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Aside from Dinagyang and charming century-old churches, Iloilo is almost synonymous to exquisite gastronomic treats - molo, inasal, batchoy, biscotcho, butterscotch to name a few. I think one of the best rewards of travel photography or local tourism is you get to taste authentic local cuisine. We're supposed to taste an authentic molo (dumpling soup) in Molo district but I kept forgetting local resto were closed on Sunday. My cousin instead drove me to J.V. Jocson leading out of Arévalo to Oton, to a house marked Mama’s Bakeshop, to buy pasalubong. Let's see what's inside this old house.

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Greeting you as you enter the house is a huge taklobo and few stone mills, leading you to wide wooden staircase. On the ground floor of the house is a vintage family car and a frame loom, similar to the type which made Iloilo a thriving place in the 19th century. This house is one of the few remaining places where hand-woven cloth is still made, the remnants of a once flourishing textile industry.

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The Arevalo house is known for its hand-woven cloths called sinamay and hablon. Sinamay is a gossamer cloth made of jusi fibers, hablon is made of cotton and silk (or rayon) and comes in a wide spectrum of colors.

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The second floor of the Arevalo house was full of interesting pieces like antiques, furniture, framed photos, china whites and other memorabilias.

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The house caretakers were very friendly and accommodating, allowing me to shoot freely and move things around.

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Visiting this house opened me the idea that perhaps the Ilonggos are the closest brothers of Ilocanos. I've observe some similarities peculiar for provinces separated by land and seas - Augustinian-built churches; Molo - Paoay, Laswa - Dinengdeng, Sinamay - Abel Iloco and Bibingka - Tupig.


Primarily, Mama's Kitchen is known for their best tasting cookies at least according to my cousin. Proof? Check the empty cabinets.

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