Tira-Tira: Sweet Memories of Childhood
Filipino, Perfectly Sweet March 15th, 2006
It’s what many childhood memories are made of - raw caramelised sugar candies that have a bubbly texture as they melt in the mouth. Locally produced, they were sold in public markets or corner stores. Nothing fancy, just something sweet to satisfy a child’s sweet cravings.
I associate tira-tira (also called balicutya or balicutsa in Ilocano) with elementary school field trips, when our teachers would pack lots of candies and ices for those who get motion sickness to suck on. If nobody gets sick by the middle of the trip, our whole busload of hyperactive youngsters would get a ration of the treats!
Years later, I realise tira-tira is one of the icons of Filipino sweets. They originally came in only one form - 2 inch-long tubes, much like candy canes without the hook. Now I see they’re also made into hearts and curlicues. Tira-tira is taken from the Spanish for ‘pulling’ (tirar, from tirón - help! I can’t conjugate!), the process after boiling sugarcane juice with which the candy is made. This is fairly indicative of its beginnings in haciendas such as those found in Northern, Central and Southern Luzon. The sugar industry still thrives in the same provinces, as well as in Negros, where new sugar mills emerged in the 1800s. It is in these places where one finds pure chunks of sweetness for young and old to enjoy.
The picture above has the remnants of the packet my cousin gave me. Other traditional products from raw sugar such as inuyat and pinocha (panocha to Tagalogs) are still being produced and sold in the marketplace but we take these for granted. That of course piqued my curiosity. I would like to see how these are made! Hmmm… perhaps I can go on an adventure one of these days. In the meantime, I’ll enjoy the three pieces of tira-tira.
Ramirez Store & Native Sugar
Vigan City Public Market
Mobile No. +639062520154
March 15th, 2006 at 10:27 am
When I was little, our yaya, who was from Negros used to make tira-tira. It required a lot of muscles and asbestos hands. I do not know how exactly the sugar would come to the caramel stage, at which it became elastic enough to be pulled from both ends at the same time. The hot caramel was transferred to banana stalks–those boat like stalks shaped like half-cylinders–and then tilted back and forth, I suppose to cool them down. When the caramel was cool enough to handle (but still hot), it was then pulled until it became pale yellow in color. At this stage, it was divided into smaller pieces and allowed to cool. The tira-tira was really chewy and had a “panocha” -like flavor.The tira-tira was really good but I am sure it was not what your dentist would recommend for you to snack on. Ahhh…those were the days when simple things could still make us happy.
March 15th, 2006 at 12:00 pm
this is so interesting considering how sugar artists are all the rage these days. the craft of sugar-pulling especially has its newfound fans, even though the art itself has been there for centuries.
March 15th, 2006 at 2:56 pm
bubbly texture? is this from just pulling and allowing air in, or is something like baking soda introduced to add the pockets of air?
March 16th, 2006 at 4:12 am
it is called butong-butong(pull-pull) in iloilo and was wrapped in a pinkish transluscent plastic (not cellophane). and you better have healthy teeth when you want to indulge in this.
March 16th, 2006 at 11:21 pm
:fruitdrink:hello, yah, i remember my dad, used to order a lot of these, to give as gifts to his office colleagues. Nice post, interesting!
March 18th, 2006 at 8:50 am
Hello CWID! Did you ever try helping out yaya? I can imagine children would like to have their hands all over that sweet confection. Thank you for posting that here.
That’s true Stef. If you consider the intricacy of the designs and how rudimentary their equipment were, it’s really awe inspiring.
Ate, it’s from the pulling. The vendor said that upon caramelising, the sugar is pulled again and again till it’s white. Imagine that!
Hey Angelo, I recently had butong-butong from Negros and will feature them (2 kinds) soon. I totally agree, you need healthy teeth to eat these candies.
Thanks KC! Gifting officemates with tira-tira is a good idea, especially today when all sorts of fancy imported candies can be found anywhere.
March 18th, 2006 at 9:17 am
am trying to think if i ever had this when i was young
if so whats the CEBUANO WORD for this?
March 22nd, 2006 at 10:07 pm
I couldn’t find tira-tira now here in QC (so sad).
I miss it so much.
Thanks for the info.
March 23rd, 2006 at 9:35 pm
Ola, tita karen!
the only tira-tira I’ve known was the ones my oma used to sell in her little sari-sari store. They were brown and tootsie roll looking., ‘never seen rounded ones like that before.
mukha syang merengue
March 24th, 2006 at 12:51 am
Inday Sha, it’s butong-butong in Ilonggo - wasn’t able to ask what it is in Cebuano or Waray. I’ll add that to the list to search for!
Lani, I think I saw some in Glo-ri’s sometime back. But I agree, they’re getting rare these days.
Thess, those are the ones I’m more familiar with. These ones made in Sta. Maria, Ilocos Sur look pretty though!
March 24th, 2006 at 11:42 pm
OMGosh. I can practically taste it. Ahhhh. Memories!
March 25th, 2006 at 1:56 am
Ooooh, I remember these! and just when I was racking my brains what they are called in ilokano, there it was! balicutsa! I miss this and the other product my lola usually brings us along with these, patupat
March 25th, 2006 at 10:11 am
it is merengge, right?
March 25th, 2006 at 10:14 am
i do remember calling them merengge. is it the same?
here’s a link i found on line…
http://www.fotothing.com/jeck/photo/0d6f5da02e88048bf92d5688c2969dda/start=9
March 26th, 2006 at 2:07 pm
Hi Karen, From what I remember, the Tira-tira I know looked like brown sticks/logs and was firm. Is it the same?
March 27th, 2006 at 4:35 pm
Dexie dear, I was thinking of you and the other Manang Biday food bloggers as I was typing this post, hehehe!
JMommy, ditto above.
Now, now - you’re making my mouth water with your mentioning patupat! Do you realise it’s summer now, meaning season for excursions, meaning food, meaning… ayayay!
Isky, tira-tira is made from pure raw sugar. Meringue a.k.a. merengge is made of egg whites. The pic above and meringue candies are similarly shaped though.
Hello Cands! Yes, I’m more familiar with the sticks/logs. I was pleasantly surprised when I saw the curlicues. Same taste though, with variations on how far caramelisation occurred.
March 30th, 2006 at 8:03 am
Karen, sarado na ang Glori’s Supermarket ngayon dito. Sayang talaga.
September 3rd, 2006 at 9:28 pm
:cat:hello
kmusta naka kababayan…have not heard from you lately…kmustasa…you said mamasyal ka resto enaka memasyal….i hope to meet a you in person….and talk about food…food…food…cooking…cooking…..
well..hope to hear from you soon
bye for now
kusinera chef jen
May 22nd, 2007 at 9:36 am