Buying Food

  One last thing..celery and cilantro...!  I guess no one eats celery or cilantro in the Phils.  Does anyone know where I can buy "GOOD" celery and cilantro?  I though about growing some celery, but it takes so long.  I could easily grow my own                 

- @whackerdog123

@whackerdog123 I recall seeing frozen Turkeys in supermarket at Gaisano Country Mall in Cebu City/Banilad. I didn't check the price. I can usually find Celery for about 29 pesos for a pack. Never really looked for Cilantro. For Ham, try Whole Lotta Foods in Lapu-Lapu. They deliver for a fee. wholottafoods.com/Cool-Meats-c58467146  I buy Smoked Ham Hocks from them which are great to add to Red (kidney) Beans. I wish I could find some decent Steaks with some marbling fat. Seems like the Australian or New Zealand variety are grass fed cattle and too lean for me. Cannot get the steaks tender no matter how I try to cook them, even with marinating. Good Luck.

@whackerdog123 I just noticed that Whole Lotta Foods also shows US Raised Turkeys for 450 Kg, but currently "Out of Stock". Favorite phrase from Vendors for anything you want or need. Maybe you can get your Ham and Turkeys from one place.

Moon Dog Post . . . We brought Burpee seeds in an effort to grow American vegetables and so far no luck. We've been able to grow the small Philippine tomatoes but when I tried to grow Better Boys or Beefsteak tomatoes the plants died before maturity and I'm puzzled why. We are giving it another try but I'm not hopeful.

Moon Dog Post . . . We brought Burpee seeds in an effort to grow American vegetables and so far no luck. We've been able to grow the small Philippine tomatoes but when I tried to grow Better Boys or Beefsteak tomatoes the plants died before maturity and I'm puzzled why. We are giving it another try but I'm not hopeful.

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I went all in trying to grow Tomatoes & Onions and failed

(1) Purchased two Mars Grow Tents

(2) Purchased two Green Indoor full spectrum LED lights

(3) Purchased many grow bags, 1 gallon, 3 gallon, 5 gallon, 7 gallon & 10 gallon

(4) Purchased Miracle Tomato Food

(5) Purchased 20 bags of Greenwoods Farms Perlite

(6) Purchased 25 bags of Loam Soil

I applied for and received a license for importing seeds (The Requirements)

(1) Letter of intent addressed to Director: George Y Culaste & Attn: Joan-May R. Tolentino, OIC-Chief, NPQSD

(2) BPI Application Form No. 01

(3) Sketch Map of Final Destination

(4) Brgy. Clearance and Business Permit $$$

(5) Xerox Copy of Valid ID

(6) Promissory Letter for inspection for planting site

(7) Pictures of planting site

(8) Payment for permit $$$

Customs

(1) Copy of import license  issued by Department of Agriculture

(2) Customs Inspection & clearance

(3) Inspection and Clearance by the Narcotic Agency

(4) Many calls to FedEx trouble shooter in the Philippines, without her help I never would have received clearance.

Imported seeds

(1) Onions: Walla Walla,  Vidalia,  Yellow Granex &  Giant Ailisa Craig Exhibition Onions

(2) Tomatoes: Heirloom Brandywine Pink,  Beef Steak,  Tiny Tim, &  Red Robbin

Domestic tomato seeds

(1) Sweet Princess F1 Cherry Tomato,    Avatar TY F1,    Mica Red  &   Kinalabasa

Months and months of care. . . .Complete failure.

(1) Plants were grown indoors to have complete control of lighting & temperature.

(2) Since no bee's to pollinate, I used sonic toothbrush to pollinate by vibrating the tomato stems & flowers.

There are two types of tomato plants determinate & indeterminate.

(1) Determinate:  Grows to a certain height, produces tomatoes and dies.

(2) indeterminate:  Is a vine which will produce & keep producing and grow very very tall.

(1) I've also planted then slices of tomatoes containing the seeds, the tomatoes were purchased locally and they all grew.

(2) I was also able to clone tomato plants from the trimming of branches of the tomato plant.

- @Enzyte Bob

@whackerdog123 First of all, there is no such thing as "fresh" meat or fish. Once a creature dies it starts decaying and rotting within about three minutes. And when you eat them you are turning your body into a graveyard. Leonardo Da Vinci said as much " I don't want my body to be a graveyard." I quit eating that crap about twelve years ago and am healthier now. Food is grown. Animals are born to live with their families just like us.  I wrote something about going "meat" free. timotraveling.blogspot.com/2014/01/vegans-in-philippines.html

@whackerdog123 I recall seeing frozen Turkeys in supermarket at Gaisano Country Mall in Cebu City/Banilad. I didn't check the price. I can usually find Celery for about 29 pesos for a pack. Never really looked for Cilantro. For Ham, try Whole Lotta Foods in Lapu-Lapu. They deliver for a fee. https://wholottafoods.com/Cool-Meats-c58467146 I buy Smoked Ham Hocks from them which are great to add to Red (kidney) Beans. I wish I could find some decent Steaks with some marbling fat. Seems like the Australian or New Zealand variety are grass fed cattle and too lean for me. Cannot get the steaks tender no matter how I try to cook them, even with marinating. Good Luck.

- @talamban

@whackerdog123 First of all, there is no such thing as "fresh" meat or fish. Once a creature dies it starts decaying and rotting within about three minutes. And when you eat them you are turning your body into a graveyard. Leonardo Da Vinci said as much " I don't want my body to be a graveyard." I quit eating that crap about twelve years ago and am healthier now. Food is grown. Animals are born to live with their families just like us.  I wrote something about going "meat" free. timotraveling.blogspot.com/2014/01/vegans-in-philippines.html

- @Timo62

@pilotdrh I'll try that next time. I actually bought an Instant Pot Duo Pressure Cooker cuz it had the Sous Vide option built in. But, I have never tried Sous Vide yet, even though I watched some YouTube videos on it. Thx for the tip.

Pilotdrh price shopped Turkey . . . .

I checked out the turkey at S&R (Lipa City) a few minutes ago. Honeysuckle White is P340 a kilo, P2505 for the one I looked at. They also have butterball, Premium All Natural, P299, P1544 for the slightly over 5 kilo I looked at.

- @pilotdrh

@pnwcyclist I agree completely. The food I tasted in HCMC, Vietnam when I stopped off for a few days returning from the Philippines was far better than the food in the Philippines. I also managed to avoid eating rice in Vietnam, an almost impossible task in the Philippines.

Is there one western brand food item that you crave that much that you would be willing to pay virtually  any amount of money for, even if you only buy it once or twice a year?

- @Cherryann01

@Cherryann01 I am originally from Louisiana. I love Crayfish - either boiled with spicy seasoning, or the tails cooked in an ettoufee or alfredo sauce. Can't understand why they are not abundant here in Philippines, since they are farmed in Rice Fields and labor is so cheap here. The Chinese export them to Louisiana and around the world. Also, the sausages from Louisiana are so good - whether Andouille or just Smoked Sausage. And, Boudin Sausage, a mix of of Pork and Rice with lots of Seasoning and Spice.

@FilAmericanMom I Love Gumbo, both Chicken and Sausage or Seafood, but think of it during Cold Weather which doesn't happen here. I am from Louisiana where some of the best Gumbo is cooked. Also, Chicken and Andouille Sausage Jambalaya from Gonzales, Louisiana.

@FilAmericanMom I Love Gumbo, both Chicken and Sausage or Seafood, but think of it during Cold Weather which doesn't happen here. I am from Louisiana where some of the best Gumbo is cooked. Also, Chicken and Andouille Sausage Jambalaya from Gonzales, Louisiana.

- @talamban

@FilAmericanMom I Love Gumbo, both Chicken and Sausage or Seafood, but think of it during Cold Weather which doesn't happen here. I am from Louisiana where some of the best Gumbo is cooked. Also, Chicken and Andouille Sausage Jambalaya from Gonzales, Louisiana.

- @talamban

Have you seen the movie The Dead Don't Die? In that movie, zombies would utter the things that they craved when they were still alive. Some said "Xanax," "coffee," "chardonnay." If I were a zombie in that movie, I would probably say "Gumbo." LOL. I love gumbo. I really miss eating it.

- @FilAmericanMom

@Enzyte Bob I can occasionally but rarely find Johnsonville (Italian Sausage & Brats) at Landers in Cebu. Obviously your store is in Manila area. Also, Grimm's (from Canada) Smoked Sausage which is good is there on occasion - Funny, they show a 30% Discount Online but Out Of Stock. When they have it, I buy a BUNCH cuz I have two fridges with freezers. I also belong to S&R but same story.  I used to be able to find good Andouille at Ayala Supermarket Before the Pandemic. I think part of the issue may be the sanctions by Cebu Province of prepared Pork products, even from Manila. Starting to Panic now. I have just enough Smoked Sausage for two more pounds of Red Beans, which I import through Amazon or directly from Camelia Brands in New Orleans.