Goat, Caribou, & Duck

Much of this adventure is focused on experiencing and learning about Asian cultures. We are surrounded by it every moment of every day in every way. Food is a staple in every culture and provides a unique window into the people who eat it. So being the traveling, aspiring foodies we are, we thought it might be nice to share some food stories with you. So, when Me-Ann (Anthony's cousin) and Rex (Me-Ann’s husband) offered to take us to some local cuisine, we jumped on the chance and tried these three foods in one evening of indulgence. 

Goat 

Sitting in a bahay kubo (grass hut) our hosts ordered four goat dishes. Two were a more stew like dishes cooked with some meat (rib and leg), both were excellent. The third dish, with great flavor but a slightly unusual texture, was a mixture of chopped meat, skin, and intestine. To round the meal off was a plate of intestine, an acquired taste to say the least. This was Darin’s first time eating goat so for those who are in the same boat, it tastes similar to beef but with a softer texture and flavor. We also had two soups: one sinigang, a very common and popular sour soup in the Philippines (Anthony's favorite), and another bitter soup made from fish innards - not our favorite. 

Me-Ann & Rex enjoying their goat meal

Anthony & Darin trying out some goat

Pigar-Pigar

Caribou: you have seen them in movies and documentaries, now see them hanging from a hook and on your plate! On Galvan street -yes as in Anthony Galvan, but we'll save that for a later time- in Dagupan there is a row of outdoor eateries all selling pigar-pigar. Pigar-pigar is thinly sliced small pieces of caribou meat quickly cooked in boiling oil served with some chopped vegetables. Our ordered was a little overcooked and hard but the meat had good flavor and eating out in the street at this little booth was well worth it.

Vendor preparing some pigar pigar

Anthony & Darin w/ their pigar-pigar

Our pigar-pigar plate

Balut

Those with weak stomachs might want to skip this. While eating our pigar-pigar, locals paraded up and down the street selling various foods. Our hosts ordered three balut.  Balut is fertilized duck embryo that is boiled alive and eaten warm from the shell with a pinch of salt. It is very popular in the Philippines and served from vendors walking the streets. The idea of eating a baby duck straight from the egg might strike some as odd; but once you get over that it tastes good. You eat the entire embryo and yoke but suggested not the hard white section. As for the taste, it just like a boiled egg if it were not for the bones, feathers, and head.

Balut

Me-Ann demonstrating how to eat balut

Anthony & Darin having a go w/ their balut

Anthony displaying his balut