Hey hey, how’s it going? I’m excited to catch up and share more about my weekly adventures with you! Traveling around the world is always a blast, but I’ve got to admit—jumping from one country to the next over the past few weeks has been a bit exhausting. Thankfully, the Philippines has no shortage of cool, refreshing drinks to help me freshen up!
One local favorite I’ve been enjoying is Sago’t Gulaman, part of a group of drinks known as Palamig, which literally means “refreshers.” These drinks are perfect for hot days and often feature fun, jelly-like ingredients that add a little extra texture—things like nata de coco or agar-agar. Among them, Sago’t Gulaman really stands out. It’s super popular and easy to find pretty much everywhere—whether you’re at a street stall, a market, or even a café!
Given that it’s hot year-round in the Philippines, it’s no surprise Sago’t Gulaman is such a go-to drink. It’s made with chewy sago pearls, jelly cubes, and sweet brown sugar syrup (arnibal)—sometimes with a bit of vanilla or pandan for extra flavor!
While the classic version sticks to those ingredients, fun variations like pandan, ube, melon, coffee, buko pandan, or even mango add unique twists. Served ice-cold, it’s just the thing to cool you down and give you a little energy boost. Locals and visitors alike can’t get enough of it!
And the best part? It’s really easy to make at home. You just cook the sago pearls until they’re soft, prepare the jelly (or gulaman) by boiling agar-agar and letting it set before cutting it into cubes, then make a syrup from brown sugar and water. Toss everything into a glass with some ice and cold water, give it a good stir, and you’re all set.
Now I’m craving it again just thinking about it! You should totally give it a try and let me know how it goes—I’d love to hear what you think. Until then, let’s keep exploring and see what else the world has in store!
Best regards, Gembira
Here to make your soul happy!