I NEVER knew!

This may seem bizarre, but yesterday I remembered that I have a blog! Ha ha ha. This has happened to me a few times, and then I almost feel awkward about my first post back after a long break. So then, I look for something interesting or inspiring to get me started again. Something to break the ice. I initially started this blog when I lived in Niger as a way to share what was going on at the CURE hospital there. For past year and a half, I have been acclimating to a new place and my posts have been a bit more about discovery here. Starting over. Home and Hospital. Soon there will be an new CURE hospital open here in  the Philippines and lots of little kids to play with. I can’t wait! But right now, I find myself here on this different continent just getting back from a vacation on yet another continent and hmmmmmm? What to share? It is summer break, things have slowed down with our school schedule and there are always  things happening at the hospital as it is nearing it’s completion. I will blog soon when that happens as I want to take a bunch of updated pictures. So back to the task at hand, what is on my mind today? Don’t laugh, but at the moment it is

EGGS!

Not just any eggs. QUAIL eggs. They almost look they should contain  chocolate, right? MMMM, malted milk eggs! Well no, they are just really little eggs. Love their varied spots and design.

These funky lil speckled little eggs really pack a nutritional punch! Here are a couple of articles about the particulars.  Healthy living! Maybe this quote will whet your appetite to click on the link? “Quail eggs are packed with vitamins and minerals. Even with their small size, their nutritional value is three to four times greater than chicken eggs. Quail eggs contain 13 percent proteins compared to 11 percent in chicken eggs. Quail eggs also contain 140 percent of vitamin B1 compared to 50 percent in chicken eggs. In addition, quail eggs provide five times as much iron and potassium. Unlike chicken eggs, quail eggs have not been know to cause allergies or diathesis. Actually they help fight allergy symptoms due to the ovomucoid protein they contain.“ The comparison to chicken eggs is amazing to me.  According to the  the Quail Farm, eggs should be considered as super-food and IF it is going to be eggs, it should be a QUAIL egg!

Well, we love eggs and consume them regularly. So, yes, Leron tried to fry one and first of all the lil bugger’s shell was harder than he thought AND of course quite a small portion.The taste was nice and just a little different. Think we will go ahead and make them a part of our weekly menu!

Hmmm, but now I am also thinking about malted milk eggs….we have tried some of those since being in the Philippines and YUCK, we get all excited, buy some… get home… out of the box and …..YUCK. I do not think the hot humid weather agrees with the little dandies. Wow, that was random. Made me smile though! So for now, it will need to be fresh quail eggs. Pretty tasty!

Star Apple

   Today, I tried yet another fruit that I never knew existed. The star apple was tasty but had a  strange consistency. It had big black seeds and was sweet. I just love trying all of these  new fruits!

Kinilaw

I LOVE THIS STUFF!!!!!

Kinilaw is so basic & fresh, I think it is at the top of my list of Filipino favorites.  I have had variations of veggies (bell peppers and or chilies), but the constants are raw tuna, red onion, ginger and vinegar!  The picture below is my favorite….with cucumbers & radish. It is Mmmm Mmmm good!

 

 

2 lbs tuna; skinned, deboned, and cubed

1  1/2 cup vinegar

3 tablespoons ginger, minced

1 large red onion, minced

2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

Cucumber, radish

“To market to market…..”

No, I did not buy a “fat pig”, but I could have!  (to market to market to buy a fat pig…over the hill….jiggety jig). But I bought plenty of produce. I am not sure why I do not do this on a regular basis? I LOVE the market. SO much to see!! We always encounter the fish first. I was not aware that they ate the parrot fish! Who needs to snorkel? Just go to the market…ha ha, I prefer the snorkeling. Any way, what a variety. The larger chunks are swordfish…there are big fish, tiny fish, dried fish, shell fish and squirmy fish (live). Starting to sound a bit like a Dr Seuss!

                            

Of course, I needed to stop and watch the man make lumpia. Today, they had put a bit of food coloring into the dough for a nice orange color. There is something oddly relaxing about watching him slap the sticky dough down on to his griddle.

I love asking about fruits, veggies, fish and in this case animal parts (heads and feet) that I am not familiar with. Everyone is so happy and helpful. Sometimes, I buy some and try to incorporate it into my cooking and sometimes…I just leave it alone…like these…..

I also love getting a pineapple that has been cored and fresh jackfruit without having to buy a large fruit. This woman even gave me a taste test. She was so kind and generous. I likes the smaller section of jackfruit best, sweeter!

The colors and displays draw me in and I feel like a kid in a candy store. I am starting to know what is ripe and what the prices could and should be. Mangosteens are not in season yet and the durian was not too stinky yet (Janessa helped me test this out, she thought a little stinky, BUT wait until March WOWZERS)!

I love the colorful fruit but the people are the ones who make it such a joy! Whether they are selling chicken, baskets, fruit or flowers, they just love to say “hello” and give you a welcoming smile. What a great trip and now, I have lovely fresh produce and even a bouquet of orchids to enjoy!

Random things

I love carrying my camera everywhere. I have one stashed in the car and one in my purse and of course a nice “grown up” one at home. There are so many things that I see that just make me laugh or bring a smile to my face. Here are a few recent ones that I just could not help but share.

If  you can’t tell, those are huge hogs getting a ride to who knows where? Maybe the butcher?? They were not squealing or squirming…so they were probably blissfully unaware of their fate?

 

This is at our favorite place to get a Filipino favorite, Halo Halo. They are quite creative with their signage. Took me awhile to read “Fud Treyn” as “Food Train”. Don’t laugh, I can be blissfully unaware like the pigs above. I saw another the other day…”Kini Rogers”…ha ha, I guess it was a play off of Kenny Roger’s Fried Chicken?

 

Not sure if this one needs an explanation?? How do things like this happen? Luckily, no injuries! Reminded me of our trip to the coast of Benin when we lived in Niger BUT those trucks had fallen over into ditches. No ditch here!

This sculpted sign is so interesting. Love the creativity here. Each letter was crafted with things that Davao is known for….D is a durian the A is an orchid the V is an eagle the second A is Mount Apo and the O, a pomelo!

We have had cooler than normal temps with lots of wind. I am LOVING it! Sorry for those stateside who are freezing. Quite pleasant here at the moment. There have been quite a few days when you can see the mountains clearly. The top is usually masked with clouds. Just makes me smile, it is so beautiful.

 

Lastly, there is our sweet rambunctious pup, Freckles. Her awkward body makes me laugh…long and lanky.  Just look at the silly way she sits on her bottom….or on the side of her bottom. and Oh yeah, check out her long nose, which apparently she thinks is actually shorter than it is!

Holidays

Celebrating holidays abroad is a mixed bag. I love experiencing new things and being with new friends, but I miss my family and friends desperately.

     

 

Wow, that was a trip down memory lane and I can’t even pick all the pictures of friends that are missed……bunny trail….so any way…No snow! BUT we are building new relationships and finding new people to feast with and  new people to play games with. Doesn’t mean others have been replaced, but life would be really lonely without our new friends! Over the past 4 years we have learned to embrace celebrating together in different ways.  This is our first year in the Philippines and I find myself reminiscing about times with our Nigerien Family. New foods, traditions and lots of fun and laughs.

 

 

 

This holiday season has been no different. We started out by celebrating Thanksgiving at the Viking Restaurant with some new friends. They are American too and understand the need to get together. This restaurant had turkey but it had about EVERYTHING else too. Never been serenaded during my TG meal either!!

 

It is  weird, you are happy and sad all at the same time. Some days my heart just aches wanting to smell the brisk PA air and  then other times I am playing tennis and swimming and feel like I am on summer vacation.

 

 

So celebrating Christmas in a warm/ hot climate is different to say the least. So many things that I associate with the season have to do with tons of baking, bundling up, taking cookies to neighbors, sledding, caroling and of course lots of family and friends to see. We did some of that but had to settle for skype calls, sweating while baking, hearing carolers under the hot sun (loved the visitors but the hot sun part is something I am having to get used to)  and looking at the many twinkling lights minus the snow.

 

  We did add some new favorites though…gift giving in the mountains,

 

 

a big get together with the youth featuring Italian cuisine. My heart was full. I cooked all day. We ate, laughed, played Mafia.

We laid low for Christmas day and did not make it out of our house or our pajamas. I love having Leron home from work and  the kids off school. I pray that we can fully embrace where we are and what we are doing right now. I did not send a Christmas Greeting this year. I need to do that and will soon. Probably be a New Year’s Greeting? So many people I love and am far away from but feeling loved and blessed here as well. This was just a snap shot of the past couple of weeks. January is fast approaching and we are heading into 2014 full speed……I am so excited and FULL of anticipation!