The last time I savored the fabled diwal of Capiz was several years ago at a clan dinner held outdoors in Mambusao with the then endangered bivalve making an appearance as a crowning special dish. It was just so slightly steamed, thus tasted so fresh and succulent. I recall that it was the now late lamented Armando “Nene” Andaya who personally delivered a heaping platter of Pholas orientalis to our table.
Angel Wing Shell that’s what it’s called in the Western world. Or simply as Angelwings. I’d like to surmise that the Hebrides off the Scottish coast would have them in buckets hauled off to pubs to join the seaworthy succulence of any Island single malt whisky.
But no, what’s known as the white edible piddock is mostly found on the east coast of North America (such as in Galveston, Texas, where it competes with the oyster for pre-eminence) and in the West Indies. There, the species is either Barnea costata or Cyrtopleura costata, of the family Pholadidae of bivalve mollusk that is similar to a clam. It has long, burrowing siphons that cannot be retracted into the shell’s protection something that gave it its Western Visayan name. The only affinity it has with Scotland, then, is its resemblance to a traditional tartan hat that used to be worn by Scots.
In any case, that night in Mambusao, Tito Nene, bless his soul, plied us with Johnnie Walker Black, making that slurping encounter with diwal even more memorable.
Diwal means “to stick your tongue out” in reference to the how the bivalve’s protruding siphon resembled a “belat” the way we said it as kids, or how Michael Jordan made it a signature gangway move on an acrobatic drive to the basket.
Diwal almost became extinct due to over-harvesting. The shell commanded a high price for its sweet taste and tender texture, steamed or broiled. Thanks to Roxas City’s officials, then led by Mayor Anotinio del Rosario, the City Agricultural Services Office’s Aquaculture division under Salvador Borda, and marine experts from UP Visayas-Miag-ao as well as Seafdec, managed to temporarily stop all diwal harvesting and trawling.
Intensive seeding of Capiz’s coastal waters and strict supervision, conducted for a decade over the protests of local fishermen, have now resulted in a productive comeback for the diwal. It has been rescued, and is now available for consumption, albeit still with certain marketing regulations.
All this is reason enough to celebrate Araneta Center’s launch of Fiesta-cular Philip-pines, with a Capiz-tahan featuring the Capiz Seafood Fest on March
4 and 5. At the press luncheon on Feb. 16, we had the opportunity to reacquaint ourselves with the diwal’s delectability thanks to premier chef Gaita Fores who prepared a banquet with Capiz seafood galore.
The Philippine STAR was amply represented, with fellow columnists Claude Tayag, Stephanie Zubiri, Ed Maranan and this writer forming a double tag-team to attack the long buffet table groaning under the weight of crustaceans, mollusks, and other divine denizens of the deep.
I figured that since our formidable quartet was led by certified food mavens, then I could just join Ed in the poetic privilege of digesting all the slurp-ies heaped on our plates. Guiltlessly, I only half-listened to the speeches and welcome remarks by the bountiful province’s officials led by Congressman Tony del Rosario, Governor Vic Tanco and Roxas City Mayor Alan Celino, as well as other prominent personalities of Capiz.
Once I had thanked our host, the ever-gracious Judy Araneta Roxas, and committed to a visit to her home island around the Ides of March, I cast away all bewares and headed again and again towards Gaita’s array, elbowing my way past more civilized guests.
Why, even dear friend Marla Yotoko couldn’t pull me away from the fated table where I kept dipping into Stephanie’s sauces not even for an introduction to and photo-op with a couple of charming celebrities in the persons of Korina Sanchez Roxas and Vicki Belo.
Let me explain. First, there were Seafood Stellar Starters: chicharon curls with “Kapitan del Mar” (not named after Korina’s distinguished spouse, we were told) bangus mousse, and “Kapitan del Mar” sardines on grilled carta di musica.
Then there were my lab-na-lab na talaba chilled fresh-shucked Capiz oysters two-ways, with traditional vinegar and sili, plus grilled Capiz pineapple salsa, with sweet sinamak granita.
Also struggling for space on my plate were grilled scallops two-ways, with garlic butter sauce and Capiz bijod (fish roe) and fennel confit oh my, oh my! Then the diwal or Angel Wings two-ways, grilled wrapped in foil, cum mushroom truffle paste drizzle. Goodness gracious!
Pasta was linguine of “Lukon” shrimps “in bianco,” also with prawns, Tagaytay tomatoes, white wine, Italian parsley and extra-virgin olive oil. As if that weren’t enough, there was Philippine seabass Bulgan “al sale” topped by a Dessert Duet of Roxas bukayo creme brulee (!) and grilled bananas with pulot (wild honey).
Jumping Jehosephat! Thank you, thank you, Gaita. Thanks, Judy. Thanks, Marla. And thanks, too, Stephanie, for not pulling me away from all that, apart from sharing your dip concoctions. Ed, beat you to an ode to the sea.
Okay, now, all of you lip-smackers, if you know what’s good for you, you’ll head out to the “Capiz-tahan sa Araneta” for the opening of a photo exhibit by Capizeño artists at 11 a.m. this Friday, March 4, at the activity area on the lower ground floor of Ali Mall. This serves as a visual prelude to the formal opening of the Seafood Fair at high noon, at Dampa, Farmer’s Market (where Capiz seafood will be available, on sale, starting at 6 a.m.).
The next day, Saturday, March 5, the Seafood Fair continues from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. at Dampa. At 4 p.m., street dancing and merry-making commence around Araneta Center, with the program billed as “Sad-Sad.” And at 5 p.m., “Dali sa Capiz” showcases Capizeño talents at the activity center on Ali Mall’s upper ground floor.
All of these are by way of launching Araneta Center’s Fiesta-cular Philippines, organized in coordination with One Capiz and the Department of Trade and Industry, and which presents a unique festival of a featured province every other month, simulating “the rush of revelry, camaraderie and creative expressions of that region and its people.”
The F-I-E-S-T-A components are Food, Industry, Ethnicity, Songs & dances, Travel and tourism, and Arts & crafts all spelling a spectacle of thanksgiving, even as the cornucopia “will allow everyone who has migrated to the metropolis to relive the traditional fiesta experience of their respective provinces and other cultural components unique to their ethnic background.”
Kicking off the fiesta series is the Capiz-tahan festival that celebrates the bounties of the sea beginning with the deli-cacy that is the diwal. Hail, hail, the Angel Wing!
Congratulations to author Fr. Jose S. Arcilla, S.J. and publisher Ramoncito Ocampo Cruz for receiving the Anvil Award of Merit from the Public Relations Society of the Philippines for the coffee-table book 150: The Ateneo Way, published by the Ateneo de Manila University and MediaWise Communications Inc.
On February 18, the PRSP handed out its Anvil Awards at the Shangri-La Hotel EDSA’s grand ballroom, where the book’s excellence and quality were recognized.
“We just wanted to share Ateneo University’s story in a way that it can be retold and re-discovered again and again for several generations,” MediaWise CEO Monching Cruz said of the handsome volume that came out in time for AdMU’s 2009 sesquicentennial celebration.
Cruz, who is also a painter, added that “the challenge came in trying to limit the many wonders discovered during research: stories and photographs from the Jesuit archives and individual collections in the last three decades.”
Together with Alya Honasan, this writer had a hand in the editing of the book. It is gratifying to note that our efforts have been appreciated. However, it is Fr. Arcilla, who wrote the main body of text, and Cruz, with his passion and patience, and in wanting to give back to the Jesuit community, who truly deserve the kudos.
The project took all of three years to accomplish. Part of the proceeds from the sale of the book, at P3,000 a copy, has been given to the Philippine General Hospital for the care of Cancer Patients through the Ateneo Grade School’s Bigay Puso Program, as well as to convalescing members of the Society of Jesus through the Jesuit Communications.