Today I was gonna write about the bizarre behavior of our dear neighbor. I can’t even begin to tell you how their attitudes were. They are the one at fault but didn’t up to it. Instead of saying sorry they are blaming us. My gosh, what a neighbor we have here. Well, when I look over my shoulder I saw Bob already wrote an article about the incident that happened a few days ago. I let him do the honor of explaining everything because I am still too upset over that matter.
Why the title bizarre foods? Well over the weekend Bob and I and the kids were watching the show Bizarre Foods hosted by Andrew Zimmern. On the episode we were watching he went to Tanzania. I’ve never been there but just by watching, it looks like the Philippines. The town that he went to it looks like one of the barrios here in the Philippines.
Those native people there offered Zimmern to drink the blood that was just taken from a cow. The cow will live after they took just maybe a cup to 2 of blood. Then they will drink the blood. We saw that the blood had some curd in it and they poke it with a stick and it looks like something in the barbecue stick and the blood just dripping. They ate that thing and drink the blood. To be honest just watching him drinking the blood and eating from that stick it made my stomach turn. I think they made also like a dinuguan (black pudding) there in Tanzania. I was also seeing them cooking some stuff with the blood and it really reminds me of the dinuguan here.
When I was younger I used to eat dinuguan. But I haven’t eaten it for almost 20 years now. I stopped eating not because of religion or anything, just one day in the States somebody made it in the Filipino restaurant and it just didn’t smell and taste like the one I used to.
On the show, they also had some soup that they made. It looked pretty good and sounded pretty good until they mention one of the ingredients was dirt. The people said that the sodium from the dirt makes the soup taste better. Just hearing that, it didn’t sound appetizing to me. Then I was thinking the dirt they put they might just be near the outhouse bathroom. Just so much in my mind while he mentioned the dirt as one of the ingredients. Gosh, I will just eat my gulay (veggies) here rather than eating the soup. Oh well, they used the dirt and the waste of the cow mix in with urine anyway for their walls, like a hollow block. I guess they are pretty much immune to the smell and the germs. I just can’t imagine like that. I’ve spent my younger years in the farm and didn’t experience life like that. It’s really new to me.
I’m sure there are a lot of bizarre foods here in the Philippines but I never came across it yet. I hope I will never be. I will have my bulad (dried fish) in a heart beat rather than eating the stuff he was eating. Yikes. He had one that we had here in the Philippines the pork’s feet. I guess its pretty common to eat like that in Scandinavia. He went to a town in Minnesota. Lots of immigrants from Scandinavia there. They had festival and one of the food was pork’s feet. Just by looking at it I could eat those. We have soup here in the Philippines that we made with pork’s feet and with some veggies. It taste good though.
Honestly I’m really impress with Andrew’s stomach and appetite. Just by looking of some food that was offered to him it looks yucky. He said most of the time that it taste good. But you could tell if he like the food, he will eat it all and from his facial expression. I like his show its just that a lot of times I have to cover my eyes. My goodness a lot of times I felt like puking. But hey he can do it. Good for him.
Cheers!
Hi Feyma
Yuk, the thought of that food is stomach turning.
With regards to Black Pudding, my Gran used to send my Dad or my Uncle to the slaughter house for blood to make the pudding. Dad said both of them used to drink some of the blood on their way home. He said other kids did too, there is nothing stranger than folk.
I suppose if someone grows up eating cetain food their stomachs will be used to it.
Happy Eating
Marjorie
Feyma:
I think that balut or dog are probably the most bizarre, but they eat beetles and some kind of grubs (stir fried) up in Cagayan. The street vendors sell the newly hatched chickens battered and fried here in Manila, though I don’t remember what they are called. Rebecca said that they used to eat turtle eggs and monitor lizards in the old days, but they are pretty rare nowadays. I’ve had snake soup here in Chinatown. I still can’t stomach dinuguan, but there are similar dishes in many cultures outside the Philippines.
China is still king with strange food…. Strangest I’ve ever had is Monkey Penis Soup. A close second is stir-fried bat down in Sarawak (Though I’ve heard that some old timers in Mindanao will eat them… I can’t verify that, though).
Hi Marjorie – Yeah. That Andrew really can swallow anything. It seems like anyway.
Wow, I didn’t know that people here drink the blood of the animals too. Oh well, its just shows that we all brought up differently.
I agree. Like us being Filipinos, we are used to eating bulad(dried fish) and we really liked it. Show that to a foreigner and they will freak out.
You too happy eating!
Cheers!
Hi John – Can’t argue on that. I never eat balot and dog meat before. I guess growing up in our farm with my father so picky with his food and I think it rub on us too his kids. I don’t think any of my siblings eat balot and dog meat. I think those fried stuff your talking about we have it here too in Mindanao. Turtle eggs might not be bad. I think some of my family member tried monitor lizard before. Bob tried eating snake at one of the restaurant here in Davao. If I remember I think he likes it.
Hey, when you come here for a visit, you should try the soup number 5. A lot of people here must like that soup, I’ve seen a few shops selling it. Just not for me though. It won’t surprised me that people here eats bat. We have bat’s here at our neighborhood sometime. They must be from Samal. I’ve heard them a few times a week before. Since our good neighbor starts building I never heard of them now.
See you and Rebecca soon.
Feyma: We’re both looking forward to seeing you too! Soup no5? Not so sure… We’;ll see.
Hi feyma well i have to admit that when i visted your country and was dared to eat ballot i have to say that i thought that was a bit bizare ,but i know that it is a common place thing n the phillipines ,my wife thinks some of the things here are a bit strange to and we still do a trip to the asian grocery store about once a month so that we can get some pork tusino (my favorite ) and she can get sprig rolls and the dried fish ,when she first cooked it here i had to go outside as it was overwhelming but now it is a fight betwen me and my daughter who will get the anchovies somtime she has them for breakfast and i throw in a bit more for me ,when we were shopping at sm i was amazed at th amount of different types of dried fish there were i mustsay i am a bit partcial to seaweed in fact i enjoy it very much doesnt last long anyway just thought i would ad this post
chris
Hi chris – Oh yeah balot is a bizarre food to eat in my opinion too. I’ve never eaten that stuff before. Gosh, just a thought of chewing the beak of it just make my stomach turns. Of course the unfamiliar is a bit strange to anybody. I can understand her on that. 😉
Good that you like a lot of the Filipino food. Good for you.
Nice to see you here.
Take care!
First off i love that bizarre food show,he sure can eat some strange things to me.Since ive been here in the Phills i have seen and eaten some strange stuff also. I dont think i will ever ge t used to the chicken blood,or barbecued intestines,i tried them both ..yuck”.One thing i did like was the deep fried chicken feet ,they were tasty even knowing what thay walk in .I still like pickled pigs feet from back in the states or ham hocks pickled also.I remember when i moved to the southern states in the u.s. being from N.Y.state i got a culture shock there also like brains and gravey in a can and smoked jowl from the hogs . They sure can keep the chitterlings to haha.So wearever you go the foods sure are differant.
maynard…
Hi Maynard – Welcome to the Philippines. Your learning everyday. Hey, you might encounter the soup number 5 soon. 😉
The brains and gravy in a can, I don’t think I can swallow that thing. Yuck…
Agree with you where ever you are, food is different.
Have fun eating there in your area.
Take care!
Hi Feyma: About the only delicacy I have not conjured up enough nerve to try here in the Philippines are baluts, I can’t get past the crunchy little beaks and feet. Perhaps someday when the stars are in proper alignment
Hi Roberto – I’m with you on that. 😉
Thank you for stopping by!
Cheers!
Hi Femya,
Good move in changing the subject – Much better for the heart and soul to be writing about bizarre foods than bizarre neighbors. Although I am still waiting anxiously for both your and Bob’s updates on this bizarre saga that your family has found itself in. The house next door to mine in Florida has finally sold after having been on the market for more than two years. No one has moved in yet. I only hope they’re friendly. My previous neighbor was a good friend but lost his job and then lost his house.
(back to the topic)
Funny you should mention pickled pigs feet. I had been thinking about just that in the past week as I prepare for my trip up to northern Wisconsin. Along with their presence at traditional scandinavian holiday gatherings… Large jars of these are nearly always found in the many taverns and bars in northern Wisconsin. These large jars of about 4 liters in size are placed next to the next to the jars of pickled eggs, scandinavian balut?, well sort of. I still haven’t tried balut yet, but I’m nearly crazy over Durian, Daisy can take it or leave it.
Our favorite place for unusual foods is the Exotik Restaurant, Longos, Kalayaan, Laguna, also described as the cleanest restaurant in Laguna. Many exotic and rather bizzare offerings on the menu as well as traditional Philippine foods. I had monitor lizard there…
Couldn’t find a website, but reviews and photos can be googled.
Thanks for the refreshing change of pace,
Jade
Hi Jade – Ha ha ha. Yes, we will update you guys.
I didn’t really know that some parts of Europe eats those kind of stuff. I just thought Asia who would eat those kind of food. Good to know though that we are not the only weirdos. 😉
Don’t worry I haven’t tried the balot yet too myself. It just didn’t sound too appetizing to me. Yikes, just thinking of the beak and the feather in my mouth, makes me gag. Will just eat the other Filipino food though.
Hmm, never heard of that restaurant. Never tried monitor lizard either. Gosh, I felt left out now. Too many foods that I didn’t know and try. Oh well I just have to stick with my diet right now. 😉
Good to see you here… Keep reading…
Take care!
Hi Feyma, I enjoyed your tale of bizarre foods. Your “dinuguan”, or something very similar is loved all over Europe. It is know as blood sausage, or black pudding as you said. First time I tried it I nearly was sick. Later a friend convinced me to try some barbecued, and after a bit of hesitation, I tried it and it was delicious. I think it depends on the cook and the recipe. I imagine a lot of bizarre foods are like that also – better preparation – better taste.
Hi John – Honestly I didn’t know that black pudding s so popular in Europe.
Good that you like the dinuguan now. I used to like it when I was growing up. Now it made me sick though. I might try again. I will let one of my brother-in-law cook it for me. Did you try the dinuguan when you were here in the Philippines? If you did, which one do you like the one from there or from here? I was just interested to know.
Nice to see you here again John.
Take care!
Hi feyma, No, I never tried the diniguan in the Philippines. Maybe next trip down.
Femya..that sounds pretty strange….I think I like what below better..hahaha…nice post u maked here as always…..
5-Star Pickled Eggs with Jalapenos, Habaneros and Tabasco
* 3 dozen hard-boiled eggs (peeled)
* 1 quart Heinz Distilled White Vinegar
* 1 onion (sliced)
* 1 tablespoon mustard seed
* 1 tablespoon dill seed
* 1 tablespoon red pepper seed
* 1 tablespoon black pepper or peppercorns
* 6 cloves of fresh garlic
* 1 jar (16 oz.) jalepeno peppers with juice
* 1 jar (16 oz.) habanero peppers with juice
* 10 dashes Tabasco sauce
1. Place all the ingredients except the hard-boiled eggs in a covered pot and boil for 15 minutes.
2. Place the hard-boiled eggs in a glass jar and cover them with hot pickling mixture until the eggs are completely covered. If there is not enough vinegar, you may add some hot water to the vinegar solution.
3. Marinate the eggs in this solution, in the refrigerator, for 7
days before serving. The longer they marinate, the more robust the flavor!
PICKLED PIGS’ FEET
4 pigs’ feet
3 cups vinegar
1 onion
12 peppercorns, whole, black
6 cloves, whole
1 bay leaf
1 tablespoon salt
Split the pigs’ feet, scrub thoroughly and cover with cold water. Add the vinegar and bring to a boil. Skim off the top. Add seasonings and boil slowly for 2 hours. Cool in liquid and serve cold.
COLD San Migs or Red Horse beer goes good with these…..
Dan,guess i will have to try your recipes thanks,i like pickled eggs with just cider vinegar ,guess they could be spiced up some….Thanks.
Hi Dan – Good recipe. I definitely try both recipe. With the pickled egg I’m not going to put much jalapeño in it. I’m not really into spicy food.
Pop for a drink I guess. We are not much of a beer drinker.
Thank you for stopping by!
Take care!
Hi Femya,
Here in Gen San we have a few wierd foods as I am sure that you know. Soup no5, this is stewed Bulls Penis, like local Viagra so I am told. We had to shoot one of my monkey one time as he escaped and was very aggressive. Once shot, we cooked him and had him as polutan with a few beers. Even today, I just had a misshap with my big aquarium, the water drained out of it and my 4 big Japanese Carp died. they are in the Fridge now and wil be cooked tomorow. Waste not Want not!
Hi Chris – Yes we have some bizarre foods in the Tuna Town too. The local viagra”, that’s the famous slogan of the soup #5. I’ve heard so many men say that. 😉 .. I’ve never tasted monkeys before. I think I will never be.
I hope you had a good meal with your fish with some beer too. 🙂
Take care!
Hi Feyma,
I am also a fan of the show. I remember watching the episode where he was in the Philippines. The food that he could not manage to swallow was the durian. He commented that with all the strange things that he has eaten; it was surprising that a fruit had gotten the upper hand.
At least I’m not the only one then LOL ! I tried it on my last visit for the first time and I think it stayed in my mouth for about a second and a half. For a fraction of a second I tasted the sweetness but after that I don’t know what I tasted. I think my brain must have pushed the ” Reject ” button. You can see the pic in the ” Guest ” section of this website.
Next time I am going to try Jackfruit.
Hi Bob New York – Ha ha ha…
You might like the jackfruit better. I hope so anyway. 😉
Take care!
Hi Tom Ramberg – I’m also surprised that he can’t swallow the durian, but he can drink the fresh blood of the cow. I would eat the durian in a heartbeat than drinking the fresh blood of any animals. I’m not a fan of durian but I will eat that over some of the foods that Andrew been tasting all over the world. Oh well, it just show us that in every one of us is different.
Thank you so much for stopping by!
Take care!
We have been living outside Dipolog for 13 years. Out of all that time, one late afternoon thousands of huge fruit bats flew over the house. My wife told me that when she was a child, they would fly over her house every afternoon as they returned fromthe fruit trees in the lowlands to the mountains. But now they are mostly gone.
Why: shot for pulitan. yes, bats.
In Mongolia and Kazakhstan, the drink of choice is fermented camel’s milk. If you like, I’ll bring some back sometime. alternatively, they also like fermented horse’s milk. Maybe you could make some here?
Hi ProfDon – People nowadays will eat anything. I think I’ll go without meat rather than eating the bats. That would be hard to swallow though. I just can’t imagined myself eating that.
Bats for pulutan: I’m not surprised for some people.
Thank you for the offer. When we travel to CDO before on the way there theirs a place to buy for a Carabao’s milk. Bob and the kids liked it. I’m not a milk drinker though.
Nice to see you here. Thank you so much for stopping by!
Take care!
Feyma;
My wife left the kitchen years ago when she saw me make a Peanut Butter, bacon, and banana sandwich. Bizarre food? I like it.
that sounds good
Hi Phil R. – I agree … 🙂
Hi Paul – Sounds good to me. 😉
I love his show..and I have seen his shows on the Philippines…nothing too crazy..except for the live grubs inside of coconuts on Palawan Island I believe, he ate those while they were still wiggling.
I ate so many different things in Southern Leyte when I was visiting in Maasin City with Rose and her family. Nothing too crazy though, one night we had “shells” as they called it. I am not sure exactly what they were, but were almost like snails or like a hermit crab in small shells..that are collected at low tide and sold door to door..or at the market. They were good, and tasted like crabs..but very chewy.
I had chicken feet at the local McDo bbq vendors …that were near Roses house…and there wasn’t too much meat on them..but was ok.
Great article Feyma, and good luck in moving soon, I hope you find some great neighbors.
Amping amiga ko,
Danny 🙂
Hi Danny – See I would rather eat the durian than those wiggly thing.
I’m glad you had a good time on your visit to Maasin. Hopefully next time you can swing by here in Mindanao area especially here in Davao. Maybe you can also experience some other interesting food here.
Thank you. We are going to be serious in looking for our house soon. As always will keep you updated on it.
Take care always my friend!
hi there feyma
bulad (dried fish) is the one think i hate about the phill for one the smell that wont to make me run away and if u ask me if i have eaten it yes and dont like it and that gos all so for the blood give me frogs andwhever but never give me blood and dried fish
from peter martin tassie
Hi peterjoy – Ha ha ha. I understand how you feel. I will never ask you to eat those. 😉
Take care!
This Man will die one day from whay he eats, heeeeee, yes he can eat live worms, drink fresh blood, but could not eat Durian so funny!!!
Hi lenny2000 – Yes I just don’t get it. He eats those other stuff and not durian? His just a different guy I guess…
Take care!
I was just talking to my friend about this guy this morning. Haha. I think durian is on his hated foods list. I remember him spitting it out in a clip after biting into it.
For me, the weirdest food I had here was pig’s ears. I think sisig kinda sounds weird to, I mean, it being pigs head. I didn’t find bulad to be exotic or weird though (seemed normal). Thought people looked at me funny when I ate it. Haha! I wanna try soup #5, balot, and isaw now. My gf is afraid to try isaw now cause someone rumored that people made it from dogs meat. I said its probably not true. I was just afraid of the hep B warning on it.
I remember back home weird foods we had was pickled pigs feet and chitlins (pigs intestines) also some old people ate gizzards I think. My mom used to eat turtle stew. My mamas granny ate squirrels and lil animals like that (I knew some people round my place to shoot em and eat em, like rabbit).
Jaws, those food items you mentioned bring back memories. I remember eating [pickled] pig’s feet and it was very tasty. Sure, it looked and felt awful, but the taste was like that of a pickle. The same for chitlins (also known as chitterlings). I use to eat those with vinegar. There’s a lot of history in regards to chitlins. It goes back to southern American traditions with a lot of history behind it. I have eaten any of that in over 30 years. Perhaps I should visit the nearest “soul food” establishment and treat myself.
Hi Jawz – Thats what I hear, Andrew hates durian.
I’m not really a fan of sisig, but I will eat though. I’m not craving for it like other food. I’m glad you like bulad. I don’t think I will be be eating the soup #5, balot or isaw in my lifetime. I don’t think the can make an isaw out of dogs meat. Isaw is from chickens intestines I think if I remember right. You can figure it out the size of the chickens intestines. If its bigger than that don’t eat it.
I eat gizzard. But it has to be cleaned really good. While I was in the States I didn’t eat that because I don’t know how to cook them. Here my family knows how to cooked it and I saw my people cleaned it. I like it adobo. I’m not a fan of eating rabbit. Honestly, the rabbit was cooked nicely. Just didn’t agree with my stomach. It’s just not for me.
Hey, have fun eating and learning our food here.
Take care!
Hi Feyma- You have touched on my all time favourite Filipino food “dinuguan”. Before tasting it here in the Philippines I enjoyed eating Black Pudding in my home land. My mother always told me it was a good source of Iron just like eating liver or kidney. Dinuguan here in the Philippines can change in taste from maker to maker as everyone has their own secret recipe and all my relatives and friend here in Talakag know I like it and try and get me to say theirs is the best. How I enjoy eating it is with rice and beans. Kilawin is another Filipino dish I enjoy we call it tripe back in the UK and Marilou uses here Lola’s recipe to make that. But Bulad, no I don’t like the salty taste.
But I will try most things here, never disapointed a chef yet.
Regards.
Jim
Hi Jim – Good for you. Let me asked you this. Which one really is the best in your opinion the dinuguan the Filipino way? Or the black pudding in European way? Just wanting to know my friend.
Lots of Kilawin meat to chose from? What meat did you try?
Ha ha ha… Bulad is good. 🙂
Take care my friend. Hi to Marilou from me.
They are both different as the one from the UK has a rusk and oat meal binding to make it solid and has a case or skin like sausage to keep it firm. You then slice it about 12mm thick and fry it in preferably pork fat for a few minutes only. Dinuguan as you know is watery by comparison and is vinegar tasting and totally different. I enjoy them both but for different reasons.
Kilawin as we do it here is made from cows stomach cooked in vinegar and tomato sauce with onions and ginger. (We call it Tripe and Onions) in the UK.
There is another kind of Black Pudding from Europe called Blut Wurst (Blood Sausage) but to me it has not the same taste as our UK variety.
Regards.
Jim.
hi Feyma,In Australia the Aboriginals cut into a mangrove tree and extract a worm from inside that bore up the centre of the tree.They can be about a foot long.As you have mangroves here do you know if the locals participate in this ritual.
Hi Ron Hill – Wow that would be something to eat. But I will never try that.
I don’t know if people here tried like that kind of ritual. They might. I will ask a friend…
Thank you for sharing your thoughts.
Take care!
Hi Ron,
That magrove worm isn’t exactly a worm but a kind of mollusk. Definitely eaten in the Philippines as a delicacy and very rich in calcium. It’s called “Tamilok” in almost all Philippine languages.
You can usually find this creature on dead mangoves or rotting ones.
we have pickled pigs feet ,blood pudding and pighead cheese back home and pickled lambs tongue it is very good ..last week my neighbors made snake adobo and it was really good too
Hi Phil R. Good for you. Have fun eating…
Take care!
Andrew Zimmerman has eaten many bizarre foods in his time, but I really get a kick out of watching the episode when he tries to eat durian, but he actually gagged in the process. I have actually seen him try it twice, as I really think that he hates the idea that a fruit got the best of him, but both times the durian won the battle. So I always use Andrew as my excuse when I am unable to eat durian, I mean if Andrew can’t handle it then why should I worry about it?
At least I’m one up on Andrew Zimmern… I love durian!
Hi John Culbreth – Ha ha ha… Good thinking.