Christmas at Villa Escudero

Villa Escudero's most famous attraction is the small waterfall that cools the feet of the diners enjoying the resort's specialties. Photo: Villa Escudero

Villa Escudero Plantation and Resort, like it name states, is a resort located inside a coconut plantation that has been with the Escudero family for as long as anyone can remember. The Filipino-themed resort features items, practices, and foodways from around the country that harks back to an imagined idyllic hacienda life.

Visitors are driven around the resort by carts pulled by carabaos (the carts are hydraulic, so the carabaos aren’t really exerting much work at all). There are pools and activity centers and museums. The highlight of the resort, something which has continued to attract people to it to this day, is the buffet lunch by a small waterfall, where diners get to enjoy resort specialties while soaking their feet in the cool stream.

There’s always a festive air at Villa Escudero, as if every day is a day away from a big party. The reason we know that celebrations at the plantations are a different level altogether is because Don Conrado “Ado” Escudero, the man behind the resort, released the Villa Escudero Coconut Plantation Cookbook, which chronicles the plantation’s traditions and foodways through stories and recipes. The book was written with the help of Villa Escudero’s executive chef Cocoy Ventura and includes resort recipes, fiesta recipes, and of course, Christmas favorites.

The famous Villa Escudero ham, made at the hacienda. Photo: Cocoy Ventura

Don Ado, who grew up on the plantation, says that Christmas was festive for everyone. Plantation workers and their families would line up outside the Escudero ancestral home. “The reason is we want to recognize them,” Don Ado says. They would gift the Escuderos with livestock or produce, while the Escuderos in turn gifted them with cash, rice, sugar, and other items.

On Christmas eve, midnight mass was a must, followed by Noche Buena, Christmas dinner, at home. “We all eat together. Always very nice. That’s when everyone gets a gift,” Don Ado says. “Some of the food served are in the book, but I didn't put all of them, otherwise it will make the book too thick. But it’s all very good food, something my parents never scrimped on.”

The resort’s culinary legacy, he says, was founded on his parents’ insistence on making every meal an excellent one. “They believed in a good kitchen, so we usually have a staff—chefs, and usually, the chefs are very selfish. None of the helpers can come in until everything is cooked. But oh, fantastic food!”

Two holiday mainstays at the Villa: Champorado (above, left), which is served with Tuyong Biya, and the Leche Flan. Photos: Cocoy Ventura

The cookbook’s Christmas section lists holiday delights such as Villa Escudero ham, champorado, daing na biya (goby), Lucban longganisa, hinurong pabo, leg of lamb roast, fruit salad, leche flan, and Christmas eggnog. Some recipes are easy, such as daing na biya and the champorado, but others are more challenging, such as the ham and longganisa. “We make our own ham,” says Don Ado. “There was a time before us when they had French chefs. Those French chefs taught these chefs that we have [now].”

One of Don Ado’s favorite Christmas dishes is the Villa Escudero Estofado, which is included in the Feast of the Ascension chapter. He describes how it's made: “That’s pork hocks, goose, banana, the yams, and of course, old Chinese wine, Siok Tong. They cook that for hours, and it’s a little sweet with the Siok Tong, a little sugar. And when it’s cooked, everything has to be tender, even the pork hocks. They close the pot and seal it and let it alone for one week, and naturally, mold will form on top. They remove the mold and they reheat. That’s excellent.”

How do they celebrate Christmas at the resort? By making sure that everyone gets to enjoy it with their families. “We’re closed because we pity the staff to be working [on a holiday], but we open the day after Christmas,” says Don Ado.

Villa Escudero was closed on Christmas for the sake of the staff and their families. Photo: Cocoy Ventura

The new year sees Villa Escudero further building on its reputation as a fun holiday resort. “Hopefully, it will be a permanent destination in our country, because if America can have a destination like this, why  can’t we? It will be very wholesome for Filipino families to come here,” Don Ado says. “It’s so satisfying to see everyone enjoying, having a good time.”

What’s important, he says, is that, “I’m making people happy.” — BM, GMA News

Villa Escudero ((02) 523-0392, (02) 521-0830) is on Km 91 in Tiaong, Quezon.