Fresh and simple = incredibly satisfying. Our stomachs were grumbling after an early morning start and drive from Cebu City to Bogo, and seeing all the spectacular seafood at the market was really making matters worse… Then I turned a corner and spied this tindera’s (saleslady’s) simple breakfast and I nearly offered to buy it! But I had more manners than that, and asked for permission to photograph her and her breakfast instead. A simple soup with a crab, a small fish, some veggies and salt served with several cups of boiled rice. A meal for two set up on a bench right inside the market. Yum, is right. As I said in an earlier post, with seafood this fresh, you don’t need to do much to it to enjoy a superb meal.
This dish was not only incredibly satisfying to look at (I didn’t get to taste it), and better yet, incredibly healthy, without any fat and with lots of vegetables. If I ate this for breakfast every day maybe I wouldn’t be 20 pounds heavier than I should be! Using the freshest ingredients, straight from the sea and nearby farms, in a simple soup like this, now that is fine food indeed… We ended up at Jollibee for breakfast, boohoo. :(
16 Responses
Yum indeed! Pardon the ignorance but what is the foam-like thing sticking out of the crab’s “butt”? (Sorry!) I’m really just curious… thanks in advance for enlightening me. :)
Hello Marketman!! I love your blog site.. I discover it while looking for a store where i can buy cornmeal for my corn muffin… Your entries are all informative and interesting.. I also enjoy the pictures.. Great job! :)
Bagito: I think her “breakfast” alimasag is a female one…spongy thingy holds the eggs that will eventually hatch releasing a GAZILLION baby alimasags!!!…sad to say will never make it for it ended up on her plate…
Marketman, I’m going home to cebu in a few days and I think you’ve just laid out a few stops on my trip with the last few posts :) thanks!
Agreeing with feasting on simple & fresh provincial foods, I, too, wouldn’t be 20+ pounds heavier than I now!
We’ve been in the states for 50+ years and my mom, she’s 91, still prepares and eats very simple, but not as fresh, provincial meals. I know that that’s how she’s been so blessed with a long and healthy life!
I wonder what dish is this? I see tomato, sayote, malunggay leaves & siling berde. Ginisang tinola sa kamatis???
In addition to that sumptuous breakfast, I see a nice bamboo bench that would be an expensive item at say, Pier 1. This picture does not seem to be consistent with the global food crisis that is headlined most newspapers.
Beautiful and simple post…this is, for me, real food.
I’m a new transplant to the Pacific Northwest (USA) and discovered that it is illegal to harvest female dungeness crabs. I was disappointed because I will miss my aligue but, of course, this is to promote sustainability in the crab population.
Crab pictured has a lot of eggs attached, too bad they didn’t release it…
betty q:, thanks for that info, that “spongy” thingie caught my eye right away. oh, that’s too bad she’s a female alimasag, sayang naman…
This vegetable dish would be called “laswa” to fellow Ilongos. It is very popular and very healthy. Everything is boiled with vegetables and often flavored with fresh or dried seafood. I just never saw it consumed for breakfast.
Thanks, Betty Q, for the info! Sayang they didn’t release it (‘wawa naman the babies). I live in California and they rarely sell/serve female crabs here, precisely to keep the crab population plentiful, as TNM also said in her post above (even though she lives in a diff state).
yeah this is what is called “utan laswa” the crab and fish are the flavoring. its usually what vegetables you can get in your yard: kamunggay, tomatoes, onions, squash, lemon grass and seasoned with salt.
Try salting utan bisaya with patis or guinamos, it brings out very nice flavors too!
wow! great foooooood! and for breakfast, to begin with… am sure the rest of the day at bogo market turned out to be really great, yum1 yum!
so, you’re really in Cebu until now?
Cebu comes to manila on 16-18 May at the International Food Exhibition (IFEX) Philippines where it will be featured as one of the provinces under the auspices of the show’s Partner Region Program. the province’s choice delicacies will be available in the show, as well as those that came from other Central Visayas provinces like Bohol, Negros Oriental, and Siquijor.
see you and the rest of the foodies of the world in IFEX Philippines (ifexphilippines@citem.com.ph)!
dee
How do you cook this? I Plan to use shrimps. Thanks