An Alarm Is Sounded

We would like to sound an alarm, a call for the government to monitor prices of prime commodities, basically food stuff. When the rains come, vegetable prices shoot up and now that the peso is sliding, some sectors are taking advantage. We have just been e-mailed a paper saying that our staple, rice, costs more than it does in countries like Vietnam and Thailand. We are not producing enough rice, because as population grows by three percent a year, our production only goes up by two percent. To have cheaper rice in the market, we have to increase productivity. The minimum wage is due to be increased, but can industries manage to survive?

A trip to some wet markets yielded the following average prices (per kilo)–galunggong from P90 to P100, tilapia from P75 to P90, hasa-hasa between P100 and P120, sapsap, no longer lowly, at P180 and bisugo at P140. Sautéing shrimps (really small) go for P180, suaje for P380 and prawns for P480. Tomatoes went up to P40 a kilo; onions at P60 for the red and P55 for white. Potatoes are sold at an all-time high of P55, ampalaya at P51, while kangkong has been steady at P5 per bunch.

The cheapest commercial rice in the market is C-4 laon at P20, with fancy and dinorado at P26. Sinandomeng, which to us is the best, goes for P24 a kilo.

World class–that is Via Mare, A Seafood Cookbook by Glenda Rosales Baretto. We remember Glenda from her earlier years with the Enriquezes and we saw her evolve into one of the most (if not the most) outstanding figures in Filipino cuisine. This is her third book and we are happy to note that she has focused on seafood, now that we are all eating healthy. The credits are impressive–published in the UK by Ardent Imprints, London, edited by Gillian Sutch who was PR manager of the Hong Kong Hilton, designed by Centurion Press, London and printed in Hong Kong. Beautiful photographs by Neil Oshima; food stylist is Jean-Pierre Migne; editorial assistant is our friend Michaela Fenix. More than this talented grouping, we find a collection of more than 135 recipes, all brilliantly concocted and now being shared generously by Glenda who, in the intro, gave "permission" to anybody using the cookbook to innovate by "adding to them (the recipes) a dash of that most important kitchen ingredient–the cook’s ingenuity".

The first three pages of the book are what we would call a very practical intro aimed at assisting aspiring cooks or beginners–the "How To’s"–which include photo illustrations on how to shuck oysters, how to scale and gut fish, how to clean squid (yes, there is a trick to this), how to flake steamed crabs, among others.

Flipping through its pages, we are now set to buy more seafood and try a lot of the recipes, notably the mouth-watering Cuttlefish Chinoise, Deep Fried Squid Tentacles in Sweet Sour Sauce, Seabass (you can use Lapu-Lapu) with Coconut Cream and Trout with Tomato and Pepper Sauce. Try any one of these, they are very easy to follow.

Ito Velhagen makes breads, cakes etc. in her home at Dasmariñas Village. We had a taste (and a generous serving) of her Coffee Crunch cake and we give it a 10 for being so delicious and priced so moderately. P480 for a big one, which is good for more than 20 slices. The cake has an immaculate white foamy icing made from Nestle’s cream and a sprinkling of crunchy squares. Friends swear by her Apple Cake at P280 each. From her kitchen also comes a variety of breads–ciabatta at P45 for a pack of 10, foccacia and pan de sal, P190 for 10. Among the ‘must buys’ are turnovers, either tuna (P15 small and P21 big) or chicken (P25). Her products are sold at the Dasma club house, but you can take advantage of her delivery service by calling 810-2855.

Here’s another substitution if you are preparing a salad that is similar to Waldorf. Use thinly sliced turnips (singkamas) instead of apples. This makes the dish really refreshing. Leeks, thinly cut, also give extra flavor. For that hint of lemon, use the juice of calamansi.

We commend the Lost and Found department of SM SuperCenter (Hypermart) on Sucat, Parañaque. They were fast and efficient in recovering a most valuable notebook we left in one of their karts. Thanks a lot!