Live in the Philippines

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Want Milk?

Expats / by

I had a kind of interesting day last Friday.  I admit that I chuckle when I think about it.

It all started in the morning.  Almost a year ago, I wrote an article about milk in the Philippines.  I wrote about how UHT Milk is what is most widely sold here, and that it still tasted OK to me, although I knew a lot of other foreigners who did not like the milk.  Over the years I have heard a lot of discussion among foreigners about the milk here, that’s one of the reasons I decided to write the article.  Well, on Friday morning, somebody left a comment on that post about milk.

When an article is a year old, it is not often that people leave comments, but it happened on Friday.  A fellow named Darrell left this comment:

well here i am on vac. in phl. looking 4 fresh milk on the net. i’ve been trying 2 find some close 2 where i am, been at this over 2 hrs now. as i’m an expat in iraq i’ve not had fresh milk in long time, also i’m kinda spun up 2. the very best fresh milk i have had was when i was a kid on farm in iowa, 1 guernsy milk cow, milked by myself. (ol’ elsie). second best was from the holstein we got 2 replace ol’ elsie (betsy). then it was the small town dairys in glass bottles. once the industry stopped using glass bottles the flavor & taste of milk has dramatically gone down hill. although right now i’d b happy 2 have 1 gallon plastic jug of FRESH WHOLE MILK. that’s all, back 2 my milk mission. so long folks. Darrell Niemeir… Average Citizen… Proud American

I had a little trouble reading it with all those “2’s” in there, but I toughed it out! 😉  I responded to Darrell with this reply:

Good luck on your search, Darrell! I hope you find it! You didn’t say where in the Philippines you are. If you are in Davao, I can tell you a couple places where you can get fresh milk.

OK, I thought that all was well, and I had already finished my ration of milk related topics for the day.

A couple hours later, after lunch, I went out to go for a walk around my neighborhood and get a little exercise.  I walked about 2 miles around the area, and started heading home.  When I got about 100 meters or so from my house, a lady along the street started hurrying toward me.

Hmm… I thought it a bit strange, as she was obviously walking intentionally toward me.  I would estimate that the lady was about 40 years old or so.  She was fairly attractive for her age, and was very “well built,” if you get my drift.  She came up to me and stood in front of me in a somewhat suggestive way.  She started speaking to me:

Sir, do you want some fresh milk?

Huh?  I started wondering, was she offering me milk from a cow, or something else?  By the way she was standing, I think she was offering something else, but to be honest I am not certain!  I replied to her that I was not interested and kept on walking.

After I got home, I started thinking about the “milk” comment on LiP a little earlier in the day, then the comment from this lady while I was walking!  Ha ha… I couldn’t help but laugh.

Like I say, Friday was an interesting day. 🙂

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Bob
    I must say I am a bit dissapointed that you didnt have a good comeback line for her.
    I would have probably asked to see the cow before I said no.

    • Hi Neal – Ha ha… you are right, I should have asked to have a look at the cow, it would have been appropriate! She caught me off guard, though! 😉

      • Bob;
        I had to see the Base Commander over “Milk”. 1986 I’m the Navy Commissary Officer in Puerto Rico. A lady came up to me shouting that my store didn’t stock Baby Fomular with Whey. I checked and she was right, but it was never on or stock list. (I never said NOT IN STOCK)
        I explained that the next weeks shipment would include her request. She was still not happy, and shouted at me; “What will I feed my baby until then?” My eyes glanced down, and moved back up to her face, I smiled and replied; “I was breast feed, and look how well I turned out!” I still thank the heavens that the Commanding Officer had a great sense of humor.

  4. Bob: Remember that old adage: “Never look a gift horse in the mouth” might this apply to the purveyor of fresh milk, who upon seeing your handsome, robust body realized you were indeed a lover of “gatas”.
    Ciao:

  6. Hey Bob,
    You say you can find fresh milk in Davao. Is it from carabao? or what we would consider a dairy cow?

    • From a dairy cow! Ha ha… it is unpasteurized, basically straight from the udder, hudson.

      I also know where you can get carabao milk, but it is not in the City. About 3 hours from Davao City.

  7. Awww Bob, now I have this mental picture in my head that will stay with me the rest of the day. Sigh!

    73,
    Gary

  8. hi bob, i cant drink the milk here in the u.s. it makes me sick, but i love the milk in the philippines i dont get sick, we try and get some each time were in bukidnon, musuan has the best chocolate milk. hope all is well tc.

  9. Hi Bob- I have news for you. You can get fresh cows milk from Bukidnon. The Brits in CdeO have it delivered every week. The only problem with fresh milk you have to freeze it otherwise it goes off very quickly even in the fridge. It is delivered in 1litre tough plastic bag heat sealed.
    Regards.
    Jim.

  10. Funniest thing I have ever heard from you. I’m still laughing Well now you can tell Darrell you have found another source of Milk for him LOL. I would also like a source of Half and Half for coffee UHT or otherwise.
    On another subject Bob, could you perhaps guide me to places in Davao where expat/Americans in particular tend to meet intenionally or not during the day. I like to meet with foreigners wherever I am in country to get a better lay of the land, pros and cons, living situations, etc.,… of a particular place. Where in Davao City would that most likely take place. thanks

    • Hi Dwayne – I’m glad that you enjoyed the article!

      Every time I go to SM City, I see dozens of expats, and you will often see them gathered at Bo’s Coffee shop there. Another place that is popular for expats to meet is at the little coffee shop outside the grocery store in Victoria Plaza. Good luck, and enjoy yourself!

  11. Hi George! Nice to hear from you! I bet the milk you are drinking in the Philippines was not the same kind of milk I was offered last Friday, though! 😉

  14. LOL! Hey Bob, did the lady asked you if you “Got milk?” ha ha. Oh well, maybe last Friday was just an udder day!!

  16. Bob, You should have shown good manners and asked her about the origin of the milk, container, etc., hahaha…

  19. Well bob i have heard it called many things but never milk ,mayby you should have asked if you could have a sample to try ,you could have asked her if it was sterilized, pasturized and homoginized that would have really opened her eyes !
    chris

  21. Hi George – The grill at the old house was permanent, so it could not be moved. We brought some of the parts with us and rebuilt a brand new grill here! We even cooked our Thanksgiving turkey on the rotisserie! Yummy!

  24. Hey Bob – Drollery! And I thought I was gonna see an image of you with the milk as moustache. He he. So milk maid wasn’t able to entice you, huh! Shudder! Ha ha. At least a variety of cowbelle milks wasn’t offered. Fresh milk is always best, but stick to the one you’re used to drinking.. so you’re tummy won’t hurt. 🙂

  28. Interesting issue We have been wanting to get some good milk goats for some time both for the healthier milk and to save money have had trouble finding any though. I have heard rumors of some I need to get serious about looking since our financial situation has improved a bit and I might be able to come up with the 8-12,000 peso price I was quoted for supposedly quality milk goats. It would save us a lot in the long run as we spend 3-4,000 pesos a month now on it and I’m sure we would use a lot more if we had it. I’m just now thinking of the huge pots of pudding I used to make with the surplus goat milk I had in the states :p

    My wife didn’t have a clue though she bought some brush goats for 1k apiece and thought they would make good milk goats LOL! They don’t even have enough for their own babies.

      • Yea our milk bill runs close to our electric bill and more than our rent our 2 year old has a fit if he doesn’t get his. I’m not a whole lot better just don’t need my sausage and gravy 3-4 times a day. Theirs quite a list of things my wife has learned to cook most of the ones I really like include white gravy, white gravy on cornbread, creamed eggs on toast, sausage and gravy on biscuits, cornbread or toast, and my wife has adapted some recipe she found in one of my cookbooks it has fried pork stirred together with veggies and cream really good stuff. Then I like a glass of chocolate milk now and then and have got my wife hooked on it too, its a cheap chocolate fix.
        I think if we had our own milk we would use twice as much and save a lot more on our food bill. Haven’t had pudding since I moved here not sure how long I can resist the urge 🙂

        • Hi John,
          I know your attraction to milk as my dad was a “Milk Man” during all my years at home growing up. My favorite meal for years was a cheeseburger, fries, and a chocolate MILKSHAKE! However, about 20 years ago, I changed my diet. Please don’t take offense, but reading your posting compels me to introduce you to http://www.drmcdougall.com . After the introductory animation, click on “Learn_More>>”.

          I’m 69, weigh what I weighed at my Navy discharge physical at age 21, and feel great. All of my “numbers” are well under the recommended maximums, and I take no prescription drugs. Don’t be scared off by Dr. McDougall’s extreme positions. I just cut way back on what he says to eliminate completely, and eat more of what he recommends.

          Good Luck,
          –James
          p.s. I’ll never stop having a small ice cream cone once in a [great] while. I’ve learned that the longer you wait, the more you enjoy it! 🙂

          • It sounds like he doesn’t have the whole story you need to look deeper. I’d recommend reading a lot of Dr. Mercola’s website. A few quotes

            “I do not recommend drinking pasteurized milk of any kind because the pasteurization process, which entails heating the milk to a temperature of 145 degrees to 150 degrees F and keeping it there for at least half an hour, completely changes the structure of the milk proteins into something far less than healthy.

            Pasteurized cow’s milk is the number one allergic food in the United States. It has been associated with a number of symptoms and illnesses…”

            “The healthy alternative to pasteurized milk is raw milk, which is an outstanding source of nutrients including beneficial bacteria such as lactobacillus acidolphilus, vitamins and enzymes, and it is, in my estimation, one of the finest sources of calcium available.

            Raw milk is generally not associated with any of the above health problems, and even people who have been allergic to pasteurized milk for many years can typically tolerate and even thrive on raw milk.”

            A search for milk on his website brings up plenty of articles.
            http://search.mercola.com/Results.aspx?q=milk&k=milk

            True eating the above mentioned recipes is the same as pasteurized milk (even the pudding) but all I can get here is UHT type anyway. I do try to culture some with yogurt which rearranges the proteins back in order and I don’t really drink much partly because i don’t like the taste of the UHT stuff but also because I know its not good for me. As I mentioned above we would no doubt use more if it were fresh and more or less free.

            My long term goal is to have only pastured animal products Which unlike grain fed are very good for you (omega 3 in your milk, meat and eggs, anyone interested?) but we have been a bit short on funds only now getting our heads above water. I hope we will find the land we want and get started soon on those goals. Fortunately most beef or goat you buy here is already pastured even pigs gets some, just not the chicken unless you have your own free range ones.

            Dr. Mercola also recommends eating raw foods. Which I would like to do more. I have always encouraged my wife not to over cook vegetables and that makes a difference.

            For some truly nutritious and time tested healthy recipes I highly recommend the book ” Nourishing Traditions” By Sally Fallon. I believe it is only $20 at Amazon.

            • John,

              I’m not sure what you mean by him [McDougall] not having the whole story. His positions today were formed in the ’70s on the Big Island of Hawaii caring for Filipino workers in the sugar industry. His observations of the deterioration of their health (and increase in BMI) over the 3 generations he worked with as they adopted the rich American diet, including considerably more dairy than their ancestors in the Philippines, guided his research from then on. I tend to ramble, so let me point you to a short video that tells it all. The two doctors interviewed are like minded to McDougall and have appeared often with him at conferences etc. You might be surprised at what you see here!

              http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p4hbV4RgzI8

              –James

  29. hmmm….didn’t it occur to you she might be offering real fresh milk (carabao, maybe) that she’s selling from her home in the neighborhood you were strolling in? I think you turned her down too soon before knowing for sure. But then again, you’re the man.

    • Hi rhodora – Actually, yes, it did occur to me. I even said in the article that I was wondering if she was offering cows milk, or some other kind of milk. But, either way, I was not interested, because I am quite happy with the milk we purchase at the store. So, no matter what she was selling, I would have turned her down. 😆

  31. I think you my have milked this subject dry! lol Happy Christmas to you, Feyma and the kids, Bob. I have a sudden urge for a milk shake…

      • Hi Bob, to think about it, growing up in the province, our Grandma about once a week, always let us drink her concoction of fresh carabao milk and “tuba” (fresh coconut wine-for lack of a better name). When mixed together, it has the consistency of buttermilk and a hint of sour cream, it’s delicious! She always claimed it is healthy and good for us! Hmmm, maybe it’s those lime, beetle nut and pepper leaves the old folks are sharing when they are on this tuba drinking get-together.

        Oh well, as I said earlier, just an “udder” day in Paradise. Happy holidays to all Lip fans.

        Mars

        • Hi Mars – Oh, I know what Tuba is, no need for explanation! Ha ha…. And, I believe you that mixing some with milk makes a good buttermilk substitute. Feyma, when she needs buttermilk for a recipe, mixes vinegar with milk, so tuba makes sense too!

  32. (Sorry for the extra bandwidth Bob, but I’m afraid this will get buried above.)

    @John H,

    I’m not sure what you mean by him [McDougall] not having the whole story. His positions today were formed in the ’70s on the Big Island of Hawaii caring for Filipino workers in the sugar industry. His observations of the deterioration of their health (and increase in BMI) over the 3 generations he worked with as they adopted the rich American diet, including considerably more dairy than their ancestors in the Philippines, guided his research from then on. I tend to ramble, so let me point you to a short video that tells it all. The two doctors interviewed are like minded to McDougall and have appeared often with him at conferences etc. You might be surprised at what you see here!

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p4hbV4RgzI8

    –James

  33. Bob,
    LOL! The woman asked you, “Sir, do you want some fresh milk?”
    Reading some comments made on the article and I pondered so, and so figured, perhaps she could be just offering FRESH coconut milk. Too much of that milk there and so delicious with anything cooked on seafood to veggies to meat. Haha! Really!! Merry Christmas, Bob! :0)

    • You are right, Aklan Heat, there are lots of things she might have been offering… but the truth is, I was not interested in any of the possibilities. I am happy to buy my milk, whatever kind, at the store! 😉

  34. Hey Bob,
    I came across your post while searching where to buy fresh milk in Davao. I was wondering if you could give some tips on where I may be able to get some fresh milk, from a cow that is. 🙂 I would prefer if it was direct from a supplier and not at the grocery though. So if you have any recommendations please let me know. Thank you!