What’s that fish?

We got mail from three of our readers giving us fish names, varying names for different kinds of fish. Our friends from Australia refer to seabass as barramundi. From Rodolfo Pagcatipunan, whose source is a Sunday magazine (not this one): snapper is maya-maya, tuna is tulingan, gulyasan or bariles; mackarel "could be" tulingan, alumahan or tanguige; nemipterids are bisugo; caesio is dalagang bukid. "An avid reader" says mullet is banak or bunti; golden thread is bisugo and mackarel is galunggong. From [email protected], whose father used to be in the fish wholesale business–mullet is banak, red snapper is bisugo. It was at a Spanish Food Festival in Batangas that we saw maliputo labeled as tuna.

Oprah’s every show is pure entertainment, if not truly awesome, what with all the fabulous gifts she distributes. Recently she made a cooking visit to her native South, where she found only one lady active in the kitchen. She had a guest on that show, chef and author Emeril, who demonstrated Crispy Fried Perch (a fish); can anybody tell us what perch is in Tagalog? This Chef Emeril is not only a cooking guru, he is quite an entertainer. We were glued to the TV, watching him do Shrimp Okra Tomato Gumbo. He showed the secret of taking away the slimy texture of the vegetable. Cut and slightly cook in olive oil before proceeding with the steps. He sautéd the tomatoes, onions and celery. He peels the shrimps and boils the skin and heads to make a stock, which is added to the pot. No salt is used, instead he seasons with cayenne powder and bay leaf. For added flavor, slices of smoked sausages can be added. This is a full meal which can be taken with either rice or bread (corn bread preferably).

We noticed that organically grown lettuce keeps longer and stays crispy. You can get this at Rizal Dairy Farms’ Green Shop in Market!Market! right in front of the rice dealer at the end of the fast food section. To the reader who asked where to find Swiss Quark low fat, we recommend a visit to this store. A tub of 350 gms costs P90. They welcomes visitors to their farm in Tanauan, Batangas. The company’s Petra’s naturally green gourmet catering service offers a treat of healthy food. They do home-cured Swiss-style smoked specialties like ham, bacon, pork chops and even turkey. Call them at 717-9142.

If you park at the designated area in Market!Market!, bring an able-bodied assistant when doing your groceries at Metro supermarket or refrain from buying heavy stuff, because there are no bag boys to bring your bags out to your vehicle. Therefore if you are not strong, this is not the place to shop. The lady at the Ayala-managed customer service counter said Metro is supposed to provide this service. We hope she made good her promise to remind the store’s management about good customer relations. On the left side of the supermarket entrance is a Swiss bakeshop selling products similar to those found at Bread Talk.

Sad to say but this city of ours has apparently become a haven for thieves and/or shoplifters. How else can one explain security guards checking one’s purchases and receipts at the exit of some stores? It started with Makro and now Metro does that too. Price Smart as well.

Mid-way to the end of the first month of 2005, perhaps we have to adopt do-able resolutions in order to make ends meet, what with the dwindling value of the peso. Personally, we will seriously try to do the following: check what we have in our cupboard and refrigerator before going out; make a list of required food stuff; stick to the list without being distracted by other items on sale; bring just enough money to buy necessities; pay more attention to expiry dates; refrain from buying in bulk (two of each kind might be the most practical, with one in reserve); schedule left-over days. Be a wise shopper, not an impulsive one.

Email comments and questions to: [email protected]