Taho Story

Long before the breakfast cereals and instant noodles, the Filipino kids were first fascinated with taho as part of their morning habit. For a typical kid, every day he will wait for the time for the arrival of the magtataho in their place. It would be probably more or less around eight o’clock to ten o’clock in the morning. As they hear the shout of the taho vendor, they will hurriedly go outside their houses, with their cups and tumblers and buy the mouthwatering taho. I’ve also experience this same thing when I was a child. I really love the sweetness of the syrup made from caramelized brown sugar and the soft silky feel of the tofu plus the gummy consistency of the sago or the tapioca pearls. Aside from the taste, taho is considered a healthy food too. The curd is made up of soybean which is high in protein and low in fat.

Actually, the taho is loved by most Filipinos, regarding the age, sex and profession. With it comes to food, taho is just part of the Filipino tradition. It would be a normal sight here in the Philippines to see a man carrying two dissimilar size aluminum buckets, shouting “tahoooooo!” at the top of his lungs.

But beyond the satisfaction that this food has given to each and every one of us, I certainly acknowledge the vendor itself for their hard work. Imagine them walking under the extreme heat of the sun or even in the strong shower of rain just to give us our most beloved taho. They need to wake up early in the morning to prepare the popular street food which is best serve while the curd is still hot.

Patiently, they will walk from every corner of the streets just to deliver to us the taho. Others may think that its just part of their job. But I think beyond that job is also their dedication to serve the people. In the first place they are not earning that much, especially today that the traditional taho is gradually declining due to the continuous emerging of the commercially produced taho, the one that you’ll buy in the groceries. The money they receive from selling taho is just enough for their everyday needs. So the next time you’ll see a “magtataho” in your place, think again!

Images courtesy of Flickr.com