Tags: Exotic Food, Food Fare and Dishes, Food Products
By Lawrence Casiraya
SAGADA, MOUNTAIN PROVINCE - It looks like tapa or bagnet but with a more pungent odor. Etag or smoked pork is more than just a staple food item; it is a significant part of local culture in this Cordillera town.
To highlight its cultural significance, the local government in Sagada recently held the first Etag Festival.
Etag is sliced meat, salted and then cured by smoking or dried under the sun for weeks, giving it a dark, brownish color. Almost every household in Sagada makes etag, which would explain why you will see piggeries in most backyards.
Native pigs – those usually brown or black in color – are considered best for making etag.
Etag is usually added as garnish to pinikpikan, a traditional chicken soup dish that resembles tinola but with a smoky flavor. Pinikpikan is served in highland provinces but adding etag gives it a distinct Sagada flavor.
(You can order pinikpikan in most restaurants here but it is advisable to order in advance because preparation time is longer.)
Etag is also rooted in Sagada’s cultural history. In the old days, their ancestors would hunt wild boars that are then slaughtered as sacrifice to Kabunyan (or Supreme Being). The meat is then divided among the villagers for food.
Until now, etag is shared among families in Sagada, especially during special occasions such as weddings and family gatherings.
“During gebaw, for example, in celebrating the birth of a baby, the parents are gifted with etag. It is also usually given as a gift to newlyweds,” says Safey Pekas, owner of Salt and Pepper Diner.
The elders believe the smoky aroma of etag drives away evil spirits. But it is exactly the smell that led me to it when I hurriedly went to the local market to buy etag shortly before leaving Sagada.
You don’t buy etag per kilo, you buy it per piece. For 180 pesos, I got an arm-length piece, like a huge portion of liempo, with a piece of string tied on one end.
I was told you can buy etag, vacuum-sealed, in some souvenir shops. I was glad to have bought mine, though, straight from the timba, then rolled in newspaper.
You don’t need to put etag in the fridge (unless you want that smoky aroma everytime you open it). You just hang it somewhere, chop a few bite-size pieces as sahog for sauteed veggies.
If you’re passing by Baguio heading back to Manila, don’t forget to buy broccoli. I’ve yet to try it on tinola but the sauteed brocolli garnished with etag is highly recommended.
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Pinikpikan: A tasty but brutal way of enjoying your chicken
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