Food in the Philippines

Provisioning the boat was an immediate task upon arrival.  Since the boat was in the boatyard "three" hours (really, more like 4) away, in the middle of nowhere Philippines, I knew that most of the initial provisioning would be done in Makati City and transported to the boat before departure.  It proved to be the most Herculean of tasks.  We shopped at big box stores, small delicatessens, specialty shops, hardware stores, pharmacies and while en route, we stopped at public markets and on the side of the road.  The biggest challenge of it all was understanding the exchange rate (40 pisos to the dollar)--I stood confused at the registers trying to comprehend the enormous tally--how much is 36, 885 pisos anyway?  The provisions were sent to the boat in advance of my boarding, fortunately--I can't even imagine all the carrying.

Before departure from the States, I had sent the chef some menu suggestions, both Western and Filipino dishes, and asked her to give me some sense of costs for the food.  Pancit Malabon, Crispy Cat Fish with green mango, Boneless Bangus, Fresh Lumpia were a few of the regional selections.  I knew I was in for a culinary adventure.  On the first day, I was in the galley and saw this sliced up fish cooking:

Frankly, it's a bit gruesome for my eyes, but I so appreciated the freshness and "snout to tail" nature of this dish.  I asked what it was, and if I may photograph it ("Yes."), and the chef explained that it was for the staff.  (The hosts and guests had not yet arrived.)  I saw rice cooking in a large rice maker nearby, and also a smaller pot of rice being cooked.  She explained that the large pot of rice was for the crew, and the smaller pot was for me.  "You won't like our rice."  She was preparing jasmine rice for me.  And another entree, not the fish stew. 

Breakfasts started early for everyone, including the guests who awoke at 6:30 for juice and tea and then had yoga on the helipad or the sundeck.  Or a nearby beach when available.  The crew often ate fried eggs and small fried fish.  The smell was very delicious, although I usually opted for black coffee and a piece of bread.  

Each morning we had lots of fruit available for everyone, including the best and ripest mangoes we could find.  One morning I had the chefs split open a durian fruit for everyone to try.  It is famously called the worst tasting food on earth by Anthony Bourdain, but I liked it.  Not quite "loved" it, but liked it.  Here it is below:

The flesh is housed in a large spiky shell which cracks as it ripens.  I didn't see how the chefs removed the flesh from the fruit, but it looked like small buns or croissants to me.  The smell wasn't as strong as I had expected.  I took a small piece and found the texture soft and the taste sweet.  The smell was a little cheesy but not rank.  Two bites told me I liked it, and that was enough for me.  Some of the guests tried it, but few liked it.  I would try it again and would love to see it used in a dish.

After our first day at sea, I learned of Fernando's love of setting the table--it was his pride and joy.  He had demonstrated all the napkin folds he knew and told me of the tablescapes he could create.  I could see this was his passion, so I told him it would be fine for him to create one for us each morning.  The materials to work with were limited, but he succeeded in creating some dramatic scenes on the table, like the one above with the sailboat and a giant stuffed lobster.  Later in the week, the lobster attacked the boat.  I prefer less showy and dramatic table centerpieces but recognized that the staff wanted to demonstrate their strengths and I had to let them do it.  It was one of the many lessons I learned (again) on the boat.

On the third day of the cruise the guests spent the day at Ariara Island Resort, a private island in the middle of lovely nowhere.  The resort is rented by one party at a time, be it two guests or 22 (their maximum capacity); privacy as only money can buy.  The place is also stunning.   The villas are large and comfortable, many with outdoor showers so that you can bathe in the trees--that always feels like paradise to me.  Service is not quite to a Western standard (yet) but was always polite, efficient and quiet.  I really like this place.  And look at some of their food presentation, what's not to love?:

from upper left:  pineapple, dragon fruit, cantaloupe, mangoes, mangosteens, fresh lychee, papaya and in the center, passion fruit

guests are greeted with fresh, young coconut juice called boku. 

I had my lunch away from the guest, here a starter salad some of which came from the island's garden

my lunch main plate was this curried scallops with fried  onion rings

After a day of water sports, hiking and relaxing in the shade of the trees, the guests had a traditional barbeque on the beach at Ariara.  Since we were in the Philippines, a suckling pig (called a lechon) was the main dish.  It had been slaughtered earlier in the day on the island and had been roasted by the chef for several hours before being brought to the beach for dinner.  When the boat chefs learned that a lechon had been prepared at the resort, they asked me to secure the head for them to use for another crew dinner.  Of course, with their rice.  And no invitation for me. 

Impressions from the Philippines, 2013

A recent working gig in the South China Seas was the most eye-opening, mind-expanding, heart-moving experience of my working life.  I'm still processing the two weeks away (and dealing with the jetlag), but here are some images with some random thoughts:

Before leaving the US, I met with a Filipino lady I know to have her tell me about her come country.  One of the topics I wanted to discuss was security and the prevalence of armed guards in the major cities.  Frankly, I wasn't looking forward to seeing handguns and machine guns in the local malls and on the street.  They were even more prevalent than I expected--even the 7-11 across the street from my hotel had an armed guard.  My friend had explained the reality of their presence but while I was there I had another thought about it:  the security also provides employment for thousands of people, it's just a hard economic fact.  I got the sense that Makati City didn't really need all this security, but it did provide income for many people.  Like it or not, it seemed to be the reality.  

I was certainly taken with the local forms of public transportation.  Although I had a car and driver while I was in Makati City and Manila, I knew that before I left for the country and the cruise, I would have to hop on one of these "tin lizzies" and go for a ride.  So, early one morning before rush hour, I took an 8 piso ride for about a quarter of a mile.  It was great!  My head hit the top of the seating area (and I'm only 5' 10") and the ride was not air conditioned, but it was a fun ride and I'd encourage everyone to hop on. 

The jeepneys, as these automobiles are called, are often all decorated with religious blessings and thankfulness.  They are brightly painted and rarely air conditioned.  The rear doors are usually open in order to provide quick access to the seating area, and one simply passes their money forward to the driver or excuses his way to the front to pay.  It's very much an honor system, and at only about 25 cents a ride, it's affordable to all.  I was told that gasoline is untaxed in the Philippines (or is that just boat fuel?), and from the thickness of the smog in Manila, I think it's also fully leaded.

I had never seen rice fields before; well, I had never been to Asia proper before either, so you will forgive me.  I was completely taken by the beauty of the field on our drive to the boat (three hours from Manila).  The distant mountain seemed other-worldly to me somehow, so unlike any mountains I had seen before in the hills of Appalachia, the Rockies or the Alps.  These mountains seemed to have fallen from some other place, and they could easily be gone tomorrow.  My driver told me of the "recent" volcano eruption of 1991.  Yes, he described it as "recent" and was surprised that I didn't know about it.  I suspect it is taught about in public schools, as it should be.  Here is a link.

The countryside was eye-opening to me, so unlike my experiences in Europe and I could only associate it with some backroads in the hills of North Carolina, deep into the Appalachian Mountains with my Mom.  It is easy to think of these villages as impoverished or inadequate but I also noted something else going on here:  a resiliency, a gumption, a joy--it all struck me profoundly.  They build with what is at hand--tarps, scrap metal, discarded wood, whatever.  I was also struck by the cleanliness of the roadside and even surprised to see the rice farmers drying rice on the roadside in the hot sun.  I asked the chefs who were traveling with me what the stuff was on the roadside, and they told me it was rice.  I'd never have guessed it, but it made sense.

Eating out with the chefs and the driver was a good experience, and again, a lesson.  We ordered heartily, more food than I had ever ordered before.  I thought it would not be possible to eat all the food we ordered.  One chef ordered some anchovy-spiked vegetables that were too bitter and sour for my liking, but this roasted chicken was simply the best I've ever had.  We waited a good while for our food; patience is required of all things it seems.  That was another valuable lesson I learned/experienced on this trip:  there is plenty of time here, maybe less goods and money, but plenty of time.  What's the hurry?  We enjoyed our lunch and hit the road for the boat, with a to-go bag.  Maybe their eyes were bigger than their stomachs.

I'll add more photos and thoughts later in the week, including some shots of the resorts we visited.  I'm happy to be back.

Now Collectible: Marker's Mark 84 proof

As a friend wrote to me this morning, "That didn't take long."  Marker's Mark has announced,  just hours ago, that they will resume making their product the way it had been made before someone drank something that made their mind jump off a sanity cliff  for over fifty years: at 90 proof.  Honestly, I hope the person who made that foolish decision is fired and forced to drink Jim Beam.  

The New New Coke: Maker's Mark 84 proof

A favorite house of bourbon announced this week that they changed their formulation. What a curious move, and what curious reasoning.

Maker's Mark,  84 proof

More Valentine's Chocolates

Maybe your budget doesn't allow for the splurge of La Maison du Chocolat; or maybe you just want a smaller piece of chocolate at this time--I've found an answer:

FLASH: Valentine's Day offer

One of my favorite chocolate houses (they would be my favorite if they ever acknowledged all my plugs for them with a free two pound box of their finest) La Maison du Chocolat is offering free shipping on all orders over $50.00 until Feb 13th.  Order now and order big!  (No special code seems to be necessary.)

And here's a great song to get us in the mood, from the wonderful Blossom Dearie.  Please heed her concerns when ordering flowers.