Imitation crab salad

Kung hindi ito totoong laman ng alimango, ano ‘to? Syempre, kailangang mag-research at baka kung ano na ang ipinapasok natin sa bibig natin noh. GME (google mo Ella) muna ang byuti ko.

Ito po ay gawa sa laman ng isda, usually Alaska Pollock, which has a very mild taste. The processing starts with skinning and boning of the fish. Then the meat is minced and rinsed resulting in a thick paste called surimi. The word means minced fish in Japan which developed the techniques in making it over 800 years ago.

The finished surimi is shaped into chunks or tubes and cut into sticks or large flakes. It is cooked to give it the texture of real crab meat. Caramel, paprika and annatto extract are used to coat the imitation crab to give it the reddish color of genuine crab meat.

Nutritionally, surimi is not different from crab meat although it is lower in cholesterol. At puwede pang kainin ito ng mga allergic sa crabs or shellfish kasi isda nga siya. My sis Ana can eat imitation crab meat but not real crabs (allergic siya).

On Bicol Express

Again, guys, what’s in a name? In the case of Bicol Express, everything.

The Philippine Cookbook (Virginia Roces de Guzmán and Nina Daza Puyat) states that the dish was invented by Cely Kalaw of the famous Grove Restaurant in Malate during the 1960s.

As if this info came from the bible itself, many food bloggers  accepted this as fact without question at isinalpak sa mga blogs nila. Understandably,  maraming nagalit na mga Bicolano, bloggers and readers alike.

Although Ms. Cely Kalaw spent almost all her adult life in Naga, she is still a non-Bicolano. To claim that she “invented” an obvious Bicolano dish eh medyo nakaka-pikon ang dating. Kahit na ba she is considered one of the best cooks in the country. Who gives a shit?  I don’t.

You see, one does not, I repeat, does not have any right to claim or give credit to anyone kapag   “invention” ng  traditional/regional dishes  ang pag-uusapan.

It’s not only irresponsible or erroneous reporting, it is an  insult to the kusineros and kusineras of the region concerned.