I recently I visited a Phillipine market with a friend who was passing through town and she bought something she said was considered a delicacy back home in Manilla, something children ask for as treats, something sold by street vendors the way American street vendors sell hot dogs. I forget the name and when I have described it to friends, they don’t believe me, they think I am making it up. It is, AND I AM NOT MAKING THIS UP!, birds eggs which have been allowed to develop enough that the bird parts such as beak, claws, etc. have formed. Does anyone know its name?
CMC fnord!
My shortest post, ever.
My wife is filipina, and I get a lot of exposure to filipino culture. Balut is an, at best, acquired taste. Many filipinos do like to test foreigners on it, in the Will he actually eat that test. Not one of my in-laws and extended family like it. I’ve not once seen it in any family gathering or filipino food banquet I’ve attended and I’ve been to many (and don’t get me started on filipino ‘cuisine’). I get to try just about any and every filipino market and restaurant in Queens and Brooklyn, most in Manhattan, and many in Nassau County. I can count on the fingers of one hand the number of times I’ve seen balut (though most will probably make it as a special order).
Ah, yes, balut. I actually saw two people I work with (both Vietnamese, BTW) eating balut in the employee break room. I had to leave the room. Sorry to be so provincial, but I just couldn’t handle it.
minor hijack … ate in a filipino ‘chinese’ place in Norfolk VA, and they had a stewed dish called pork adobo, very heavy on the vinegar … any chance of scoring a recipe? it didnt have the normal spanish aisle adobo seasoning as the flavoring …
When I was in Manila, I heard them called:
Nike: chicken feet
Adidas: balut
Walkman: chicken heads
Here are some adobo recipes:
Pork / Chicken Adobo
Pork Adobo (Adobong Baboy)
Pork Adobo
I usually go for the lumpia (filipino egg roll) and chicken adobo when I eat in filipino restaurants. I also like pancit, but quality is all over the place with that dish. Adobo is a safe bet.
Before I even opened the thread, I knew you were talking about balut. Once I was watching Fear Factor and one of the stunts was to eat a half-developed duck egg. I remember thinking, “What, balut? Big fucking deal.” Then again, I’m from a place with a fairly large Filipino population.
My first assignment in the military was in the Phillipines, and I actually did try balut. I can’t tell you much more, because before that, I drank a lot of *‘Red Horse’ *beers, which is the ONLY reason I can think of for anyone to ever eat it.
thanks+)