Culinary / Foods

Sagada just like any highland communities at the North has little known unique dishes to offer. The writer may not be an expert in this field but would try his best to identify, explain and update the topic.

“Pinikpikan”

• defined by my teacher as a highland version of “Tinola” but prepared in a morbid way.
• Done through battering the wings and neck of a live chicken to create coagulation of blood in the meat.
• Well defined, however, she missed to include the “ETAG” or salt pork(right photo) often accompanied by sayote.

“Bina-od”

• an i-Sagada version of a Chinese pudding.
• Made of ground rice and covered by a sayote leaf.
• it is stuffed with pork and peanuts

“Pinapaitan"

• Often cooked or prepared only when there is a cow or carabao that’s been butchered.
• It includes the internal organs of the cow and some of the contents in the small intestines.
• From the root word “pait” meaning bitter. “Papait” or bitter bitter.

“Tupig”

• Sticky rice wrapped in a finely weaved sugar cane leaf.

“Linapet”

• Made in Besao, a neighbor of Sagada
• Made of ground sticky rice with peanuts mixed with a sweet sauce.

“Tinodok”

"Patupat"

• sticky rice

“Boiled Camote”

• Once a staple food of the Sagada inhabitants.
• The #1 reason why the old men of Sagada were able to survive longer years of existence.
• True enough, as camote or sweet potato is ranked #1 most nutritious vegetable in the US.

“Bugay”

• Is a mixture of rice, blood and chopped pieces of meat.

“Inutom”

• A roasted chicken version prepared by picnic enthusiast youths of Sagada

Dog meat dish

• 1904, Igorots w/ their spears, g-strings, and culinary habits were exhibited in carnivals all over US and in the Zoological gardens of Spain
• They were advertised as the head hunting DOG EATING wild people from the Philippine Islands.
• The Igorots eat dog meat cooked in the simplest way, boiled with salt and ginger only.
• My teacher explained that due to the need for heat and lack of vegetable produce, dogs were a substitute as the meat is also an effective way to energize the body with heat.

Plain boiled meat

• During “senga” a regular Sagada traditional practice, the locals boil the ribs & tender loin part of the newly butchered pig, added with just salt.

Sagada may not be that rich in a wide variety of dishes but today, American and European cuisine dominates the restaurants in the area.
Such are:

French cuisine

• Popularized by Log Cabin offering buffets during Saturdays

Pancakes and Salads

• Offered at the other restaurants like Masferre’s, Bana’s café, etc.

Asian cuisine

• Kimchi is now served at Kimchi Restaurant in Sagada

Yoghurts and other European Foods

• Served by Bilig Café, Yoghurt house and Dalikan Restaurant

Only in Salt and Pepper dinner where they serve much Filipino cuisine and the pinikpikan often.

Lemon pie house is a snack house visited for their different pies such as egg pie, apple pie, lemon pie, etc.
As you noticed, restaurants do not serve dog meat because it is not a practice of Sagadians to eat dog meat very often. It is only served during rare occasions especially by the men.

Beef are not commonly served also because of the shortage of supply.
Yes, Fish meat are also served, mostly are “Tilapia” and Milk fish (“bangus”)

No other meat served such as lamb, turkey meat, etc.