FISH FROM THE PHILIPPINES

If back home in the Philippines, “package” is congruent to “abroad”, here, we also have our “little excitement” as we wait for our boxes that come monthly.

father and son

Kuya Arthur is a father of two who has a Filipino Store in Padova, ‘La Etnica’. A two and a half hours drive from our place - Cavallino. 10 Filipino families live here and every end of the month we give our list of Pinoy goods needed to my friend Lorna. She then sends it to Kuya Arthur thru fax. After 3 days or so, our boxes are delivered carefully packed with our names written on it.

Sample prices: Marca Pina Soy sauce-1.50 euros(90pesos), Payless Pancit Cantoon-30cents(18pesos),Bagoong Isda Balayan 2eu(140p).Clover(med)-95cents(57p) for me, Taquitos 75cents(51p) for Papa and Oishi-70cents(49p) for Lukie.

We have an Italian owned shop, Rizzo, in Venice that sells selected Filipino Items but its more expensive.

Another shop in Piazza Le Roma which is nearer than Padova(Arthur’s Store) but their prices are even higher than Rizzo. The irony is, its owned by a ‘Kababayan’.

Lukie loves Ligo Sardines(70 cents). He calls it, “fish from the Philippines”. They had put Mega Sardines this time, probably Ligo’s out of stock. I haven’t tasted this Mega Sardines yet, hope its OK.

They also sell, frozen Bangus, fish/sguid balls, lumpia wrappers but all are products of Thailand. ‘Gata’(coconut milk), 'Patis'(They call it Squid Sauce) and 'malagkit' rice, for these three, we preffer the Thai's than Pinoy made.

lukie and his friend/enemy - marco

Every item has a pasted translation of ingredients in Italian. Pancit or they call it here ‘Pasta d’ Riso’, fried rice – ‘Riso Cantonese’ and Spring Rolls are among our host countrie's favorites.

Oooppss, how can I forget the rice!!! Only 25 kilos per sack with prices ranging from 15 euros to 32 euros depending on it's kind. All came from Thailand. We get the cheapest(15 eu = 900pesos), its the same as the 'Milagrosa' in the Philippines.