Tantalizing Flavors

When you order tsokolate from any Filipino restaurant, it is understood that you want the chocolate drink derived directly from the raw material cacao.  There are only a few places in the Philippines which can pull off a truly authentic flavor for this concoction-- Batangas, Albay and... what do you know-- Cogon Market in Cagayan de Oro!

Next on our agenda was the search for the famous tsokolate-A and tsokolate-E.  What's the difference, you ask?  It's in the dilution-- the A (aguaro) is lusaw or watery while the E (espeso) is malapot or thick.  Again, Ms. Gen led the way but it was Mr. Spy who found the kiosk Ma'am San Juan (Chef, VIP Hotel) had told us about. 

NANOL'S CAFE is what it is called.  Run by an very efficient group who, though it was obviously a labor-intensive job, kept up a thoroughly sanitary and organized structure.  Immediately one will see that there was a boss.  Her name is Ellen.  She was the one who mixed the drink using only various cups, a spoon and a can of evaporated milk.  When an order was made, she would get a clean mug, dip a cup into a vat of boiling water, then another cup into a pot of pure melted chocolate, a spoonful of white sugar and pour everything plus a dollop of milk (poured from a height, bartender style) into the mug, and voila!  Your tsokolate, ma'am!  That was the A.  If you wanted it E, you just had to ask for more of the pure melted chocolate.

We were extremely impressed (obvious ba?) not only by the entertaining way Ms. Ellen could mix the tsokolate but by the way her servers had been trained to use plates instead of spoons to serve puto maya on platitos and by the cleanliness of the area.  It was only about 10 square feet but, everything had a place and a place had been assigned for everything.  All their ready-to-eat food (sandwiches, delicacies in banana leaves, breads, etc.) were wrapped in clear plastic, while their mugs and utensils for serving were regularly sterilized with boiling water from the vat.

And... what topped off our enjoyment was the price:  12 pesos for the drink and 6 pesos for the puto maya.  How's that for a filling breakfast?

What's next AMUMA?