The Eggplant is honoured in Villasis for the Talong Festival

Hundreds of local townsfolk, returning Filipinos from abroad and tourists celebrated the 7th Talong (Eggplant) Festival as part of the weeklong festivities in this agricultural town of Villasis, Pangasinan, North of Manila and considered as the “Vegetable Basket” of Northern Philippines. The festivities features different events like a Hundred ways to cook an eggplant, gown-making contest with a mixed-vegetable motif, a cooking contest dubbed “Pinakbet sa Kawa” a food delicacy of mixed vegetables where the eggplant is the main condiment stewed in fish sauce in a large wok and a colorful street dancing. The festival also gives recognition to other farmers planting other vegetables.