LANZONES-PAETE
Aside from woodcarving, what makes Paete famous is the seasonal (produces only in September thru November) Lanzones fruit. Lanzones is called the "aristocrat" of fruits and it is in Paete that most of it is grown.
A very short story would best describe this luscious fruit from the province of Paete, Laguna:
Once upon a time the fruit of the lanzones tree was very poisonous. Its very juice could make a man sick until he dies. One day a very religious old man was passing through a forest to attend the fiesta of a neighboring town. When he reached the middle of the thick forest, he became very hungry and tired and felt he could go no further. No matter where he looked, he could see nothing but the poisonous lanzones. So he lay down on the soft grass. Hardly a moment had passed when a being from heaven approached him and said, 'My good Christian pilgrim, take some of these lanzones fruits, eat them, and you will be much relieved. At first the old man would not do it but the heavenly being pinched the fruit with her fingers and handed them to the pilgrim. He then ate and soon his hunger was removed. After thanking heaven, he continued on to his pilgrimage. Ever since that time, lazones have been good to eat. All fruits still bear the marks of the heavenly being's fingers.
Having said that, the fact remains that for whatever reason, it was lanzones that placed Paete on the country's map. So be it. If you happened to be around Paete during lanzones season, do drop by and have a taste. You might like it more than I do.