an homage to the apam of Bongao

Tawi-Tawi, the southernmost province of the Philippines, boasts of an archipelago of more than 100 islands. It offers fresh seafood, delectable cassava treats and curious delicacies like cured wild boar tapas (dried meat). To me however, the food which I remembered the most is the indulgently delicious apam daub daya or apam, cooked nowhere else but in the streets.


the gloriously delicious apam- photo by my wife
Canon PowerShot Pro1, 3/5s, f/2.8, 10.6mm


I love streetfood and the Bongao apam beats all other Filipino street hotcakes I have tasted so far. The mixture of flour, margarine and eggs is rich. The serving is oversized, thick and fluffy. Add to that the rich sprinkling of ground peanuts and I would be in gustatory heaven.


cooking apam hotcakes at the Chinese Pier, Bongao, Tawi-Tawi
Canon PowerShot S40, 1/500s, f/2.8, 7.1mm



the apam being cooked, up close
Canon PowerShot S40, 1/1000s, f/2.8, 7.1mm

Too bad this type of apam is not available anywhere except Tawi-Tawi. For up to 10 pesos (the price in 2006, the year I last visited Bongao), I could not ask for more!


a lady cooking the apam- photo by my wife
Canon PowerShot Pro1, 1/10s, f/2.4, 7.2mm