[prasantrin]

Actually, I hate the Philippines, but at least they do pork well.

The first of many lechons during my stay. There was another one that night, two at one party a few days later, and one more after that. This was the second smallest one.




The after shot:


In the area my mother is from, they stuff the cavity with lemongrass, but that's about it. I can't remember what, if anything, they baste it with.

[splinky]

you really are the minister of tourism

[prasantrin]

And where else can you get fried chicken butts in a slightly more upscale restaurant? (Clearly, I need to work on my focusing. . . )



They do seafood well in the Philippines, too.

[The Scream]

Simon says that the food in the Philippines is terrific.

[flyfish]

It's going to take more than those pig pictures to scare me off.

[Suzanne F]

"Fish heads, fish heads, roly-poly fish heads. Fish heads, fish heads, eat them up, yum."

[prasantrin]

you really are the minister of tourism

Hey! At least I didn't mention the pollution, garbage, poverty, corruption, theft, general dishonesty, rudeness, lack of respect for the environment, mosquitoes, or people's uncanny ability to turn a 5-lane highway into 7 lanes! That might really turn people off!

Simon says that the food in the Philippines is terrific.

Ya, but that's about all. Maybe beaches, too, but unfortunately, as more and more domestic tourists become able to travel, the beaches get dirtier and dirtier.

I really really like Filipino desserts, too. Both western-style desserts and more traditional desserts are incredible!

Caramel Crunch Cake from a home baker in Quezon City


Chocolate Cake from another home baker in Bacolod (who is also my second cousin--but she won't give me the recipe!!!)


Another chocolate cake, and a rum chocolate cake from a commercial bakery in Bacolod (owned by my 4th cousins once removed)


Mocha Sans Rival (from the same bakery as the above chocolate cakes)


Buko (young coconut) pie


Leche Flan (made by my second cousin once removed--the best leche flan I've ever had, and she taught me how to make it!)

[The Scream]

Hey! At least I didn't mention the pollution, garbage, poverty, corruption, theft, general dishonesty, rudeness, lack of respect for the environment, mosquitoes, or people's uncanny ability to turn a 5-lane highway into 7 lanes! That might really turn people off!

If you add delapidated sofas used as patio furniture, that's like shopping for real estate in Los Angeles.

[prasantrin]

Hey! At least I didn't mention the pollution, garbage, poverty, corruption, theft, general dishonesty, rudeness, lack of respect for the environment, mosquitoes, or people's uncanny ability to turn a 5-lane highway into 7 lanes! That might really turn people off!

If you add delapidated sofas used as patio furniture, that's like shopping for real estate in Los Angeles.

I don't have such a picture, but how about these:

Taking showers on the sidewalk


Playground on the street


Using electric posts as clotheslines. I actually like this one, because the people have appropriated a public sidewalk as their front yard. At least they've tried to make it pretty.

[The Scream]

I appreciate fluid notions of public/private space.

By the way, the caramel crunch cake looks like it would taste really good.

[Jaymes]

I appreciate fluid notions of public/private space.

And they also are notoriously famous for their "fluid notions" of public/private property.

But they are extremely hard-working, capable and enterprising.

Not all bad, eh?

[Slapsie Maxie]

The meal prepared for me by Claude Tayag in Pampanga was probably the best of my life. I can still taste the seafood Kare Kare and the hito fish with balo balo relish. Also, after the main meal, we went into Angeles to "Sisig Corner" and then to Susie's Native Kakanin for some tibok tibok. Lovely stuff. I didn't get much further than Manila and Angeles, but I liked the country a great deal, despite its problems and liked the people enough that I am marrying one. Absolutely right about the cake baking too. I tried my first silvana last week. I am certain I shall be trying many more

Slapsie

[mongo_jones]

liked the people enough that I am marrying one.

that was clearly my mistake: i failed to go to south korea before marrying mrs. jones.

[The Scream]

Prasantrin, do you have a recipe for the buko? I can get youngish coconut in Los Angeles. Not as tender as the coconuts I had in Saipan, not sure if it would matter for a pie.

[prasantrin]

Is it OK if I've never made it? I have a relatively popular cookbook written by a woman from Pampanga (serious eating area), but I cannot vouch for the recipe.

Make your usual pie crust (single or double crust, depending on your preference).

Filling:

1 can condensed milk
1/4 cup hot water
4 eggs minus 1 egg white
1/2 cup sugar
2 cups buko meat
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/4 cup grated cheese (probably edam, but you can omit it)

Combine condensed milk with hot water. Add slightly beaten eggs, sugar mixed with cornstarch, well drained buko meat, salt, grated cheese, and vanilla. Pour into pie crust and bake 375F for 40 minutes. When almost done, brush with 3 tablespoons melted butter.

You could put a top crust on if you want.

I'd probably go with this recipe from pinoyrecipe, though. Simpler, and the filling is thickened before baking, so there's no risk of it not thickening.

If you don't want to scrape out your own buko, you can get buko in the frozen section of most Filipino grocery stores. It's very useful when making summer smoothies with half-and-half.