Philippines Exotic Food—The Rats of Pampanga
Do you remember the film Ratatouille, where the main character was a rat named Remy? Can you imagine eating him? In Pampanga they do, and they call it dagang bukid (field rat). Field rats being cleaned prior to...
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Tasting the Tarotot—Dried Squid of Cebu City
The Philippines in general is well known for its wide variety of fresh and dried seafood. Cebu, in particular, is famous for its dried fish (danggit) and squid (tarotot). No tourist ever leaves without buying a pack or two of...
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Savoring the Delicious Snails of Pampanga
The French call them escargot, but in Pampanga, we call them susô or kuhol. Snails have long been a treat in Philippine cuisine. It is also popularly known as susông palipit since their shell looks twisted. Harvested during...
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Kamaru—Rice Field Crickets of Pampanga
I grew up here in Pampanga, the culinary capital of the Philippines where both gourmet and indigenous food ingredients exist. I was once a picky eater, but being Kapampangan taught me to eat anything edible and enjoy the...
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