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| (Photo by Darwin Pesco, OJT) |
Incidentally, "kasoy" is one of the mainstay of Antipolo's
"Sumakah Festival", which is the contraction of the popular
"suman" (rice cake), "kasoy" and the "hamaka",
which is described as a form of transportation using the "duyan"
(hammock).
"Kasoy" is derived from the Portuguese "acaju",
"acajuiba" or "cajueiro" which comes from Indian words
acaju or acajou, based on Doreen Fernandez’s book, “Fruits of the Philippines”.
Many "kasoy" stores are found around downtown Antipolo, near
the cathedral, aside from the two long lines of stalls near the Sumulong
Highway just before the Antipolo City Public Market.
For vendor Sol Retereza, 52, the delicious and exotic taste of
"kasoy" is the reason why local tourists are always touring around
the city.
Cashew nuts in Antipolo are typically sold at PHP50 per small glass.
Prices go up depending on the size of the container.
"Kasoy" also sell much faster during the holidays, according
to 35-year-old Victor Tejano.
He also added that the "kasoy" he sells are sourced from
Palawan, Batangas, and Bataan.
“Cashew nuts are so delicious that is why they continue to come back
for it. Sometimes, it comes in various flavors like adobo, garlic and
barbecue," 21-year-old Janeth Dungo said. Also, she added that there is a slump
on selling the exotic nuts during weekdays.
“Many people return here frequently because the cashew nuts taste good.
We have flavors like adobo and plain ones. These are the bestsellers,” Tina
Bitong, 60, said.
She added that her product is sourced from Vietnam.
Her view on the tastiness of the "kasoy" is also shared by
fellow vendor, Lucy Tolentino, 57.
“The cashew nuts here are delicious. This is what Antipolo is known
for. This is what tourists are looking for when they come here,” she
added. ( By Priam Nepomuceno / With reports from Darwin C. Pesco, OJT/PNA)
