Pangasinan produces the best smelly”bagoong” (salted fish paste) in the world. It is always part of the menu of Pangasinenses wether as dip or seasoning for vegetable.
Bagoong started here because of the richness of fish catch from the gulf. According to our forefathers, they decided to preserve the extra fish that were not consumed and sold by putting salt. For that bagoong was born.
Pangasinan’s bagoong still is considered as the best because of its aroma and the exotic taste which cannot be compared. The secret of Pangasinan’s that differs from other bagoong producers around the country are the old clay jars which the fish is fermented. Those jars contribute to the special taste and aroma which cannot be copied.
The fermentation takes 3-6 months while the boneless fish will take a year. A can of salt is used for two cans of fish.
The fishes used to make bagoong are “dilis” [long-jawed anchovy], small “galunggong” [round scud], “caballas” [striped mackerel], “terong” (similar to anchovy) and “padas” [”siganid” fry].
How I miss eating green mangoes with bagoong!
8 responses so far ↓
bam // Jan 29, 2007 at 5:31 am
They say one of the reasons why Pngasinan Bagoong is so tasty and deliciously fragrant is because during the processing it is “untouched by human hands”. This suggest an automated and sterile procedure. But no!
It is untouched by hands because bagoong makers of Pangasinan step on it strictly with their feet!
Anonymous // Feb 26, 2007 at 2:32 am
JunCat
Salt is very important ingredient for making famous Pangasinan bagoong.
Majority of bagoong makers specially from Lingayen,Pangasinan get their “solar salt” from Anda and Bolinao towns.
Anonymous // Feb 26, 2007 at 4:40 pm
From LIBSONG to Bam:
Yong mga “world famous” na wine vineyard sa France kung saan pina-process yong pang-export na wine, gumagamit pa rin ng paa ang mga iba para maalis ang katas ng ubas. Regarding bagoong making, ginagamit lang ito pag inaalis yong hindi pa “natutunaw” na buto ng isda , lalo pag itoy ginagawang patis. There are products such as bagoong and wine making that are effective using the “old ways.” The taste & fragrance coming from bagoong came from the fermentation process inside the earthen jar and the quality of ingredients like the fish and salt. Your assumption that it is tasty and delicious because of using the paa is all wrong. Haka-haka(hearsay) and not based on facts yong mga sinasabi mo. Nagpapatawa ka ba or di mo lang alam?
Anonymous // Feb 28, 2007 at 3:10 pm
I miss the pangasinan bagoong dito sa abroad. Mas masarap pa kumpara sa gawang rufina at mabuhay brands galing sa Malabon. Nasusuka kami sa baho’ ng bagoong gawa ng Thailand pero madalas nauubusan sa Asian Stores kaya pinagtiyagaan na lang kung wala galing pilipinas.
Anonymous // Mar 4, 2007 at 1:29 am
Bagoong Pangasinan, the best yan!…Every December pumupunta kami sa Lingayen para makabili ng ilang boxes of bagoong-patis (long-neck size) na panregalo namin sa malalaking clients ng kompanya namin sa Quezon City…Maski mura lang ito kumpara sa bonggang christmas gifts, mas gusto pa ng recipients lalo kung may dugong ilokano o pangasinan…Kasi ang isang botelya abutin ito ng ilang linggo bago maubos…Kaya pag may important na occassion, kesa dalhin ninyo sa buffet o panregalo na expensive na gifts, maski combination ng bagoong at patis na botelya mas gugustuhin pa yan dahil unique ang dating …wow maski daliri nilalawayan pag sinawsay ang anumang ulam… lalo may halong sabaw ng kalamansi…wow solve na!
Anonymous // Mar 4, 2007 at 8:21 pm
I miss so much our native bagoong while reading it.Im homesick about the food, aarrggg!!!
Anonymous // Mar 9, 2007 at 12:06 pm
JunCat-Agree ako na magandang pang-regalo sa special occassions mga local products like bagoong and patis . Kami nga every early part of December, bumibili kami ng kahon-kahon na bagoong at patis nakalagay sa size na long neck na botelya. Tapos, binabalot namin ng special wrappers. Doon namin distribute pagdating ng Christmas Party at pagbibigayan sa mga special clients. May time na isa sa bisita, nagsabi na kuripot daw kami, so next Christmas iniba namin ang gifts maski very expensive. Alam ninyo ang nangyari? Maraming umangal ang dating naka-receive ng clients namin. Kaya sa January, we ordered several boxes para ipamigay uli. We realized that it is not the cost of a gift that is important but the value to the clients.Maganda din ito because we are helping our people in the economy kisa naman bumibili ka pa nang imported Christmas gifts di ba? Of course you can still buy other special gifts naman.
Anonymous // Apr 6, 2007 at 1:04 pm
Agree ako na “uncomparable bagoong” galing ng Pangasinan. Yong the biggest salt farm in the Philippines di ba nasa bayan ng Bolinao. Meron atang mahigit 500 hectares yon, pero para sa industrial use, dahil “rock-salt.”Ang name ng company? PACIFIC FARM. Yong train ang ginagamit sa panghakot sa asin, na katulad sa ginagamit sa minahan. Pero yong “solar salt” maliliit na parang pulbos, galing karamihan sa Anda. Itong solar salt na ito ang ginagamit sa paggawa ng bagoong.
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