Soya-mmy
With a simple sip, you’ll easily slip through your
childhood days.
Who could have forget the nostalgic feeling when
Manong Magtataho would shout, Tahoooooooooo!
with all his might and lungs? Anyone? Anybody? Is it just me?
Anyway,
most of the Filipinos know what soy bean curd or taho is, but where does taho
originated?
Trivia
Unlike
other delicacies, taho originated
from the Chinese that predates the Spanish occupation. Legend says that it is
one of the results of a failed attempt to concoct some immortality pills by
mixing soybeans and bamboo piths by Prince Liu An of Han Dynasty. Oh well, your
pain, our gain.
Introduction
Recently,
a vendor roams around the BulSU main campus to serve (and to protect, chos!)
the BulSUans with a warm sweet delicacy that is taho. With that, a food review
is rightfully served.
Presentation
Served in a simple plastic cup topped with,
occasionally, stripped colored straw— very cute! The minimalist and simplistic
presentation of this delicacy screams affordability, which is, very suitable
for students who need to be economical because of several school projects. The
simplistic appearance is a statement itself— it doesn’t need any fancy
packaging, a cup and a stripped straw is good enough; the taho will speak for
itself. The color of the arnibal is
just right, not too dark that one would suspect food coloring like what most
modern taho vendors do to create an illusion that it is sweeter but
unfortunately, not. To sum up with the presentation, for PHP 10, you wouldn’t
be disappointed with an 8 ounce cup filled with plenty warm gooey goodness.
Texture
Fresh, silken tofu as the base, simply mouthwatering.
The high-calcium content of the raw salt
curdled the soybean mixture, resulting in the tofu’s gel-like form so its
texture, resembles to that of a very fine gelatin. The soybean custard is then
dressed with arnibal, which is brown sugar that’s been caramelized
into a syrup leaving a smooth and non-grainy texture on your mouth. Heaping
spoonfuls of translucent, gummy sago pearls crown each
serving. Its texture would be simply described as flawless— or as Miss Franchezka said, it melts in your mouth. The main reason why, I think, that taho is
very sensational to all ages; a babe with a gummy smile and an old man… with a
gummy smile as well, can easily eat it with no problem at all. Though some
would argue because of the sago, customers can also opt to leave them out, which lead me to conclude
that taho is also a versatile delicacy.
Truly,
a fine treasure.
Taste and Complexity
You don’t need to taste the whole thing to say
whether it’s delicious or not, well that is the case for taho. With just a sip,
the sweetness that is of caramelized brown sugar will explode in your mouth,
giving you the boost you’ll need to get through that math class and warm you
through the chilly mornings of February. There is no need for complex
terminologies and jargons to explain its taste because in the first place, taho
is a simple delicacy and a treasured delicacy must be savoured with your heart.
After that, the sweet taste will linger on your lips, wishing you had bought
the PHP 20 cup instead of a PHP 10 one.
Pro
and Cons
It is uncommon for a magtataho to be spotted in the late afternoon or evening
as well. Taho vendors peddle their product, keeping a habitual route and
schedule, most likely, traveling their routes regularly or most of the time
early in the morning. So if by chance that you’ll be craving taho during your
afternoon period in class, you’ll be troubling yourself with two things: where
do I find manong and if there’s still taho left. If possible, having a stall
with regular hours would be most convenient, not only for the busy and stressed
students of Bulacan State University, but also the faculty members who seldom
encounters manong magtataho because of their class schedule.
The best testament to a delicacy’s
longevity is how well its original form can outshine recent modifications and
fluctuating trends. This is one area where Manong’s taho really
shines, he didn’t tried to reinvent or experiment a flavor, he maintained its basic and its truest form that
all Filipinos are craving— not those strawberry or almond flavored ones.
Taho
has been one of the Filipino’s best delicacies for merienda. Since then, it has
been a favorite by many due to its nutritious value and its affordability.
Manong sells taho,
his
shoulders yoked with the traditional dual aluminum buckets that have doled out
the comforting trio of silken tofu, brown syrup, and sago pearls, roaming around the BulSU around 7 in the morning.
One canister contains the warm brown sugar syrup and tapioca pearl solution
while the second contains the soy bean curd. He carries plastic cups in two
sizes, 8 ounce which is PHP 10 and PHP 20 for 12 ounce, and straws.
Using a wide, shallow metal watch glass-shaped scoop, Manong would skim the
surface of the bean curd and toss out any excess water, before scooping the
bean curd itself into a cup. Then, using a long, thin metal ladle, he scoops
pearls and arnibal into the cup, loosely mixing it in.
The
service is good and fast, no faults can be said. When asked if he increased the
price for a cup of taho (because of the TRAIN Law), he smiled and answered
negative.
“Love
ko kayo kaya ‘di na ko nagtaas, dinadagdagan ko pa nga ng arnibal ganoon ko
kayo ka-lab!”
A;All
All
in all, try it and you will not regret it. With the warm sweet treat, you
couldn’t resist but to start reaching for your pockets.
