PLEASE READ NOTE AT THE BOTTOM OF THIS POST FOR NEW INFORMATION RE: MARKETMAN ON TASTE MATTERS!
Bitin is a brilliant, highly descriptive word for most Filipinos. The word is not easily translated. Though “short” or “falling short of expectations” comes close. When one says the word “bitin,” with a slight whine, it is immediately understood by most natives to mean something along the lines of “oh bummer, that isn’t what I was hoping for” or “it wasn’t enough to satisfy the craving,” or it was some sort of “letdown.” When pants are bitin, they are too short at the leg, evocative of floodwater avoidance. When a meal is bitin, there wasn’t enough food. When gossip is bitin, the details weren’t quite as juicy and complete as you would have wanted. So what the heck is so bitin about Marketman’s first real foray into television???
Taste Matters is a 25 minute program that features a different Asian city in each episode, and one dish from each city. In Episode 8, the host, Marc Dass visits Manila, and focuses on the dish adobo. The program will air on the Singapore grid of Channel News Asia (the Asian CNN clone) on the following dates and times:
Friday, July 25, 2008 at 7:32 pm
and replayed on:
Saturday, July 26, 2008 at 00:31 am
Monday, July 28, 2008 at 10:33 am
I have seen the first 6 minutes of the program, and I can tell you this is more exposure for Marketman than I would have ever imagined. Marketman munching like a madman at the Salcedo market, Marketman in a short interview. Marketman’s palayok adobo gurgling away in the back yard. Marketman on the couch in his living room… It was shot on the weekend of the storm Fenghsen so schedules were discombobulated and I probably ended up as a filler, literally and figuratively, for the program… heehee. I also sent the “Taste Matters” team to Chef Laudico’s Bistro in the Fort where they learned to make a more modern and fusiony take on adobo. I have not seen the whole program, but the first six minutes was more than enough…
So here is the rub. It is ONLY showing on the Singapore grid, which probably includes Malaysia and Thailand and other countries in that broadcast area. Unfortunately, Manila follows the Hong Kong grid and therefore it seems we will NOT see the program in these parts, it being replaced by a program on Chinese restaurants. So only marketmanila readers in Singapore and thereabouts will have a chance to see the program… The producers promised to send me a copy of the entire show on a CD, but I doubt I will be allowed to upload the entire program onto youtube for readers to see in full. So, unless some incredibly nice soul who resides in Singapore or thereabouts manages to record the program and upload it to a place where folks from elsewhere on the planet can see it… I think we will all just have to say with a big sigh… “ay, bitin.“
NOTE: Since I wrote this post, representatives of Channel News Asia have advised me that while Manila and Hong Kong viewers won’t see the program on July 25, they WILL still get a chance to see the program in about 8 weeks time. It seems the series will start airing on the Hong Kong grid starting next week, so they will get to the Manila/Adobo episode in late September. Yahoo! :)
61 Responses
I hope someone will upload it to youtube, too…
Gay
too bad! but i will anxiously await the uploaded video on this. surely (hopefully!) one MM reader will be able to record it. til then. i can’t wait! :)
Hi MM! too bad we won’t see the show.
I am really enjoying your blogs. Not a day passes when I don’t peek at your posts, or my day will be….what else?…..BITIN.
Like a good meal, I relish your posts between munching on real bites.
It’s highly probable that there’s a nice soul out there to record the feature. =)
I “live” in Singapore these days … but because I’m traveling so much this summer, I won’t be in town this weekend. I’ll just wait for the YouTube upload. =)
Yes, pretty please, youtubers,share it with us who can’t watch it…I’ve been dying to see MM’s face for a long time…Haha, now I remember this very famous French electronic/dance duo named “Daft Punk” during their public performances they wear masks to hide their appearance,adding mystery to their identity made them even more popular.I think over the years MM, is like that, he is still a mystery to me…and maybe now is the opportunity to uncover it! =))
maybe we should all fly to singapore this friday morning to catch this very rare occassion… just dreaming… he he
So is there going to be an identity outing here, MM? :-) Congratulations on the TV foray!
Hi everyone, sorry to make this even more “bitin,” but we are talking a full frontal interview, though my bare feet do not appear in the show… :) So if you know any technologically competent friends in Singapore, prevail upon them with a thousand pleases to do a youtube upload… :)
You’re one naughty guy, MM… I did a screen capture of this page so I could zoom in on the camera frame and your face was intentionally blurred out! Talagang bitin!
aaaahhhhhhhhh…..B I T I N!!!!!!
toping, sorry, it must have been a smudge from a greasy finger or something…hahaha. :) I am enjoying this as there are only some 40 hours until anyone based near Singapore gets to see my face and will then be seen running out of their living rooms with arms flailing in shock over how totally nondescript I look… :)
Picture shows you svelte, surprising (and encouraging for the rest of us) for someone with a zestful interest in food.
off-topic…
i zoomed in on your throw pillows. where did you get your throw pillow covers?
this entry is enough to whet my curiosity on your TV debut MM! i hope someone uploads this clip in youtube, or else, nakakabitin talaga, esp for those of us here in North America (and elsewhere)…
thank God for youtube!!! someone can download it in 2 parts (or more) the headless pic shows a trim physique. you are gifted with amazing metabolism! congratulations on this much awaited debut!
Wow ! This curiosity of how you look is making me go to this site everyday.This is fun.Maybe do I need a LIFE.Just kidding.
I am sure it will be worth it.
There could be a possibility that Channel News Asia uploads the video on their website: https://www.channelnewsasia.com/ – a request email might help ;)
Here’s their teaser summary:
“Taste Matters
Chinese in its spices, Spanish in its marinades but uniquely Filipino in its limitless regional variations, the “Adobo” is the most popular Filipino dish. In the final episode of Taste Matters host Marc Dass travels through Manila in his quest for the perfect adobo, in a land known for its food and fiestas. Fri, Jul 25, 1930hrs (Singapore time).”
MM you’re tops!
MM on TV! Yey, this is so exciting! Hope your fans from Singapore and Malaysia will record the show and upload on youtube. This is such a great opportunity for your worldwide readers to see you in action :-) I look forward to the youtube uplaod announcement :-)
I have to say that I’m quite glad it won’t be shown in Manila. I’m here in the States momentarily so i won’t be able to watch it IF it were shown in the Phils. If i can’t get get to watch it, better if more people don’t too! Misery loves company… =)
Wow MM! You are looking so trim and fit. Congratulations! Maybe you should write The South Forbes Diet book :)
Hey, great news!! Our very own MM on a cable show that properly acknowledges him and his contributions!!!! Please, Singapore-based techies, upload it on youtube for us to see. (I had the pleasure of meeting MM, Mrs. MM and The Kid briefly when I picked up my tote and tees and let me tell you guys, they are all as gracious in person as they are on the MM site!)
Anxiously waiting for word on the upload….
Arrgh, I need to put a stop to the comments on body shape… I just figured out how to dress better to hide the fat. And obviously, I don’t publish unflattering angles. I am now at roughly 195 pounds, practically an all-time high, but I am rather tall… :) Apicio, svelte is a term I would use in my dreams only. :)
Finally, MM on TV! Yehey! Can’t wait for the video upload! I am so excited! :)
I’m gonna watch the program tomorrow. I have to set a schedule alarm so I won’t forget. ^,^ Wish I could record it but we don’t have Smart TV (Tivo). :(
I’ll try to go home early to catch it too. I don’t have a recorder but will ask some friends if they can. Will let you know guys.
Ayayayay Bitin to the MAX!!!
Kainis!!!
Bummer! (to quote from MM)
Wow! I’ve gotta get home tomorrow early and not bum around in malls!! Yihaa.. :p
Won’t be able to see this from where we live but let me say, Congratulations MM and keep up the great work you do! Go Pinoys!
congratulations, mm. i am also looking forward to seeing this program via the youtube…..
i clicked on the cna site that jade gave. tried to watch live but it said “only available in lowband for now”. i would have been able to watch online because of our time zones…techies, what does ‘lowband’ mean?
please remind us know when it will be aired here in September. AM really looking forward to watching it. Congratulations!
i do hope someone will upload the feature in You Tube! :D Yay, Congrats MM!!! :-)
i am so tuning in! high five!
agghh i got 20 seconds worth of MM! Whew, never would’ve guessed that’s MM! :p
I’m reading the blogs wrong! He has a different accent in real life! Hehe..
Now i know!
sometime_lurker, did you get home late or was it all cut down to 20 seconds? Egads, you are the one and only person so far that has seen it… even I haven’t seen the final program in its entireity… and you have 10 minutes to go! And what’s with the accent? :)
Definitely not cut down, ‘was just late :(
But there’s this Michelle who’s now on that is having a lot of exposure! :P
The host is cooking Adobo at her house now. Oh he’s off to Aristocrat…now Chef Laudico–just like you said!
The accent… i kinda wanted to add “like” in every beginning of a clause.. the kolehiyala accent of my alma mater! Haha :)
Ack, horribly pixelated! My cell vid cam is keeping the mystery!
I saw the whole program. :-) Oh yeah, it’s really bitin. I got to record a full minute of you on my digicam while you were being interviewed (including your delicious adobo simmering in a palayok). Sometime_lurker is right, the other featured guest Michelle, was given more airtime.
I can’t believe I’ve seen your face, at last! :D
The other guest, graciously offered her kitchen for the host to cook the adobo in, so that would make perfect sense… but over all, I am glad there was a 25 minute program featuring this dish so dear to the pinoys!
I just finished uploading the video. Here’s the link– https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gQmx2LgfhUU
Sorry I wasn’t able to record the entire segment.
Mabuhay ka Hershey! Thanks for uploading the video. I enjoyed the segment even though it’s bitin lols I was more excited to see MM than watching the adobo cook hehehe MM, you are very telegenic :=) It’s so nice to finally “see” and “hear” you. I’m sure a number of your readers are as happy as I am to view your segment. Congratulations on this broadcast and I must say that the palayok made the adobo really authentic. Growing up, our household used these palayok for cooking. I have been a vegetarian since 1999 and adobo is one of the many Pinoy tastes that I miss and crave. I sometimes make potato adobo with eggs but because there is no fat, it’s not the same as the one I grew up with. Just seeing the palayok with the simmering contents gives me the same pleasure as tasting it. Good job!
MM you look younger than I thought you would have been.
MM, I think I’ve seen you once in Sidcor! (maybe 1 or 1 1/2 years ago basta not more than 2 years) I saw a man with one of his staff carrying a bayong. I thought it might be you but I wasn’t sure.
WOW!! thanks, hershey! that’s the most important segment of the program, anyway–marketman is truly blessed with great genes and metabolism..also blessed with a good life.
Wow, that video was a revelation, errrr I was really expecting MM to be a (bit) old!!!Haha. I’ve noticed the voice, I’m sure MM can also belt a decent song or two on karaoke.I really didn’t care about the adobo I’m just happy to finally see the man behind this blog that’s been part of my WWW daily routine/habit.Thank you Hershey for uploading it on youtube.
sometime lurker and Hershey, thank you very much for posting those clips, I am sure many fellow readers of marketmanila really appreciate it… Heehee, everyone seems to think I am an old fogey, probably fatter and with a heavy Visayan accent. :) bethp, I CANNOT for the life of me sing a song nor indulge in karaoke… Candygirl, if you mean the Lung Center market, if I was there on a sunday, I was probably there by myself but it is possible we crossed paths…
You’re welcome, no prob! ^,^ My sisters who live in the US are Marketmanila readers as well and they are eager to see the “mysterious face” for sooo long. Now is their chance!
I think I’ve watched the video posted more than 10x—cannt seem to matched the face with all the wonderful and informative things you’ve written in this blog!I thought you were older(retirement age).Now I know where the humor comes from :) Actually you look good so why hide?Hope to see more of you on TV and mags.Congratulations MM!And Hershey and sometime lurker, thanks for posting–the mystery is no longer a secret!
Hay salamat! Finally a face to associate with the blog. I read Marvin’s post regarding your lunch together in the Philippines but he left me BITIN by not posting any photos. Thanks Hershey!
The reason I assumed ikaw may edad na was because you wrote (I can’t remember which post) previously that you RETIRED and decided to go back to the Philippines.
Thanks for the upload, courtesy of technology. That was a nice snippet, short but sweet. May we see you more in longer segments.
Hi MarketMan,
I live now in Singapore,but I am originally from Davao. I’m new to your blog (i can see you have a very big fan base) and as soon as I read that you will be featured in Channel News Asia, I pre-programmed our TV to record the “Taste Matters” episode you were in. I liked the whole program overall featuring our Adobo dishes but, I was also hoping they traveled beyond Manila to see and taste the other adobo versions in other regions. They’ve actually featured some of that as well but, it is more of additional info rather than getting to know how the other regional versions are cooked (on hindsight, it could be too ambitious though for a 25min program).
Glad to see you on TV and more power to you!
Emily, as with many things, they had to work within budgets and timeframes… I know they did all of that show in less than 3 days and on a tight budget… it could have been improved, as with almost all things, but I am glad that Manila and adobo got at least one of 8 episodes in the first season of the show…
Congratulations MM…Looking forward to seeing the feature. do keep us posted.
Thanks for uploading that video, Hershey! I enjoyed watching it. And, congratulations, Market Man on your international TV debut! Hehe
Nice going MM. Aaw shucks, I wanna see the full episode. Any show that talks about Filipino food makes me happy.
The accent really got me, hehe. Very cool palayok set-up by the pool, MM. Thanks, Hershey!
Hi MM! Sayang no one has uploaded the whole segment! I wanted to see Marc Dass too, he’s a really good friend of mine and I miss him :(
Jade, the episode will be shown in manila in about a month or so…so you can see him then… will keep you all posted on the date…
Marketman, the adobo episode on Taste Matters was already aired this monday Sept. 15!! I was surprised to see that you still look young!! Like in mid-40’s!!..naks!