DULCE DE DINGLE: THE DEBUT

WHAT IS DULCE DE DINGLE?

Dulce de Dingle are the dried green papaya flower candies of Dingle, a fourth-class municipality in the province of Iloilo in Western Visayas region, Philippines.

Considered as the trademark of the town of Dingle, these candies are said to be one the oldest albeit virtually unkown Ilonggo delicacies--dating back as far as the 1920s.

They are served in special occasions, such as birthday parties, barangay and town fiestas, wedding receptions, graduation dinners, thanksgiving meals, and such other gatherings and events considered special by the people of Dingle.

WHAT MAKES DULCE DE DINGLE SPECIAL?

Dulce de Dingle is a rare, local delicacy made of unripe or green papaya pulp coated with sugar and formed into a flower or a rose. At the center of the "flower" or "rose," there is a delicious-looking yellow stuff called yema (a sweet concoction made of milk and eggs) that reaches down to the upper part of the "stem," which is also made of dried green papaya.

Unlike pinasugbo, piaya, bande, bukayo, butterscotch, biscocho, and other common delicacies identified with the province and the city of Iloilo, green papaya flower candies are quite unknown and are always hard to find because production is based on pre-orders only.

In fact, they are so rare that almost no local confectionery store sells them even in the neighboring Iloilo City. They cannot be found elsewhere outside Iloilo.

These special candies are undoubtedly best for:

• Pasalubong, which is a plus because they are so unique you can’t find them just anywhere.

• Watching TV and/or DVD with the family. (You'll be surprised at how fast these candies will disappear. Hopefully, you won't end up killing each other. Kidding.)

• After-meal treat.

• Happy meal during bad days, LQs (lovers' quarrels), dysmenorrhea, job retrenchment (hopefully not), and the like--because they can be a good (and healthier) substitute for your favorite chocolates.

• Parties, fiestas, and similar gatherings and occasions. (For sure, your party guests would--when you're not looking--secretly wrap some with tissue paper and take them home!)

• Bribing your boss. (Try it to prove it!)

• Saying "I Love You" to a girl (or boy)--because these candies are a good and creative substitute for the predictably boring bouquet of real flowers, especially on Valentine's Day.

• Crazy "circus performances"--others who will see you eat these candies would actually think you’re eating real flowers.

• Your health--they’re 100% natural, no harmful preservatives, nutritious--green papaya being a good source of vitamins A and C, potassium, papain (good for digestion), arginine (good for male fertility), and carpain (good for the heart), among others.

HOW IS DULCE DE DINGLE MADE?

Production of Dulce de Dingle utilizes age-old manual techniques and methodologies, which hugely contribute to the limited number of candies being produced.

Unfortunately, these traditional techniques are a factor behind the scarcity of these candies.

It takes nearly a week to prepare the freshly harvested papaya pulp because it has to be soaked first in water with lime powder for a few days, before placing it under the sun for at least a day to dry.

Also, there are times when supply of unripe or green papayas becomes a bit limited or more pricey than usual.

The "assembly" of the dried papaya pulp into a

"flower" or "rose" is also very meticulous. It requires dexterity of fingers, patience, and creativity to finish even just one "flower."

Shelf life of these candies is usually one to two weeks only--but a pack surely won't last for three days once you've tried them. They are sinfully delicious!

WHO MAKES DULCE DE DINGLE?

Green papaya flower candies are fashioned by the loving and hardworking hands of low-income housewives and their children from the town of Dingle, which is 45 minutes away from Iloilo City via dusty and bumpy land travel.

Income from this home-based microenterprise feeds nearly 20 families in this little town and help them send their children to school.

In most cases, out-of-school youth and working students are also part of the "production team" that makes these rare candies.

So, for every purchase of a pack of Dulce de Dingle, you will also be helping:

• The low-income families of the municipality of Dingle.

• The out-of-school youth, who spend their time making these candies instead of doing drugs or, uhm, making babies.

• The working students, who try to earn in-between classes just to send themselves to school.

HOW MUCH DOES A PACK OF DULCE DE DINGLE COST?

The smallest pack of Dulce de Dingle contains 25 sinfully delicious flower candies, and costs P200.

WHERE CAN WE GET AND TASTE DULCE DE DINGLE?

Dulce de Dingle is only available in the town of Dingle and now in the city of Iloilo. You can post your orders by texting these numbers:

• +63919-961-6181 (Smart).
• +63917-408-8872 (Globe).

Nationwide delivery via LBC, Air21, or JRS Express. Shipment fee will be shouldered by the buyer.