Authentic Kapampangan Delicacies

TURRONES DE CASOY: PRESERVING THE RECIPE OF A SWEET HISTORY

The Kapampangans are known for serving the best quality food. One of their best is the Turrones de Casoy, a sweet wrapped candy made out of cashew nuts. Kapampangans' turrones de casoy is a treat so delicious you'll fall for because of its sugared charm that is packed in simplicity. For those who haven't seen or tasted this famous kapampangan sweet, it's worth a try. It's a century-old delicacy in Pampanga shaped in long and slim sticks wrapped in a thin paper-like wafer. How did they come up with a simple yet exquisite treat? We'll have to track back in time.

Aguilar, Miranda, Lansang and two Castro sisters were spending their afternoons working at a Dominican Church in San Matias, Sta. Rita Pampanga, making vestments and other garments worn by priests. In 1920's, a Catholic Dominican nun asked Felisa Lansang and the four others if they wanted to learn how to make a delicacy her family makes in Spain and without any hesitation, they said yes. They learned the recipe to make the best Turrones de Casoy in town the next afternoon.

This Spanish inspired delicacy is easily recognized as what the Kapampangans say "Kakanan ya balat." (You eat the wrapper.) It's a brittle yet sometimes chewy confection commonly made of egg white, nuts, honey and sugar wrapped in white wafer or rice paper similar with the "oscha" that we use in Holy Communion.

Back then, locals would send these delicacies as gifts during fiestas, but as the Riteñans tasted these sugary goodness, they couldn't help but to make and sell these delicious treats all year round. The sisters pioneered the business as the folks were craving in their barangay; Felisa's started hers at her home in San Jose, Aguilar in Dalan Betis, Miranda in San Matias, while the Castros in Sta. Monica. Unfortunately, they grew up without children; ergo, couldn't share their recipe to continue their business except for Lansang, who shared the recipe to her family – now the Ocampo-Lansang Delicacies , owned and being managed by Felisa's nephew, Mr. Ramon Ocampo.

Ramon is a former Assistant Principal in Don Bosco Catholic Academy. He started helping around their family business with his brother at a young age. At the university, he would always bring turrones for his faculty members as snacks and prizes for his students. After 43 years of teaching, he retired and took over their family business in 2004 at the age of 63.

He followed his aunts' wish and never changed the recipe - even their store location, a humble home standing behind the Sta. Rita Parish Church since 1920s. The recipe, however, is a secret they kept for a hundred years now. Even after all these years, people still love it. A proof that this Riteñan delicacy is timeless, keeping the local taste buds insatiable for its sweet and nutty taste. Aside from turrones de cassoy, this home business sells all sorts of kapampangan delicacies: sans rival cakes, uraro cookies, and caramel boat tarts.

In spite of this humble commercial success, Ocampo-Lansang family still values the importance of keeping the age-old yet golden quality of this treasured delicacy – along with their family tradition and rich Riteñan history. We may never know the secrets of what this turrones is made of, yet its legacy will never perish – and so will the sweetness of every bite of this treat.