A Trip To Seafood City

About once a week we go to the Asian market called Seafood City. It wasn't just seafoods as the name suggest but most, Filipino products, if not all, would be available in there.We used to go there about once a week to stock up on needed items, along with vegetables with mom who wouldn't missed on checking for her favorite ones such as yam leaves, water spinach, and long beans. And we're just thankful there's such a place we could go to which helps us enjoy products from the homeland. Now who would say we missed Filipino foods? From fish, to vegetables and canned goods even beauty products are in there.

And even though I have been there many times, I don't get bored. It is always that feeling of connecting with fellow Filipinos as they shop in there and seeing the items I used to see on Philippine markets before. It is also that feeling of being at home while in there.

And so on the past few trips, I got the cellphone camera ready to take photos. So far here's what I got from those past two trips.

After the entrance and close to the registers are the beauty aisle where this face cleansers (Eskinol) can be found along with other products such as colognes, deodorants and whitening soap and lotions.

Those yellow Eskinol bottles are with lemon extract while the green ones are avocados. Some also are with cucumbers and Papaya extract. I had used them before, and currently has the Eskinol Derma Clear but only had used it a few times.

To the fish section, this photo was taken yesterday, Thursday as dad and I dropped by to buy this butter fish (pampano fish) that mom asked me to get along with beef shank.

This fish is good marinated in soy sauce and vinegar overnight then grilled the following day.

My favorite for breakfast with rice. And honestly, when I crave for either of the two, I don't care about the time of the day, morning or lunch, I'd cooked them if I want them.

Yes, Philippine hotdogs are this red and one of my favorites.

And with the Filipino sausages which is called longganisa, comes in pork, chicken and beef, and either sweet or spicy. I always prefer the sweet longganisa as I don't eat spicy foods.

I'd boil this sausages in half a cup of water for all the sausages, or about 1/3 cup for only a few. Poking the sausages with a fork helps to let their oil out which will cook the sausages or longanisa later on when the water dries out.

Beef heart, liver, along with blood of chicken, pork, and beef being sold. I don't know of any other Filipino recipe's that uses blood for ingredient aside from dinuguan, or what is called as chocolate meat in English.

Lanzones fruits on the frozen aisle. On the left side which is barely captured but is darkish in color and round are the caimito fruits or star apple in English.

As I walked passed the meat section, here comes the salted fish sauces in bottles. This one is one of those that mom can't live without and she makes sure she always has one on the fridge. This sauce is use for cooking. And with parsley, chopped onions and tomatoes, it is enjoyed as a dipping sauce for fried fish and even use as sauce for green mangoes as well.

After the bottled fish sauces comes all kinds of dried fish. And this one is one of those favorites, the rabbitfish (danggit.)

And as I was done feasting my eyes on the dried fish section, I turned around and there was mom (next to the woman in red) busy filling up a plastic of her choice of fish. (I wonder what she got?)

The market was getting busy, and they are much more busy on weekends as shoppers flooded in.

Now time for weighing and fish cleaning. Glad there weren't a long line yet. Sometimes, when there is a long line, we just ask for the fish to be weigh and no cleaning as cleaning would take some time. With fish cleaning, we are given a number and has to wait for the number to be called once the fish is ready.

So with this, better do the fish first and then shop around for other needed items while waiting for the number to be called, that is if you want some fish cleaning done if you find yourself in Seafood City.

And this, I always make sure I got a stock of noodles so when the cravings for any noodle food using this kind strikes in, I have something to use.

I enjoy pancit canton, and there would be days I crave for it and having this noodles, I'd be ready to cook and enjoy the dish.

And those yams, we always make sure we also have those along with taro.

We use yams on vegetable dishes and they are good fried too or steamed. When in a hurry, mom used to just heat either one or two on the microwave.

And the purple yam, I enjoy them with halo-halo (a favorite dessert with shaved ice, fruits, coconut gel, beans, and milk.)