By Marie Joy Rosal
(This piece was originally written in 2018. Although ham is now priced at 1,700 per kilo due to inflation, still very much worth it.)
Tucked in a kiosk near some rice sellers at the Guanco entrance to Central Market is this heritage ham shop called the Iloilo China Store. No fancy signages and crammed shelves; the store is near bare except for the tall glass case displaying a stainless steel tray of delectable thin ham slices with some sweet glaze.
This holiday season, the shop is open everyday (except for Christmas Day and New Year), as loyal customers, or shall I say, the children and grandchildren of its loyal customers look forward to this yearly ritual of purchasing this treasured ham to grace their Noche Buena and/or Media Noche tables.
My Lola Lucy started a tradition of serving this ham for Christmas. I continue it so my children can connect with loved her and other loved ones gone ahead. That’s the nostalgic side. The second reason why this ham? It’s just levels way above the commercial balls, loaves and pears. For me, Iloilo China Store’s ham just pairs well with Marca Pavo quezo de bola on pan americano. The kids though, like it with rice.
Iloilo China Store has been around since the 1950s at Aldeguer Street. It was established by Antonio (Otok) Ng Sam, a migrant from China. Originally called New China Store, it carried grocery, drinks and served as the outlet for Sam’s Ham and Bacon Factory. Back then, they sold a variety of cured meats like Australian ham, sweet ham, American ham, bacon, and its carrier, the Chinese hoc shiu ham.
One of Antonio Ng Sam’s sons, Rodolfo, fondly called Rudy or Tolilong by friends, continued the ham business. It was Rudy who developed their version of the chorizo bilbao, a product still made to this day. From Aldeguer, Iloilo China Store moved to Hoskyn’s compound then by 1990, it settled at its present location inside the Central Market.
When Rudy passed on in 1995, his wife Elsie continued the business. Years later, Elsie remarried and found a supportive partner for life and work. Manuel Titular took on the labor-intensive job of curing these Chinese ham. When wrongly made, the huge slabs of pork will turn bad. “When I started making these with Elsie’s guidance, I had several failed pork slabs. Through time, I have mastered the flavor and technique.” It takes two months to cure this Chinese ham using an intensive procedure that involves freezing for a certain time.
Running this heritage business is a family affair. Manuel does the curing while Elsie and her sisters help out with slicing and cooking the delicious sauce.
These days, a new face attends to customers, Otok Ng’s granddaughter, Zien. Her mother, Elsie, requested her to come home from abroad to help with the business.
Zien remembers several childhood memories at the Iloilo China Store. “With so many people crowding in the store during Christmas, Papa Rudy had to give out numbers to organize the service. Also, Papa taught us to help out in the family business by wrapping the ham and tying the ends of the chorizo bilbao. “
“My fondest memory is at the walk-in freezer when Papa prepped the slabs of ham. My younger siblings and I had fun seeing our breath as if we were in snow country.”
Since the 90s, the Iloilo China Store seemed incognito in this quiet alley at Central Market; only its loyal patrons and their kin know of its existence.
May this heritage food icon reach more people in Western Visayas. With the first bite, they might consider adding this to their holiday tables, even beyond Christmas, for this Chinese ham is proudly Ilonggo, rich in flavor and history.
