Potato

[jode]

Last year I found the veggies in the Cebu supermarkets to be of higher quality than previous visits. Somewhere here on the forum I once recall describing them as Chernobyl veggies by the way they looked. As I have not been to the Philippines for 12 months now I do not know if the standards are better or worse, anyone been shopping lately?

Plenty of good vegetables in Robinsons, great carrots, small but tender and tasty heads of lettuce, good cabbage onions turnips. Alot of local vegetables that are not known to me but used in local dishes. Potatoes are small hard and sold mostly about 5 or 6 in a plastic bag. They are more of a novelty here not the staple as back home. They are very tasty mashed. Maybe consider bringing a good potato peeler. The couple i have bought here are no good. I raised 3 daughters alone so did plenty of grocery shopping and cooking. I don't mind doing it now and its a relief to my partner when I occaisionally do, as it takes her forever as she thinks everything too expensive (province girl).

[jode]

I don`t know where they come from but Fooda usually has quite big potatoes. I find they are ok to roast or mash even make English chips with them.If you have a gas stove you can make an oven out of one big pot and a smaller one inside. All you need to do is make the bottom of the smaller pot inside is 2-3 inches off the bottom of the big pot.To achieve this you can buy a metal trivet to put between them. You will have to use trial and error as for cooking times and amount of heat as guess what? They don`t have a thermostat!.Or you can buy a small electric oven for about p2000 big enough for two people, these come with thermostats and timers and have 3 functions or the ones I have seen do.Happy cookingKevin

And here I was debating on either getting a microwave / convection oven (oh Panasonic how I crave thee!) or just barbequing everything... Nothing like chicken done on the barbie.... Or pizza... Or pork roast... Just not sure, since I am big on making my own bread, how that will work out!

Hard to get along without a microwave once you are used to them. They have plenty of good ones for sale here in appliance stores. I also need a toaster oven and bought a good one for 600 pesos. Three setting, top element ,bottom element or both together along with a timer.Good bread is very hard to find here even in the specialty bake shops in the malls. If you can bake good bread you would have plenty of interest in your excess output among ex-pats. I can't speak for the locals tastes as they're differant than ours.I even know a friend who had a bread making machine for sale. The kind of dough mixer used for mass production. He imported it from china thinking he could sell it and make profit but couldn't find a buyer. The climate is a consideration for baking. It would be nice to have an oven that is outside.if you like barbequed chicken like I do, you will be in heaven here as they are barbequeing along the side of the road everywhere here. They put the meat on sticks and use a tasty sauce and it is very inexpensive. Scoop of rice, barbequed chicken on a stick and a beer 120 pesos i have had. A good healthy meal I say and in a portion size to get slim on. The chicken intestines barbequed on a stick that many locals seem to prefer must be an acquired taste though. Edited April 7, 2012 by jode

[i am bob]

Thanks guys! If I end up in an apartment, I really think I want to get a combination microwave / convection oven. I had one for years and rarely used my wall oven - it works that good! If I end up in a house and can do the backyard special, that's good too!Potatos.... Ah! Boiled, mashed, fried, baked, deep fried, flannel, hash browned or even just potato chips! Just can't do that with rice though I will be eating more rice than potatos I think...And, yes, I am always a sucker for road-side food! I too have my problems eating the intestines but when you remember that this is how sausages came about (same thing but then somebody started to stuff meat inside too for exra flavour), I guess someday I will have to drink a couple dozen beer and then try one!

[Jack Peterson]

:hystery: For any one interested, Today for Lunch, I am having, Pork Pie, Baked new POTATOES and Baked Beans with HP Brown Sauce, YUM YUM! 2 slices of bread and Butter and a Cup of PG tips TEA. :) Jack P. :lol:

[sonjack2847]

Yeh life sucks when you can`t get Philippino food poor Jack lol

[brock]

Helps if you score the potatoes before you boil them Edited April 9, 2012 by brock

[i am bob]

And if you take the skins and fry them in either a little bacon fat and then with an onion/ sour cream dip or beef tallow with a little gravy and horse radish / yogurt dip.... Ok, time to get out that 10 pound bad of potatos I got yesterday!!!

[retired]

The potato issue is alive and well here in Cagayan de Oro as well as finding quality breads . I especially like baking potatoes and finding them is a bit of a treasure hunt as the major grocery chains stock tends to be small to medium and overpriced . Asking around finally took us ( wife mostly ) to a large street market and a little old lady hid in the back end of the second level . Wala.. big potatoes . :-) So , my advice would be to keep asking and if they are out there sooner or later you will discover .Bread is another matter as Filipinos tend to like surgery bread . We were buying the Gardenia out of Luzon but stock was not always available . Fortunately an English baker has set up a small deli operation here and bakes the best bread i have ever had . Last week purchased 2 loaves of Whole Wheat and a dark rye for less than 200 peso total . Given that Gardenia is nor 60 peso + and smaller volume the deli bread is a no - brainer . Best of all , no sugar , presv.; and baked overnight . Can be ordered on - line and shipped if feasible for you . Whole or they will slice for you . Won't provide link without ok from admin but happy to pass along via email if interested .Bread Lover

[sonjack2847]

Helps if you score the potatoes before you boil them

Hi Mate when you say score them is that like 1 up to 10 see you soon

[Mike S]

Baked potatoes with a thick skin are delicious ...... take the meat out and then fill the skin with real cream butter ... especially good if the skin is crunchy ..... I have NEVER seen a thick skinned potato here .... most are like the ones in the video ....