Pandan's delicacy

Rex Zaldivar served us this dish of "uson" stewed in coconut milk and soured with iba (tag. kamyas) in his cozy house in Pandan. Uson is like lobster, but a thinner version. It was my first and only time to eat uson. I hope it wouldn't be the last.

The other delicacy from Pandan is the binabak - steamed river shrimps and young coconut wrapped in leaves. Lately, however, the binabak I tasted was overpowering with ginger. I wish they cut down on the ginger, so the dish has a very subtle and delicate sweetish flavor. That's how I remember the first binabak I tasted in 1986.

Pandan is a three to four-hour drive from San Jose, Antique, closer when coming from Caticlan/Boracay. The best places to visit are Malumpati Cold Spring and Bugang River. Also, the hat and bag-makers of Sto. Rosario is worth a trip. Drop by the house that sells smoked chorizo and embotido along the road to Mag-aba.There's a small sign by the fence.

Driving south from Pandan, pass by a house that sells authentic German sausages and bread, owned by a couple named Hell (think German, not English). The little signboard is hardly noticeable, so drive slow along Idio. Be friendly with the German and his Antiqueña wife. If they like you, they might show you their kitchen and smokehouse, piggery and chicken coop. A kilo costs from 250 - 400 Php. Their vienna sausage is great, and the schweinfleish, liver sausage, and beer sausage too.