Philippines' best strawberries are found in the Province of Benguet - DOT

Photo Courtesy || Pixabay

Cordillera - Department of Tourism (DOT) Undersecretary Arthur Boncato Jr. lauded Benguet province for producing the best quality strawberries. 

Boncato, who leads the Tourism Regulation Coordination & Resource Generation department of the DOT, said the strawberry farms in Benguet and in La Trinidad are being eyed as a tourism destination because of its best-tasting strawberries. 

WATCH: CNN Philippines features Benguet in Building Bridges Episode

During the program of the 38th Strawberry Festival, Boncato said there's nothing that tastes better than strawberries locally grown in Benguet compared to other farms found in the country. 

"There are farms in other parts of the country that grow strawberries but there is nothing that tastes better than the (strawberry of the) province of Benguet," Boncato said.

He also said that Benguet is "fortunate" because strawberry is considered a high-value crop and many tourists are flocking the valley to have a unique experience of picking fresh strawberries straight from the farm by themselves. 

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"We are very fortunate that BSU (Benguet State University) is the main source of our strawberries here in Benguet. Our appeal to BSU is to sustain these beautiful strawberry farms. I know there will be expansion farms somewhere but let us think carefully not to make it as a destination for business but a destination for tourists all over the country," he said. 

The town of La Trinidad is currently celebrating its 38th Strawberry Festival from March 4 to March 29, 2019. The highlight of the festival is the rebuilding of a replica of the Guinness World Record biggest strawberry short cake. 

Cake lovers can have a taste of the cake on March 23, starting at 11 a.m at the Lednicky hall in the municipal building. 

There will be a free 50 slices to be served and the succeeding slices will be sold at Php20.00 per slice. 

READ MORE: La Trinidad to bake world-record giant strawberry cake to highlight Strawberry Festival 2019

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La Trinidad to bake world-record giant strawberry cake to highlight Strawberry Festival 2019

Photo Courtesy || Shanon.ethan FB

Cordillera - Benguet's capital town La Trinidad is gearing up to rebuild a replica of the Guinness World  Record biggest strawberry short cake to highlight the upcoming Strawberry Festival set on March 4 to March 29, 2019

According to La Trinidad Mayor Romeo Salda, the giant strawberry cake will be a replica of the 2004 cake that gave the town the Guinness World Record for the biggest strawberry shortcake. 

The cake weighed 9,622.24 kilograms and was served to more than 10,000 persons.

The celebration of the upcoming Strawberry Festival aims to promote the town as the strawberry capital of the Philippines and hopes to encourage local and foreign tourists to visit the town. 

"This is also an avenue to promote, not only La Trinidad Strawberries but also the town's many other products which are derivatives of the berry while celebrating the town's cultural diversity and richness," Salda said during a press conference. 

Last two years ago, the town has baked the first replica of the giant cake with the measurement of 1.5 meters high by 1.8 meters wide by 2.5 meters long and weighs at 2.5 tons. 

This year, the town will showcase the award-winning cake with the same design and the same measurement. 

 The ingredients to be used in the making of the cake are:

225 kilos of butter,

275 kilos of fresh strawberries,

325 kilos of sugar, 

225 kilos of fresh eggs, 

175 kilos of milk,

425 kilos of all-purpose flour, 

2.5 kilos of baking powder,

5 kilos of baking soda,

7.5 kilos of vinegar, 

15 kilos of strawberry flavor, 

500 kilos of whip cream,

and 10 kilos of food coloring.

The total cost of the cake is Php500,000 and it can make 500 pans which when sliced will make 16,000 slices. 

Cake lovers can have a taste of the cake on March 23, starting at 11 a.m at the Lednicky hall in the municipal building. 

There will be a free 50 slices to be served and the succeeding slices will be sold at Php20.00 per slice.

Funds from the cake is going to pay for the expenses of the organizers. 

source || pna

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