An enterprising couple from Pakiad, Oton started their business by making ampalaya appetizer. It began when Manang Diding attended a training-workshop in making livelihood products. She became interested and made her own homemade appetizer made of young, green ampalaya (bitter gourd) and later sold them to her neighbors. People like the taste and quality and the news spread around through words of mouth. Many people come to Pakiad to buy her pickled ampalaya, for personal consumption or for gifts and pasalubong. It’s crunchy, juicy and firm with the right tang that will make you drool for more. I tasted it myself and I’m sure their ampalaya appetizer will also excite your taste buds. Now, they make use of their farm to plant ampalaya to lessen the cost of production but sometimes they’re run out of amplaya if demand increases. My officemate happens to be her relative and once in a while Manong Lando would bring us pickled ampalaya for P25 per pack (150 grams including liquid). I tried ...