kawaii cat bag!  It takes a lot of will power to stop myself from buying this.

I cross Meiji dori Avenue and continue walking down Omotesando. Another new shop looks like it's about to open!

Omotesando Hills is a luxury mall right in the middle of the avenue.  I decide to take a detour and walk in.

I'm glad I did.  It's a very quiet, elegant mall with such high end branded stores.  It's also quite empty.  The Japanese economy is still hurting from all the obstacles it has had to face.

I walk back outside and see more luxury brands -- LV has a store right across the street.

As I near the end of the avenue, I come upon a small shrine. It's a serene spot amidst all the commercialism and I find it quite comforting.

It's mid afternoon and I've been out and alternately riding and walking for more than six hours! Time to head down the Omotesando station and catch the metro back to Shiodome!

Back in the hotel room, a glass of very tart but cooling cherry juice aptly named "Refresh" is just the right thing to restore and recharge me.

With my tired feet up on the window seat, I relax and look out onto the same view I woke up to this morning.  I already have plans where my feet will take me next time!

Tokyo -- jaa ne!