• Home
  • Advertising
  • Submit an Article
  • About RTTP
  • Contact Us

Retiring to the Philippines

Magazine for expats thinking of retiring to the Philippines

  • Guide
    • About the Philippines
    • Moving to the Philippines
    • Visas
    • Packing & Shipping
    • Bringing Your Pets
    • Importing a Motor Vehicle
  • Living in the Philippines
    • Culture Shock
    • Property
    • Banking
    • Driving
    • Public Transportation
    • Telecommunications
    • Hobbies & Interests
  • Travel
    • Airline News and Promotions
    • Places to Visit
    • Best Way to Get There
    • Lodging
  • Food & Drink
    • Restaurants
    • Imported Foods & Drinks
    • Home Cooking
  • Entertainment
    • Nightlife
    • Things to Do
  • Shopping
    • Where to Shop
  • Health
    • Doctors
    • Hospitals
    • Alternative Medicine
    • Insurance
  • Economy
    • Cost of Living
    • Business News & Information
    • Investing in the Philippines

My Kitchen Rules

January 11, 2015 by Gary McMurrain 1 Comment

Tweet
Share13
Share
Pin
13 Shares

couple-cooking-in-kitchen
My kitchen differs from my wife’s kitchen due to the diversity of the cuisine, which is prepared. However, I am not complaining about my wife’s kitchen, as she can also be diverse in helping me prepare international dishes. Without a doubt, topics related to food remain hot topics among foreigners who have retired to the Philippines. While we can be adventurous, most people still prefer eating the food they are accustomed to, at least on a regular basis. Filipinos included, even when residing abroad. When we lived in China, we had Filipino friends and one of the most enjoyed activities was on Sundays when we met at our apartment and we prepared Filipino food. Everyone was happy.

Eat At Home Or Dine Out

We enjoy dining out one or two times every week for a change of pace but mostly, we enjoy preparing our own food at home. Why? We get it right! We know what we enjoy eating and we know how to prepare it properly. Our food is not a knock off. I am blessed that my wife graduated from a Culinary Arts Academy abroad, so she is not just locked into preparing Filipino cuisine.

When we dine out, I especially enjoy eating food I do not normally prepare at home or food that requires more time in preparation than we have time to put into it. Yesterday, we enjoyed eating at an Austrian restaurant. Various German style sausages, wiener schnitzel, potato salad, sauerkraut and pork knuckle. With draft beer. It was awesome!

As I have related before, you can find most ingredients in local supermarkets and delis in Bacolod City to prepare your favorite dishes at home. It will be the same in most other mid-size and large cities in the Philippines.

This year is still very young but we have made a few changes in my kusina (kitchen), which my wife and I actually share together at times. It’s great preparing food with your wife or girlfriend. One change is preparing more roasted and grilled food. Roasted mushrooms, potatoes, broccoli, peppers, cauliflower, garlic, tomatoes, onions and carrots. With these, you can put together many healthy and delicious dishes. How does lemon chicken sound to you? Add the roasted veggies of your choice, brown rice and you have a fabulous meal. Carolina BBQ Chicken? Once again, make your own BBQ sauce, grill the chicken, add your favorite roasted veggies and now you are eating something great. Boiled corn and homemade mashed potatoes will really kick up this BBQ. Are you hungry yet? I am.

Behind The Scenes

If you take a peek at my kusina, you will see a few basic items required to turn out terrific food. You don’t need many different utensils but a few quality cooking utensils are necessary. Spend a little and buy quality. A wok, several different size skillets, several different sizes pots with covers, 2 spatulas, a set of tongs, a whisk, a grater, several quality culinary knives, a cleaver, a can opener and a measuring cup. There you have it. You can buy all these culinary items in the Philippines.

Herbs and spices. Don’t forget those and you can also buy most of those in local supermarkets and delis in the Philippines. My wife grows several herbs in pots at our home. I enjoy collecting various imported and local sauces, which are not easily made at home. Louisiana Hot Sauce, Bagoong, Sarsa and Thai Garlic Chili Sauce are only 4 examples.

One of my favorite activities is grillin’ and chillin’. We designed our own BBQ grill and had it made in a metal works shop. We paid P1,500 for it. Ace Hardware sells imported BBQ grills but be willing to pay P4,000 or more for a good one. Have your own made.

It’s about time for a snack. I think I will make a Monte Cristo Sandwich.

(Visited 1,394 times, 1 visits today)

You Might Also Like...

  • Paradise Kitchen Is A Dirty Kitchen
    Paradise Kitchen Is A Dirty Kitchen
  • Where's The Beef?
    Where's The Beef?
  • No Soup! A Paradise Cheeseburger
    No Soup! A Paradise Cheeseburger
Tweet
Share13
Share
Pin
13 Shares

Filed Under: About the Philippines, Home Cooking, Living in the Philippines Tagged With: cooking, food, philippines

About Gary McMurrain

Gary McMurrain has been involved with the Philippines in one way or another for over 30 years. He has been living in Bacolod for 6 years and is widely considered an authority on living the expat life.

Comments

  1. Rod Gowans says

    March 11, 2015 at 2:13 pm

    Gary can you please add a photo of your BBQ? I would like to see it.
    Regards Rod

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Latest Articles

  • Is Gambling in the Philippines Illegal?
  • Can Foreigners Own Land in the Philippines? Proceed With Caution If You Want to Stay Safe.
  • 5 Tips for a Healthy Retirement in the Philippines
  • How to Ship a Car to the Philippines
  • Top 5 Financial Tips for Expats in the Philippines
  • How to Live in the Philippines with No Money
  • Why I Ultimately Left the Philippines
  • Keep the IRS off Your Back! Advice for Americans Abroad
  • Are the Guys at RTTP Fascists?
  • I Never Chose to Live in the Philippines

Latest Comments

  • Jonnie on Philippines 13a Visa Requirements ExplainedWhen traveling in and out of the Philippines with my 13A visa. Is there any expiration requirement on my passport?...
  • Barak F. on New Courtesy SRRV For VeteransI can't seem to find a list of approved militaries. Might someone have a link to an official PRA list?...
  • Kevin on New Courtesy SRRV For VeteransThey charge $10 per year for a Annual ID. The $360 is in reference to dependents. A spouse and up...
  • Charlie Bamford on Why I Ultimately Left the PhilippinesHi Vic I live near Tacloban & worked remotely for a UK company for 8 years. Despite what PLDT &...
  • Charlie Bamford on Who Let The Dogs OutYou will hopefully look after your dog well but that isn't the problem. There are numerous stray dogs that nobody...
  • john allcott on Banking in the PhilippinesInteresting idea. How did it work, Calvin? Any recommendations?
  • Vic Bernsdorff on Why I Ultimately Left the PhilippinesJay, How reliable is you Internet connection? We are planning to move to Dumaguete City. I live in Stockton, CA...
  • jjord on Why I Ultimately Left the PhilippinesIt sounds like you weren't retired when you moved to the Philippines. If so, the main concern is making money....
Want More Comments?

Sponsored Links

Tags

bacolod balikbayan box banking behavior business christmas cooking cost crime culture dating diving driving duterte earthquakes entertainment expat expats festival festivals fiesta filipinos food foreigner friends health holiday living love moving music nightlife philippines relationships resort restaurants retirement retiring romance safety scams shipping shopping travel visa

Popular Posts

  • Philippines Retirement Visa
  • Philippines 13a Visa Requirements Explained
  • Working On The Building
  • How to Ship a Car to the Philippines
  • New Courtesy SRRV For Veterans
  • Why I Ultimately Left the Philippines
  • Philippine Dating Scams

Weather in the Philippines

  • Facebook
  • Twitter

Copyright © 2012 - 2023 · Retiring to The Philippines · All Rights Reserved

Privacy Policy · Terms & Conditions · Disclaimer