Several weeks ago, Tom and I had the opportunity to go to a hydroponic commercial garden.  A man that Tom works with, Andro, father is part owner of this garden.  It was way cool.  Most of the plants  were in these very large greenhouses.  We would enter one door, they would close that off and then would open the door to the plants.  We would have to step into a chlorine water just enough to get the very bottom of our soles wet so that we didn't carry in harmful things into where the plants were.  Before leaving the garden they gave us some samples of tomatoes, peppers and eggplant.  The tomatoes were wonderful.  Then we went to eat with Andro and his wife Denise and 8 others who had joined us on our tour.  It was a great day.

As far as food goes.  I am thankful for S & R (a international Costco store--they carry Kirkland brands).  If you see it and might want it, buy it.  More so here than in the states.  If they run out, it could be months before you see it again, like the Kirkland peaches in a jar.  We have been able to sometimes pick up other things we like at double the price we are use to paying for them.  Hey, they have BBQ "pop" chips, so it is worth it.

Since the area we live in is an expat area some of the stores carry a few American foods at a price.  To buy a package of brown gravy mix, for example, runs about $2.00, but sometimes you just have to do it.   I hear that what they call spinach here is horrible (obviously, I haven't tried it).  Produce is usually wrapped up in plastic so you can't tell completely whether something is good or bad.  If you can find it at a fresh market it isn't wrapped, but you need to go to the fresh markets first thing in the morning or they sit out in the heat all day.  Right now is lime season, so you can find limes for the time being.  Sour cream and cottage cheese is interesting.  They come in small sizes (1/2 to 2/3 c. sizes).  If you want sour cream that is not runny it runs about $3.70 and if you don't mind the runny stuff (I use sometimes for recipes) you pay $1.85 for the same size. I haven't even bought cottage cheese because it is 1/2 c. for about $3.50

I have a list of things to bring back when I return from the states in January.  I do have to say, that I miss ground turkey. The ground beef is not so great.  Even with 90/10 it is more like 70/30.  I did mind one butcher that sometimes has some if you don't mind paying about $5.25/pound.  It actually has decent flavor.   I few weeks ago I bought some bacon from the meat department for a recipe I was making.  I fried it up and tasted it.  YUCK!  It tasted like fried fat.  My driver was happy to take it off my hands.  Apparently they don't smoke it or anything.  Now I find it in the freezer department at
S & R that comes from the states.

Frozen vegetables are a joke unless you can find some that come from the states.  Both the frozen and canned peas that you can get (not from the states) are disgusting.  I guess it is what your taste buds get use too.

Another experience we had is a lady from Tom's work gave him a jar of Durian jam.  Tom had tasted is and said it wasn't good.  I decided to check it out.  The smell about "killed me".  It smelled like rotten fish.  I asked our driver, Raffy if he wanted it. He said sure, but he wanted me to tasted it first.  One drop is all I took and threw is up.  I am convinced that our driver will eat anything.  I keep him trying new things.  I'm not sure he has every seen so many different things cooked at one place.  In past jobs he ate with the home's helper, but since we don't have a helper he either does his own thing (rice or stuff picked up at the quick mart across the street) or I give him leftovers to eat.  I have got him addicted to peanut butter and jelly and supply that for him too.

Eating out it good if you prefer Asian food.  Haven't been to a steak house and Mexican food is very scarce and not that great when you do have it.  They do have pasta, so that is good.  When we first moved here we were living in a hotel in Makati.  There was a Chilis just a block or so away.  I really miss eating at Chilis.   A few ago we tried a restaurant that had been recommended to us by two people.  It is called Hosseins.  It is Pakistan, Indian, Arabian and Middle Eastern cuisine.  It is probably the best place we have eaten since living here.  I had my leftover stuffed chicken kebabs yesterday and they were still wonderful.  This past, Saturday we went again, this time with friends.  I couldn't help but order the same thing but added a few more things in to the menu.  The hummus and pita was wonderful.  I'm going to get fatter if we keep eating like this.

A few Saturdays ago we went to an outdoor market with the Jensens for lunch.  We had chicken, steak, sausage and corn on skewers.   We also had this wonderful frozen buca (coconut) and mango dessert, and churros with cinnamon sugar and chocolate sauce.  Both were fabulous.  I wish I would have taken some pictures of them.  We also had a bottle of homemade ginger ale.  Dad loved it, me it was just ok.  It was a fun time and an experience we will try several more times I am sure.  I would go every week just for the mango dessert and the churros.  Since I originally wrote this post Tom and I went again.  Churros and homemade ginger ale once again.  Unfortunately they were out of the wonderful frozen buck and mango dessert.

I had held off completely this for about 3 weeks hoping Tom would have pictures to add, but he's been so busy so this is going to be posted without them.

Goodbye now from the Hidden Gem of the Pacific