Palengke morning!

Saturday, January 15, 2011 Jonette 0 Comments

Good morning, folks! I came back from some heavy palengke-shopping in the wee hours of the morning. (Heavy... can you say 7 kilos of fresh ingredients getting lugged around?) I'm super-happy that I managed to buy about two weeks' worth of fresh meat, produce, and cleaning items -- two weeks! Makes for a lot of cooking -- all for P1,500! (that's around $34.27.) I know it might sound a bit silly squeeing over this, but does rather feel like an achievement of sorts for me. ^_^* All the same, I do think I ought to keep better tabs of the prices, and not to be afraid to ask, compare, and shop around.

Vocabulary word: Palengke

A palengke (from the Spanish word palenque, meaning "wooden pallisade or stockade") or talipapa is a public market in the Philippines. It is often composed of stalls arranged in rows upon rows under an enclosed roof. It is often divided into two main areas: the wet goods section and the dry goods section. The wet goods section sells meat, poultry, seafood, produce, and sometimes, processed meat. The dry goods section will sell grocery items, simple apparel, sundry and household items. The palengke is best known for fresh items at low and competitive prices, bargaining, and a potential source of uncommon ingredients.

Truth be told, I do feel as much a winner as that girl up on that book cover looks.

Behold, my loot!

Clockwise, from left to right: Sukang Paombong, color bleach, vanilla flavoring, dishwashing liquid, evaporated milk, condensed milk, cornstarch, brown sugar, and a kilo of spiral pasta. (Hello again, No-Bake Mac-n-Cheese! (This time, without the Mac.)

I love how the vinegar is named Chedeng, "chedeng" being the local pet name for a Mercedes Benz. I just find it quirky and amusing!

(1) 2 kilos of pork belly (for two kinds of adobo) and garlic sausage links. (2) 1 kilo of choice beef for beef cordon bleu. (3) Chicken hotdogs. (4) Butterflied boneless bangus [or milkfish], way yon back for daing na bangus. (5) 1 kilo of plump chicken to be turned into groggy chicken [or, chicken marinated in lambanog, then cooked to crispiness]. (6) About two cups of bubble sago [or tapioca pearls] for mango-cheese custard. (7) half a kilo of shrimp to souse with gin and salt to turn into gambas a la plancha.

My ice cubes are happy too. James and I are going to eat very well indeed.

I've still got another adventure to tell, but it's lights out for me for now.

Can't wait to cook Adobo sa Gata later. .^_^.

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PS: If you're curious as to what that book cover's all about, may I invite you to a brief description of the story? Also, you may want to read up on the author May Tobias-Papa's creative process.