The tiangge lifestyle

This is something that has successfully crept into all our lives. Call it tiangge, bazaar, weekend market, trade fair, they all operate under the same principle–sell everything from food and garments to small unique gadgets at prices much lower than anywhere else. Tiangges must have taken off from an old tradition in provincial palengkes where farmers bring their produce one day in a week, and this became the weekend market. Bazaars were held prior to seasonal events like Christmas, while trade fairs became the venues for exporting local products. These days we are likely to find one oor more of them being held somewhere nearby, attracting the whole spectrum of society, from the well-heeled, housewives and househusbands, corporate men and women, teeners, balikbayans. There are also garage sales, which would merit another column.

The most recent tiangge we went to was the Shopping Carnival at the World Trade Center, now a regular venue for such events. It carried the usual items–bags and mules, plants and carpets, food and bottled drinks. Still we found some unique things such as Christmas decors in resin and papier mache by MBV "Pingoy" Designs and Crafts in Parañaque, exported to Harrods in London, costing from P550 each; useful home accessories from Tahanang Walang Hagdanan like bread baskets and hampers made of anahaw leaves and metal and the Country Wood Collection of chopping boards, rice bowls and chip and dip trays from P120 per.

Foodwise, there was quite a line-up. Bottled sauces from Connie’s Kitchen like the Salsa Amaya (P140 a bottle) made of olive oil, tinapa, black olives, mushrooms, capers and sun-dried tomatoes. With those flavorful ingredients, how can it not be good? Amihan Baked Goodies are products of the livelihood program organized by the women of Calamba, Laguna where they have their outlet along the highway. You can plan your Christmas giveaways with their fruit cakes (P160 per) and other packaged sweets. There’s Fat Buchie’s (outlet on President’s Avenue, BF Homes Parañaque), selling lechon, crispy shrimps (P100), local unagi at P180. Mac’s Deli is based in Valle Verde and offers sausages from The Manila Peninsula hotel. Navarro’s carries burong isda and hipon. They have a place in Greenhills.

The regular tiangge in Greenhills originally carried only garments, bags and other non-food merchandize. Now the edibles have invaded the market and they are grouped together in one section. Here we found squash-flavored canton noodles at P28 a pack, Ilocos garlic at P100 a kilo, Malabon kakanin at 3 packs for P100, Lucban longganisa at P80 a kilo, Maxine’s ham, bagnet (roast pork) plus a lot of chichirias.

The newest wet market is that of Nusa Dua at the corner of Commerce Avenue and Spectrum Drive in Alabang. Barely two weeks old when we decided to have a look-see, it still has to go "on stream", so to speak. There were about 12 sellers, and one young lady with flowing hair was asleep practically on top of a heap of barbecued pork (P15 per stick.). Mangoes from Guimaras were tagged at P50 a kilo, rambutan and dragon fruit at P45, and bangus at P100 a kilo. Flowering plants are available and we were attracted to the bright red bromeliads at P100 each.

Back in a supermarket, with some time on our hands, we found our way to the new Rustan’s Fresh in Magallanes Village. With enough time to read all the labels and prices, we truly enjoyed that morning. They have an expanded Health Food section where the Hain line includes Canola mayonnaise, organic mustard and a lot of cookies and sugar-free biscuits. They have fresh herbs (thyme and rosemary) as well as ostritch meat (P447.80 a kilo). We must try this one day. Anyway, of the canned goods we got the non-cholesterol, Progresso brand classic soup Vegetable Italiano (P85), all natural Kangara Orange, Carrot and Ginger Juice from Australia (P142) and Masterfood mint jelly (154).