Come and Glow!

(The Adelaide Central Market Series part 2)
Part 1- Say Cheese...

"The best things in life are free!"

If dairy, pastry, and coffee are not your cup of tea, don't worry because the Adelaide Central Market has a lot more to offer! So while other curious customers flock around the free taste counter to try some bits and pieces of the different varieties of soft and hard cheeses with fig jam and Australian-made crackers, let us proceed to the most colourful area in the gourmet market- the fruits and veg section.




There's a wide range of fresh fruits to choose from! In Adelaide Central Market, you can hardly tell the current season of the year; you'll surely get confused whether it's winter, spring, summer or fall.

The bountiful harvest being displayed in the market stalls is enough to describe the vastness of the Australian continent! From apples and apricots to bananas, cherries and dates... lemons, mangoes, nectarines, oranges, pineapples... upto strawberries, ...and zucchinis! And with these figs and grapes, I'm sure you are now convinced that in this market we can complete our alphabet!

The fig fruits remind me of Adam and Eve...

The Australian Department of Health has been promoting it's "Go for 2 & 5 Campaign" for 6 years now. With 2 kinds of fruit and 5 servings of different vegetables everyday, we can live longer, healthier and happier!

"Filipinos can't live without rice," they said.
"Australians cannot live without potatoes," I replied.

The following veggies displayed in the House of Organics caught my attention in the market. Honestly, I haven't experienced cooking them yet.

FENNEL BULB is aromatic and flavourful herb with both culinary and medicinal importance. It is used as an ingredient of European sausages, meat balls and salads as well as in Italian's risottos and pastas. This herb is one of the spices in the Chinese' five-spice powder, and is also widely used in the India and the Middle East.

-Wikipedia

TURNIP'S roots are good source of Vitamin C! This crop is closely related to radish, cabbage, cauliflowers, broccoli and Brussel sprouts (that green stuff on the upper left of the photo above).

-Wikipedia

SWEDES (Swedish Turnip) or rutabaga are root crops that can be added to casseroles, salads and stews but can also be baked, boiled or grilled.

CELERIAC is like celery; and it is used as an ingredient in soup and stews!

KOHLRABI is a German turnip, which literally means 'cabbage turnip'. It can be eaten raw or cooked and it taste like broccoli stem or cabbage.

PARSNIPS are cousins of carrots! It was once used as an energy source when potato was not yet discovered. These days, parsnips are the common ingredient in casseroles, soups and stews.

-Wikipedia

Hey, these vegetables are not just for your 'eyes'...
Five veggies a day can keep the doctor away!

Sweet corn at PhP43.00 each...

Finally, for this post, the nuts!

Fruits and nuts goes well with chocolate bars, and so with post.

It reminds me of the kasuy in Antipolo, Rizal.

In Adelaide Central Market, tourists don't just come and go, they come and glow!




To be continued...

R.J. on Ovi Historical Tweet

Gamit ang Twitter, bawat segundo, minu-minuto, oras-oras o araw-araw ay nasusubaybayan natin ang mga pangyayari sa buhay ng ating mga kakilalang gumagamit din ng free social-networking at micro-blogging na ito. Ang mga ginagawa, naiisip o nararamdaman ng ating mga 'sinunsundang' kaibigan ay ating nababasa sa pamamagitan ng kanilang mga updates o 'tweets' na binubuo lamang ng 140 anyong titik o characters.

Samantala, ang Historical Tweet naman ay isang uri ng Twitter 'update' na ginagamitan ng mga salitang may halong pagmamalabis, kabalintunaan o komedya kung saan ang mga tanyag na tao at mga kaganapan sa kasaysayan ng mundo ang siyang nagiging tauhan o guest tweeter. Para mas lalong mapaganda at kapana-panabik ang isang historical tweet, madalas ay ginagawa ito sa isang template o larawan.

Ayon sa site na ito, ang mga aklat ay pahamak sa kasaysayan sapagkat ito'y binubuo ng napakaraming mga salitang madalas ay hindi naman ganu'n kahalaga. Kaya sa pamamagitan ng isang historical update, ang mga tauhan at pangyayari sa ating kasaysayan ay susubukan nating unawain sa pamamagitan lamang ng isang daan at apatnapung mga karakter.

Here's the chook-minder's contribution to PEBA, Nokia Ovi, and Twitter's Historical Tweets:

Jose Rizal's Execution
Bagumbayan Field, Manila
December 30, 1896

José Protasio Rizal Mercado y Alonso Realonda Quintos (June 19, 1861 – December 30, 1896) was a Filipino polymath: a poet, writer, artist, intellectual, and educator. He was a nationalist and the pre-eminent advocate for reforms in the Philippines during the Spanish colonial era. Rizal's 1896 court-martial and execution made him a martyr of the Philippine Revolution. He is widely considered the most prominent Filipino and a national hero. Since Philippine Independence, the anniversary of Rizal's death has been commemorated as a national holiday.

The government secretly buried Rizal in Paco Cemetery in Manila, where they placed no identification on his grave. When his sister Narcisa toured all possible gravesites, she found freshly turned earth at the cemetery and civil guards posted at the gate. Assuming this was the most likely spot, as there had never been ground burials before, she made a gift to the caretaker to mark the site, "RPJ", Rizal's initials in reverse.

-Wikipedia

PEBA or the Pinoy Expats/OFW Blog Awards is the organization that honors the best and inspiring blogs of Filipino expatriates and Overseas Filipino Workers around the world. This year's theme is Filipinos Abroad: Hope of the Nation, Gift to the World which is 'synonymous' to Jose Rizal's vision- The Youth is the Hope of our Motherland.

The Chook-minder's Quill is, actually, nominated for the award this year.

Thank you very much Nokia Ovi for sponsoring the PEBA 2009 Awards this coming December 26, 2009 (four days before the 113th-year of the Jose Rizal's martyrdom). The event will be held at six in the evening at the UP Diliman- Ang Bahay ng Alumni Convention Hall, Diliman, Quezon City, Philippines.

Ovi by Nokia
Your Life. Connected.



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Say Cheese!

(The Adelaide Central Market series; part I)


I'm back!

Well, I haven't gone far... I am still working in this poultry farm, and reading blogs when I'm free. Yes, I have not updated The Chook-minder's Quill for the past fourteen days... I have lots of personal stories to tell but I restrained myself from writing it here, otherwise you'll get sick of reading my anxieties and sentiments in life.

Actually, Australia is not just all about my chickens and sad moments. There are a lot of places which are equally if not more exciting than the Sydney Opera House! You simply don't need to have the energy to run like an emu, just try to visit one of South Australia's beautiful destinations and I'm sure you really can't stop yourself from hopping like a kangaroo with your desire to see more lovely spots around the Festival State. Money-back guarantee, you'll love to hug this place like a cuddly koala!

I understand that most of you are saving your holidays for the upcoming PEBA event this December (thank you for voting my entry)... meantime, allow the Chook-minder's Lens and Quill to take you to one of my favourite destinations in the city- The Adelaide Central Market.

The facade of Adelaide Central Market, Grote St., Adelaide City, S.A.

Just a 3-minute walk from the historic Adelaide Victoria Square, the market is situated along Grote and Gouger Sts., only a few steps away from Hilton Hotel. Experience the display of vibrant colours, the smell of the tempting aroma, and the taste of fresh and delicious products that are mostly grown and made just around Adelaide and its suburbs, as well as the South Australian countryside.

The Adelaide Central Market during the 'Friday Night Shopping'...

There are, more or less, 80 stalls inside, selling stuffs that could largely describe the Land Down Under as a multi-cultural country. The choices are so diverse- from products which are proudly Australian to those which are European-, Asian-, and American-influenced.

Our first stop, the dairy and the bakery sections...

Edam, blue-veined, and emmental cheeses...

Edam cheese (The Netherlands, upper left in the above photo) is commonly called as queso de bola in Spain and the Philippines. It is very compatible with fruits such as peaches, apricots, melons and cherries; and if aged, this hard cheese is often eaten with pears and apples. It also goes well with your favorite cracker or an accompaniment to Pinot Noir wines.

Blue-veined cheese (Italy, lower left in the above photo) is my least favorite cheese because the Penicillium mould is visible, and its mouldy smell is very distinct! Whew!

Emmental cheese (Switzerland, right in the above photo) is very common in cartoon shows. When I was still young, I thought this cheese is the favorite snack of mice- and that the holes present are the remains of their nibbling activity... not until my college days, when I've learned from my Meat and Milk Hygiene subject that these holes are actually bubbles which are formed as (the bacteria) Propionibacter shermani releases carbon dioxide gas after consuming the lactic acid excreted by Lactobacillus and Streptococcus thermophilus.

-Wikipedia
-RJ's college notes
-personal experience

This section is the reason why my dining room has smelled like fart! I bought 166 grams of Cremeux de Argental cheese from the Smelly Cheese shop. It costs Au$59.95 a kilogram or PhP2,580 in the current exchange rate.

Smelly Cheese Shop's Cremeux D'Argental

It is a variety of a soft cheese (brie) that is very mild yet the taste of mould as well as the hint of ammonia are still there! The microorganisms called Penicillium candidum, P. camemberti and Brevibacterium linens which are inoculated in the milk curd during the production of brie are responsible for its very distinctive taste and aroma. Interestingly, Brevibacterium linens is commonly present in the human skin and is the primary cause of foot odour!

But I love Cremeux de Argental; it is great if eaten with crackers (Au$ 2.80) or any bread of your choice, especially if consumed with a cup of coffee, alfresco with a loved one.












To be continued...




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Ang Aking Tugon...

ANG IYONG PAGMAMAHAL SA AKI'Y madalas kong pinagdududahan nitong mga nakaraang buwan. Sinabi mo noon pa, naisulat mo na rin, at naririnig ko madalas sa mga taong malapit sa iyo na mahal na mahal mo 'ko pero pakiramdam ko, magtatatlong taon nang hindi ko nararamdaman ang iyong pag-ibig sa akin. Mahal mo ba talaga ako?

Port Wakefield Post Office, South Australia

Mahal kita.

'Ta mo, hindi ko na rin alam kung itong pagmamahal ko sa iyo'y tunay at tapat. Iparamdam mo kasi sa akin ang iyong pag-ibig hindi lamang sa salita, ngayong tayo'y magkalayo, mas mahalaga sa aking ito'y iyong ipakita sa gawa. Alam ko namang kayang-kaya mo itong gawin, pero bakit ayaw mo? Matagal ko nang hiling na kahit sa aking mga panaginip ay yakapin mo naman ako... Pero wala... walang nangyari.

Alam mo bang ang iyong liham para sa aki'y dala-dala ko pa rito sa Australia galing Pilipinas ngunit isinantabi ko lamang sa loob ng napakatagal na panahon? Binuksan ko na ito noon pa, pero hindi ko ito binasa. Ayaw ko kasing mabasa ang napakarami mong mga pangako sa aking... madalas pakiramdam ko'y palagi namang hindi naisasakatuparan... Siguro nga'y nabuklat at kahit papaano'y binasa ko rin naman ito noong nakaramdam ako ng labis na pangungulila, subalit dala ng matinding pagod dahil sa aking mga pagsisikap, hindi ko rin lubusang naunawaan ang iyong mga nais ihayag sa akin.

Sa gitna ng aking mga pag-aalinlangan, nagpapasalamat ako ngayong araw sapagkat nagkaroon ako ng magandang pagkakataon. Sinikap kong basahin at unawain ng buong puso ang ilang bahagi ng iyong sulat... tama ako, marami ngang mga pangako at kaakibat nito'y mga paalalang kailangan kong sundin ang iyong mga kagustuhan.

Ang Iyong mga salita'y tunay ngang makapangyarihan at napakabisa... higit na matalas ito kaysa sa alin mang tabak na may dalawahang talim!(1)

Sinusunod ko naman ng buong puso ang karamihan, kung hindi man lahat ng ating mga napagkasunduan; alam kong alam mo 'yon. Ngunit bakit parang nababasa ko rito sa iyong mga salita na kung nais kong magtagumpay at maramdaman ang tunay kaligayahan kapiling ka, kailangan kong isuko lahat ng aking mga nasimulan. Nahihirapan ako sa kahilingan mong ito... pakiramdam ko tuloy hindi ako nararapat dito sa aking kasalukuyang kinalalagyan.

Ang katuparan ng aking mga pangarap ay itinuturing kong isang kayamanan. Tama Ka nga, mas madali pa para sa isang kamelyo ang dumaan sa butas ng karayom...(2)







(1) Hebrews 4:12
(2) Mark 10:25

Closer

There are beautiful places in this world that are luckily spared from the heavy rains, flood, earthquake and tsunami...

I know that most of us are still soaked with the saturating mud of nightmare brought by Ondoy; while some are still covered with the rubbles of broken dreams, lost livelihood, and most especially, loved ones. Surrounded by misfortunes, I believe that people around the globe, not only Filipinos, have once again proved that the spirit of peace, unity, and generosity still exists in our world until today. And with the widespread prayer offerings occupying substantial pages of the internet lately, I am also certain that trials and tragedies in life really bring us closer to the Almighty.

***

While the entire Philippines is praying and hoping for sunshine after the rain, it is also the best time for National Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro to shine and prove his worth to become the next president of the country. For me, his name is not as nationally famous as his cousin’s name- Noynoy Aquino (who is also aspiring for the presidency in 2010), but being the current chairman of the National Disaster Coordinating Council this is an opportunity for Sec. Gibo to improve his popularity and move closer to his dream.

***

Honestly, because of the natural calamities in the Asia-Pacific Region, I am now unaware of any development regarding the proposed implementation of the Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology for all motor vehicles in the Philippines. I have been working and living in Australia for nearly 33 months now, and have purchased a second-hand vehicle lately but I haven’t encountered this kind of thing in this first-world country. I, actually, couldn’t believe that the Land Transportation Office of a third-world country is so confident to ‘switch on the ignition’ of this 2-billion peso project without undergoing a thorough consultation among the transport groups and the business sectors.

Two thumbs-up for the DoTC for doing its best in strengthening the system of the LTO to wipe out all ‘colorum’ vehicles; and in helping other government agencies such as the DILG for the anti-carnapping campaign, and the DENR for the Clean-Air Act... but, I will give them my PMA and PNPA-style salute as soon as another 2 billion (or more) peso is allocated for more LRT and MRT railcars in Metro Manila (to avoid this scenario); or by simply implementing stringent Maritime Industry rules and regulations to avoid or lessen sea accidents; or even simpler- a strict monitoring and surveillance of the Philippine telecommunication law to achieve an affordable means of communication so every Filipino could enjoy the opportunity to get closer to their loved ones despite the geographical distance from each other.

***

How about my introductory statement: “There are beautiful places in this world that are luckily spared from the heavy rains, flood, earthquake and tsunami...”? Sorry, I got carried away; I’ll focus on this topic on my next post.

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