TBK tries to cook in Palawan

        Elay's birthday lunch at Angkla- the Australian Rack of Lamb was amazing!

Having lived in the Middle East for 12 years and the Philippines for 4 months I am often asked the differences between the two. For this blog my comparison focuses on a subject dear to my heart- cooking.

                                      CSD Gabca at Bapco club, Bahrain

In the Middle East some items were hard to find like Pork, Alcohol, and some fresh salad items. Here in the Philippines its totally the reverse! Pork is the staple diet of the Phillipino’s along with hot dogs and rice. Alcohol is available in the supermarket alongside food (that took me a lot of getting used to, even though I stopped drinking in 2016.)

Talibat Delivery driver in Bahrain, they even deliver cups of coffee from Starbucks!

There is more food delivery in Bahrain than the Philippines (you never need to go to the shop physically) and a much bigger range of food- although usually you have to go to two or three shops to find everything you need.

Me as Assistant Manager at Chester Post House in 1984 ( there have been a lot of Chester's in my life!)

For those of you new to my Blog (and we now have 250, 000 readers so I know a lot of you only followed me recently- thank you) I trained in Hotel Management. I then worked in the hotel industry from age 16 until I was 40 on and off ( Trust house Forte, Choice Hotels, Accor UK and Ireland hotels and Little Chef restaurants and Travelodge).

( If you want to find out more about my working life in the Hospitality Industry in the UK click here: My working life in the UK Hospitality Industry)

                             My first cookery class in Cambodia

One of my hobbies, and I never married so it’s a necessity, is cooking . Each vacation I have a cookery lesson in the country I am staying (Philippines, Malaysia , Thailand, Cambodia – twice). I was also fortunate to have lessons from some great friends in Bahrain (Rehana, Anis and Mittal) who taught me how to cook Indian food. Each vacation I would buy a recipe book from that country and then practice the dishes I had learnt and some new ones on my return.

            I now enjoy teaching others to cook at my new house in Palawan

Now I have settled here in the Philippines I spent the first month touring and eating out. May and June I spent cooking Pinoy food at home for my friends. We had Manok and Baboy Adobo, Menudo, Frittata, Bangus, Sweet and sour battered prawns, Halo Halo, Mais Con Hielo, Buko salad and so much more tasty food.

               Tau u Bak ( a popular Hokkien ( Chinese Malaysian Fusion) dish

Then I decided to dig out some of my old recipe books and spent a week cooking the food from each country. This week is Malaysian and Cambodian , Next week is Indian and so on. I also ask my visitors to choose their favourite foods so when Jovan and Jhoann came we had Mud Crabs, Fish Pie, and other fish dishes. For Christmas this year, my first in Palawan, I have invited 10 people and asked them each to choose their favourite dish.

    We are all looking forward to my first Christmas in Palawan with my Elves!

Of course, the problem came when I went to the local supermarket, Robinsons, to find the items on my shopping list. Steak and Lamb were a big problem to start with and things like Chick Peas and Tahini for my Hummus. I could not find various condiments like Mint sauce, Horseradish sauce and Branston Pickle, Luckily Corleen sent me a small jar of granulated Nescafe in my second Balikbayan Box! People here either use "3 in 1" Nescafé here ( milk, sugar and coffee – yuck) or powdered coffee.

File photo of hot dogs

I reckon you can tell a lot about the diet of a nation by what they sell in their supermarkets. Robinsons is full of freezers of Hot dogs, ice cream, rice is stacked high and they have shelves and shelves of fizzy drinks like Royal, Sprite and Coca Cola ( all a big No, no for me as a diabetic) 

 

          Chef Arnel- owner of Senordamla restaurant at Microtel Puerto Princesa

The good news is that I have a very good support network here in the Philippines ( Chef Gracie from Poochies kitchen who makes me organic yogurt and Leche Flan and Ube cheesecake , Chef Arnel from Senordamla – at Microtel Puerto Princessa, Beth at LVF Farms at Santa Lourdes, and my Anak’s – Jhoanna, TJ , Grecil, Elay and Kit. I have often asked “where can I get?” and they have told me which market, farm or shop sells that Item. Jhoanna goes on regular shopping missions to the market which is near her boarding house, and comes back with fresh live crabs, sell on prawns, fresh chickens and then prepares them all for me. She is such an angel and becoming a really good cook. She also delights in telling me how much she has saved me by buying items fresh from the market rather than from Robinsons!

Gracie and Arnel also introduced me to the 4 delicatessens here in Puerto Princessa which have a great range of Continental items:

·       Bruno’s Swissfood run by Bruno Eyer and his team in Valencia Street. They have a restaurant, lots of Pasta, Swiss and German food wines and alcohol. This is a very busy street so you often have to park nearby and walk-the staff are very friendly and helpful

   The Deli Mart & More- which has a lot of frozen steaks, sauces, tinned vegetables, spices etc. It’s on Malvar square Commercial building and there is parking outside and the young staff are very helpful.

·       Puerto Deli, just near me in Manalo Street extension. They have a range of fresh breads and croissants, Pan au chocolat etc. and make sandwiches to order ( I had a coffee and Croissant for Meryenda and then Turkey baguette and water for lunch)

·       Olivia’s kitchen (which is at Junction one Center inside Japanese restaurant Tabemondo Sushi.), The name (and their Facebook adverts ) are very misleading as this is juts a freezer of imported meat ( steaks) and smoked Salmon.

If you are in the El Nido area there is also a great Deli opposite the new S Hotel which serves coffee, and sells Jams, Earl Grey tea, Cheeses, Perrier water and the like. Whenever I am visiting friends there I pay a visit and stock up with their lovely jams and cheeses. You know a place s good when a top hotel like Angkla at Nacpan buys its provisions from there!

                             The Frozen Lamb I bought from Puerto Deli

Just one word of warning, Quality costs and these shops all sell high quality frozen imported steaks. So they are expensive (1000 – 3000 peso depending n size, type of meat etc.). Puerto Deli sells frozen Lamb which I could not find anywhere else in Palawan and again that was 2 , 432 peso for just over a kilo of frozen lamb. I will keep that for my Lamb and Mango curry!

Kit, Jhoanna, Danica , Chalsee and TJ at Badjao seafront the night we moved into the Blue House

I have also been visiting the many restaurants in Puerto , Lio, Nacpan and El Nido. Favourites so far in Puerto include Badjao Seafront ( excellent seafood and a great view of the sea and sunset but you must book in advance), Kinnabuch, and I still want to try Roma Pizzeria. I collected my friend Ray from Roma Pension and chatted to the Chef who is from Milan and he assured me his Piazzas were the real deal!

                The Cupboard on Rizal Ave for all your Baking supplies

Finally a late addition to my list as my Russian Neighbour told me about it the other day! The Cupboard on Rizal Avenue is a Retailer & wholesaler of a wide range of baking, food service and packaging supplies in Puerto Princesa. I managed yo get Rice Flour and Normal flour there and they have everything you need for baking plus lots of high end kitchen equipment and gadgets!

I hope this blog has been useful for anyone like me who is new here in Puerto and looking for places to shop. All of the shops have Facebook pages and you can order on line and have delivered. However, for me the fun is in browsing around the shop and finally crossing things off your shopping list that have been there for weeks.

I even found frozen Puff Pastry and Chick peas on my travels, which people said you could not buy here.

 If anyone knows where I can get Tahina please let me know!