The "Takyong" Delicacy

CEBU, Philippines – Its scientific name is Helicostyla daphinis. The "takyong" snail thrives in bushes and short trees like the local "labnog" tree, coffee bushes and jackfruit trees. They are most abundant in Barangay Managase, some 10 kilometers from Borbon town proper.

"Takyong" sells in the area at one peso apiece. Fifty pieces weigh a kilo, more or less, shells included. "Takyong" gatherers don't wait long for their catch to get sold; the thing is a popular hot favorite.

Dish made from "takyong" is a delicacy not only among the people in the area but among visitors as well. The main ingredient, again, is the "takyong." The snail is first boiled to cook, and then sautéed with a variety of spices.

There have been several variations in the delicacy's preparation. One is cooking it in coconut milk; another is frying it with mixed vegetables; yet another is stewing it "caldereda" style. As characteristic of the ingenious Philippine cuisine, the culinary possibilities and potentials of this Borbonanon specialty are vast.

The locals find "takyong" to be a clean snail. The mollusk feeds on the sap, dew and algae that stick on the bark or leaves of the plants where they thrive. They are "harvested" up at their tree or foliage habitats, not picked from the ground. "Takyong" that falls to the ground quickly dies, as it becomes prey to ants and larger predators.

In 2011, Borbon entered its "takyong" specialty  in the "Obra-Negosyo" - a Capitol-initiated program to promote entrepreneurship in towns of the province. This year, "takyong" earned recognition as a distinct and unique Cebuano delicacy by Parklane International Hotel, which hosted the recently held "Sangka sa Kaha: Takyong sa Borbon." Parklane, touted as "A hotel in Cebu that stands for Cebu," had held similar events in other Cebu towns.

"Sangka sa Kaha" is a friendly cooking competition among top cooks of a town, in line with Parklane International Hotel's efforts to highlight the different specialties and delicacies of the province. In the "Takyong sa Borbon" leg of the competition, the best of the town's cooks were tasked to come up with the best "takyong" recipe - with the winning dish to be included in the menu of Parklane's Kan-anan Restaurant.

The Borbon competition took place at the town hall grounds on October 20. Five teams representing the town's 19 barangays prepared a range of "takyong" dishes - from "takyong guisado" to "ginataang takyong," "mechado-style takyong" to "takyong with lemon."

The team of Mary Jane Condisa, Mary May Condisa and Gracenita Montegrande (representing the Barangays Lugo, Cajel, Claveria and Laaw) impressed the competition judges with their "Takyong with Honey" - which has now earned a spot in Kan-anan's menu, together with the winning dishes and delicacies of previous Sangka sa Kaha legs: "humba" from Ronda, "torta" from Argao, "bis-nok" from Dumanjug, and "porida" from Oslob.