Retracing Caviteñean Cuisine @Museo ni Baldomero Aguinaldo

Retracing Caviteñean Cuisine - a cooking demo of Caviteñean dishes was held by National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP) yesterday afternoon March 24 at Museo ni Baldomero Aguinaldo as part of celebration of the National Women’s Month.

Museo ni Baldomero Aguinaldo is a single-detached house built by Gen. Baldomero Aguinaldo, cousin of Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo during the American Colonial Period in 1906 at Binakayan, Kawit, Cavite. Baldomero held several positions at the revolutionary government during the early 1900s.

The event was participated mainly by Kanluran Women’s Club of Binakayan, Kawit, Cavite to promote and put Caviteñean cuisine in the limelight.

Ms. Ahzel P. Miral - Shrine Curator and host

Mr. Angelo Jarin Aguinaldo - Kawit Tourism Officer

Mr. Larry A. Manalo introducing the demonstrator

Mrs. Macaria L. Orcullo was the cooking demostrator. She is married to a 3rd generation descendant of Baldomero Aguinaldo’s sister. 

Two Caviteñean dishes demo was cooked in the event :
Pipian and Kalandrakas

Pipian ingredients

PIPIAN

A highly popular Spanish inspired Caviteñean chicken dish which is similar to kare-kare except it is way lot simpler to cook and has fewer ingredients.

Kalandrakas ingredients

KALANDRAKAS or CALANDRACAS

A soup made of chorizo, meat, carrots, potatoes, squash, pechay and cabbage. This soup is being cooked before during Media Noche by Caviteños. 

 Free Taste

Participants sampling the Caviteñean dishes 

 Mrs. Orcullo was a former teacher for 40 years. No wonder she was very eloquent and funny while  doing the cooking demo.

Pipian Recipe was taken from this blog and a bit modified.

Kalandrakas Recipe

A handout was also given about Magna Carta for Women

The participants were given a museum tour.

The Museum

The ground floor where kalesa and goods where stored before

Dining Area

Old rice stone grinder and mortal and pestle

Wash area  with the backyard view where the grave plot of Baldomero Aguinaldo and his family lies.

Close up shot of the tomb

Kitchen Area

Stove, pots and pans

Creepy Refrigerator

The house features late 19th century furniture, furnishings, photographs and drawings, ceramic ware and other household items. 

Bedroom

Antique Organ

Living Room

Ceilings decorated with paintings of flowery designs.

Another peak at the bedroom

Some portions of the house museum reminds me of the ancestral house I grew up in and even some of the wooden furnitures we used to have.

The grandchildren of Gen. Baldomero Aguinaldo, headed by then Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Cesar E.A. Virata, donated the home to the government in 1982. It was restored by the Intramuros Administration into a museum.

Overall, it was a wonderful event and all the organizers/members of the National Historical Commission are very friendly, accommodating and very attentive to the needs of the participants. 

How I wish there will be the same passion in Cavite City to propagate Caviteñean cuisines like in Kawit that I have seen but nevertheless it always warms my heart seeing Caviteñean cuisines being propagated to the young generations for appreciation and preservation as a form of legacy. Mabuhay ang Pagkaing Caviteño !!!

#NationalWomensMonth
#WomenMakeChange
#WorkForWomen
#BaldomeroAguinaldoShrine
#MakeItHistoric

Museo ni Baldomero Aguinaldo is located in Binakayan, Kawit Cavite near Jollibee and 7Eleven. Admission is free. Here is the contact details in case you are interested. They also have an FB page wherein you can contact them for quicker response.