Traveling up North will never be the same after you read the stories we have in store for you in our pages for this month. We visited the country's melting pot, Tarlac, where Kapangpangans, Ilocanos, Pangasinenses and Tagalogs have lived with each other harmoniously for so many years. Speak Tagalog and you will be understood. The province is known for its tenacity amidst so many trials that have passed through this part of the country.

And who would have thought that volcanic ashes can be turned into a therapeutic spa? Yet that's exactly what the people of Capas did. Just like the proverbial phoenix rising from the ashes, Capas has turned what could have been a continuous downfall into a plus for the province of Tarlac. And did any of you know that in Camiling they sell bagnet which could give Vigan's bagnet a run for its money? Another mouthwatering delicacy from the province is processed carabao meat. That's tapang kalabaw which some of us native Tarlaquenos favor fermenting it outside the refrigerator longer and therefore making it more sour tasting with a touch of sweetness rather than the other way around. For the uninitiated, they might think the meat is spoiled but much like the balo-balo or fermented shrimps in rice or the more popular burong dalag, the dish should really be sour.

And then try out the recipes of exotic dishes made by the former chef of David Rockefeller--by exotic I mean frogs and kambing. And more surprises await you! Did you know that over in Bamban,Tarlac they make Choco-Mango, a chocolate coated dried mango that's a tweak to Cebu's dried mango? And then in Moncada you will find the best tasting sweet potato crunchies ever. And since the province is also known for its vast sugar plantations, the municipality of Gerona, aptly produces muscovado. In Victoria, they not only produce muscovado but also vinegar. So next time you go up North, spend some time in the province of Tarlac, not just for a quick dining stopover at Hacienda Luisita but perhaps to have a leisurely game of golf at the Haicenda Luisita Golf Course and Country Club or stay at the Azaya Garden Resort. Have lunch at the Coconut Grill or over at Nay's House or dinner and some relaxing night at Victor's Lechon Manok and Sisigan. Have a blast at the melting pot!