Bicol: Pancit Bato, Camarines Sur's Rice Noodles

Are you sure you've been to Bicol? Sure, you've seen the really beautiful Mayon Volcano in Albay, swam with the butanding in Donsol, Sorsogon, stayed at CamSur, visited Caramoan and other now usual part of Bicol tour itinerary but probably you've missed other lesser known Bicol culinary treasures due to pre-occupation with Bicol "sightseeing tours." Besides the pili nut, have you sampled authentic Bicol Express? This sweat gland-inducing dish seems to be getting spicier as you head south. The equally great pinangat of Camalig, Albay, the less-known hinugom, kuyog, binut-ong, kinagang of Sorsogon plus other Bicol specialties like the sinantolan (different from Laguna and Quezon versions of the ginataang santol dish), the kinunot and other bicol dishes with primary ingredients of coconut milk and chili. This one may be too ubiquitous for you and probably served right under your nose when you got there. The pancit bato was introduced to Tutubi by a close friend from Daet during his first visit to Camarines Norte about 10 years ago. Pancit bato costs just PhP5 per serving then and yet it's so filling it can put to shame Chowking's similar serving costing 12 times as much.

pancit bato servd to Tutubi by friends in Paracale In a visit to Paracale, Camarines Norte, he was again re-acquainted with the frugal food find in Bicol, again at P5 per serving but less in serving size after 10 years. Why was it called pansit/pancit bato? It's not made of stone/rocks nor stone used to cook/make them. The noodles were actually made in the town of Bato, Camarines Sur and made from rice cassava (kamoteng kahoy) Tutubi has a future post on regional variants of pancit in the Philippines, a collection of stories and pictures for his "pancit tour of the Philippines" :P