While most would prefer (spiced) vinegar as dip for this pinakas and other salted/dried fishes, I love using calamansi. Just plain calamansi, no soy sauce, patis, etc. For me, the sourness "balances" the saltiness of the fish plus it adds to my appetite. But I wouldn't say no to a piece (or two) of kutitot, small native peppers, crushed in that dip.
A stones throw away from the plaza of La Villa de Arevalo is an ancestral house where one can find not only good pasalubong items but also a look into the past of the district. Known as the Sinamay House , this well preserved ancestral house is an attraction not only in the outside but also what it houses inside. A collection of what the past like is housed in the two storey edifice which also acts like a museum of sorts. Sinamay is simply known as abaca by most and, here, a variety of products made from this fiber can be found. I remember watching a feature on tv wherein the owner proudly showed a framed letter signed by the late Princess of Wales, Diana, showing her appreciation of the handkerchief she was given as a gift coming from this very shop. But the attraction I am most familiar with are the chewies and crunchies made by Mama's Kitchen. Attractively packed in boxes showing their current flavours and variety, this is among the better...