Discovering Banna Otap

True serendipity. If not for my uncle JBoy Abadilla, I wouldn’t have known Banna makes very good otap, a flaky sugared pastry.  He served it at his home when we visited him today and I couldn’t wait to check out the source, right in his own backyard.

A few houses away is Monette’s Bakery which is your typical corner bakery that makes tinapay. You wouldn’t normally find the otap on the shelves but in an “orocan.” Mrs. Imelda Marcos and many Bataquenos are good customers, the owner says.

The Banna otap is made of crispy thin phyllo, which resembles the delicate quality of arguellanas. We all loved the lightness of this otap. Bought an “exagge” of 50 packs . When you head east, try visiting Monette’s Bakery on Zamora Street.

Photographed by Blauearth © Blauearth™ All Rights Reserved 2009-2014

Rice Coffee Providing Sustainable Livelihood for Women in Banna

The aroma of freshly roasted rice for coffee at 6 AM in my younger years is still evocative as ever. Not really coffee with caffeine, the rice brew is child-friendly and healthy.

Rice coffee is said to aid in hyperacidity and constipation and is a good source B vitamins, potassium, zinc and dietary fiber.

In the period of everything instant, women in Banna have made life easier for rice coffee lovers. Hence the One Town, One Product (OTOP) product made from special hybrid rice locally grown in Banna, which is helping women earn and help sustain a family.

One of the more popular brands is the Banna Blend Rice Coffee produced by the Bagnos Cooperative in Binacag. It’s been featured in lifestyle shows and the Ilocos Norte product has reached other parts of the globe as of late. In Laoag, Banna Blend is available at souvenir shops. and select grocers.

Our stopover in Banna before heading home. Lomi with lots of sauteed liver.

Photographed by Blauearth © Blauearth™ All Rights Reserved 2009-2014

Weekend Warriors Invade Banna’s ‘Paraiso ti Caribquib’

“Don’t leave me at the roadside.”

Destination: Banna, Ilocos Norte

7 year-old Alexa

Yes, she can!!

Triumphant smile

Euge at it.

“Yeah, swell… “

Thought it would be ‘gone in 17 seconds

… and then I got stuck, shucks! Bad video, too!, originally uploaded by blauearth.

Get me that rope!

Bye, see ya later…

Hang her up…

“I’m cool.”

So very new in Ilocos: Zipline Adventure

The mayor of Banna in Ilocos Norte, Carlito Abadilla II, was too cool to have invited us to try out the first zipline in Ilocos Norte, a project of the Barangay Council of Caribquib, Brgy. 18, Banna, headed by Barangay Captain Adonis Braceros Manuel, with the full support of the Local Government Unit of Banna. Paraiso ti Caribquib used to be a forest until April 2010, when they successfully finished the project.  Ecotourism development is paving the way to progress for this agricultural town in the eastern portion of Ilocos Norte.

Major Coolness!! The zipline travel is about 17 seconds (160 m long), but not for me! Just when I thought it was gonna be over, OMG! Okay, fine… I waited for that rescue rope. I suspect the culprit is the extra weight I gained from trying out all the food in my bloggables☺ Then again, it was one fine adventure in a very long time since my rappelling days.

From Banna, we traversed to Paoay through the Banna-Batac Road, which was about 30 minutes, minus the stopover in Batac. I’ll be blogging next about that other adventure, actually, another food adventure.

………………………….

*Thanks to cousin Carly; Kapitan Adonis and Manong Kagawad Rolando Ranga for the company; and to the boys who assisted at Paraiso Ti Caribquib.

Photos by Blauearth Copyright © Blauearth™ ALL RIGHTS RESERVED