Burauen Bukayo, etc.

We were finally herded by a lady (member of their livelihood association) to the house of their ex-barangay captain Cheeryl Ducentes (I spelled that name correctly hehe) who is now municipal councilor care of the just concluded national elections. She is Business Manager of the Arado Sweet Delicacies Producers’ Association. Note from the pic we were still some 3kms to center of Burauen. We were to meet her to learn and see the hows/whys of this thing called bukayo (bukhayo in their products). Alas, she was not there (since the original schedule set by DTI was Friday, and today was only Wednesday). Where was she anyway? Well, out in the city (Tacloban and environs) to do a scheduled delivery of their products to various places including stores at the airport. Quite a dedicated woman to her craft!

Anyway, it was not as if we didn’t learn anything on this sudden visit of Barangay Arado. Some of the women in the association including the councilor’s mother did regale us with their products and their processes. Aw, they even served us some snacks (samples of most of their products) plus Coke! Yey! We were not able to actually watch Bukayo production since today was not a production schedule date, but time for deliveries. Just the same, the women did their best to make us learn how. How?

Ah well, I was not really listening very well as I kept roaming around their sala looking at many things about their association and products. But I could hear many of the things being said. Most important is the quality (age) of the coconut they use. It has to be that thing called “butong” (still young but already meaty) and not the mature ones. They described it as the ones used for salads and not those that are grated for producing coconut milk or for drying into copra. See, I listened well after all heehe! And then…?

And then, immediately after scraping, the coco-meat should be dumped unto a pre-prepared (meaning already boiling) melted sugar in the right mix and consistency (just like what was being done for the calamay we saw earlier). Then immediately scooped out to a container. Why? So that the fresh and still juicy coco-meat does not get dehydrated and/or overcooked. Then immediately scooped (processed) into small lumps (which becomes/should be the individual bukayo sizes). Why? Because if not immediately done, the mixture will harden as a big big ball (or bowl) of a mother of all bukayos that will be difficult to separate into pieces as the sugar returns to its solid state (or perhaps makunat like tira-tira at the very least). Hehe, all that I learned as I kept ogling or tinkering with many things around the house! I listened well hehe!

Wait, did I say tira-tira? Yes, I did! And that is one of their products – actually a relation of the Calamay. Can you see that candy label? Along with many other products? Yep, those are just some of the many delectable eatables they produce all for the sweet tooth! Hehe, this town will probably go up in arms if sugar becomes a rare thing on earth. There is camote candy, peanut balls, coco balls, pinyato and ahhh so many more your dentist (or even your doctor) will surely censure you if you start thinking of devouring everything that this barrio makes for a business. Truly a candy capital of this province (or probably region)!

Hah, I learned (and salivated) a lot!

Let’s go to the mountains?! That’s next!

For a chronology of stories on this trip, please click the following: