A couple of less than positive things I will admit to about the food on my trip:
1. I did not try the balut. Linda loves this and I think looks forward to it every time she visits her second home. Balut is an Asian delicacy. Here is the description from Wikipedia: balut is a fertilized duck (or chicken) egg with a nearly-developed embryo inside that is boiled and eaten in the shell.
2. After white rice at every meal, 3 times a day I really didn't want to see it let alone eat it any time soon after I returned from my trip.
3. While I wouldn't eat or even entertain on my plate shrimp with their heads still attached when I visited New Orleans years ago, I did eat them while in the Philippines. And I didn't die or have any heebie jeebies!
4. I tried jackfruit and it wasn't my favorite thing but that might have been because it was very warm when I ate it. I tend to prefer my fruits cold. And more importantly we learned Ma'am Becky is allergic to jackfruit among others.
And now on to the fabulous foods I did eat and learn to love in the Philippines. I think my favorite breakfast food had to be the eggplant! Yes, eggplant for breakfast. Pictured here, it is pretty simple to prepare although when I got 
home and tried to recreate it I nearly burnt the condo down. Lucky for Aaron he was away that weekend. The basics of the dish: maintain the stem on the eggplant and use fairly small japanese type variety. Roast it over an open flame. There Ester and Dehlia would use one of the fish shaped BBQ contraptions over their gas stove top. At home since I didn't have one of those I used two skewers so I could hold on to it over the flame but I kept lighting the darn thing on fire! After its cooked, remove the skin and it should be cooked enough to then take a fork and smash it. (again don't remove the stem) Then you dip it in beaten egg with seasonings of choice and fry in a frying pan. It was fabulous and I have since bought a fish shaped BBQ contration to try again.
home and tried to recreate it I nearly burnt the condo down. Lucky for Aaron he was away that weekend. The basics of the dish: maintain the stem on the eggplant and use fairly small japanese type variety. Roast it over an open flame. There Ester and Dehlia would use one of the fish shaped BBQ contraptions over their gas stove top. At home since I didn't have one of those I used two skewers so I could hold on to it over the flame but I kept lighting the darn thing on fire! After its cooked, remove the skin and it should be cooked enough to then take a fork and smash it. (again don't remove the stem) Then you dip it in beaten egg with seasonings of choice and fry in a frying pan. It was fabulous and I have since bought a fish shaped BBQ contration to try again.I also fell in love with their fruits some of which were gotten right from their garden. In particular the baby bananas. And try as I may I'm having trouble g
etting them here at home to be anywhere near as good. Not only are they small and sweet but the color is a deeper yellow. And even when the outsides would turn pretty dark the insides didn't get mushy like ours often do. I have found some baby bananas at home but most are from other countries. My friend Arlene, who I've mentioned before, did get me some from the local Filipino market, but I could only salvage a couple before my co-workers "stole" some of them. And there were other delicious local fruits like mango and papaya.
etting them here at home to be anywhere near as good. Not only are they small and sweet but the color is a deeper yellow. And even when the outsides would turn pretty dark the insides didn't get mushy like ours often do. I have found some baby bananas at home but most are from other countries. My friend Arlene, who I've mentioned before, did get me some from the local Filipino market, but I could only salvage a couple before my co-workers "stole" some of them. And there were other delicious local fruits like mango and papaya.Speaking of mangoes, run don't walk, to your nearest Filipino market or anywhere else they are sold and get some champagne mangoes. I did not have this variety while I was there but I have discovered their goodness since being home. If you are interested I'll let you do your own research on the differences but one notable one is the skin color, champagnes are golden outside vs. green.
I mentioned Ma'am Linda's joy in balut and mine in eggplant and there will be more postings and recipes later but what about Ma'am Bicky's passion? You must say it like a very lively chant: "mango cake, mango cake" !!
A couple pictures here to illustrate; Ma'am Bicky eating mango cake and the bakery where it was displayed and bought in all its glory.And let me end by saying it's not like we visit and only enjoy their delicious 
delicacies we bring some for them to try and enjoy as well. Since we were there during Easter what better treat to bring them....PEEPS. But not only did the children love peeps, of course, but so did the adults as evidence here in the photo of several of the staff enjoying a peep or two!
delicacies we bring some for them to try and enjoy as well. Since we were there during Easter what better treat to bring them....PEEPS. But not only did the children love peeps, of course, but so did the adults as evidence here in the photo of several of the staff enjoying a peep or two!
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