Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-09-24
WHAT TO EAT AT MANILA.
Living There is Cheap, Hut NOT very
Tempting.
(Nedical NeWs)

Cattle don't thrive in the Philippines,
sheen are not found there. Potatoes don't
grow in the archipelago. Vegetables are
everywhere scarce, so 1T seems and the
peas and asparagus one gets come mostly
from France or Germany. In peaceiui
times gone by, to be sure, the industrious
Chinaman in his little garden raised dell
cacies for the table of foreigners, but now
that most of these Acknowledged CeleS-
tails have retired with their dollars TO
China, tomatoes, lettuce, beans, and corn
are probably scarcer. Chickens and eggs
are two great Philippine standbys ana
always seem TO form a groundwork Tor
every meal Beef from poor wornout bull
locks, shipped up from Australia, IKE
wise has it's usual bright place 10 oil, but
mutton and potatoes have to come over
from China. Fruits Manila has in plenty
and what with mangoes, mangosteens
oranges bananas pineapples, grape fruits
and melons, selling for a song, the market
is well supplied.
All meat in Manila and other parts of
the islands il eaten fresh-hlled, since ice
fails to preserve fish, flesh, or fowl, and
game and fowl are always sold at the
markets alive. 1t is not TO be denied
that the tough stringy taste TO this por-
ton of the menu is far from desirable,
but necessity seems TO know no law, and
one must accustom himself almost TO see
ing the chickens for his fourth course
wandering around in the kitchen half
pucked as he begins his feast.
Living was very cheap in Manila du-
ring my stay, and our cook got but 40
cents with which to provide the dinner for
four people And we would have such
dishes as soup, fish. chops, and peas,
roast chicken with potatoes, beans and
corn, salad dessert. and frult-quite
repast for so small a sum.
The milk available in the Philippines
rarely comes from the Jersey COW, but is
a product of the 'carabao," or water
buffalo. and tastes somewhat oily. Dat
meal and cream are things unknown and
the former is now said to be too heat
ing for a hot climate diet Chocolate
seems to come under the same category,
and even mangoes-the fruit with the
smooth, turpentne taste-have 10 be
eschewed by him who suffers from
prckly heat Bread. too, is not eaten |
SO much as toast, and the foreigner al |
most always insists on getting his pan |
tcstada" in order that any lurking |
microbes which the bread may have alb |
sorbed during the process of manufac- |
tuIe in the little Chinese bakery may be |
destroyed.
AS the Manila water supply was good | |
had no hesitation In drinking plenty Of |
Adams ale and never found Ii disagreed |
with me. In fact, some of the old stagers |
say long glass Of water Just after one |
gets up in the morning doeth good |
like a medicine. and suffice it TO say il J
seemed 10 work like a charm in my
case
In conclusion. as 10 food, it must be
said that. in peaceful times Manila fare
Is not bad though II lacks variety and |
such articles as one gets in the ordinary
S>enu at the club or In the restaurants
seem amply 20 supply the demands made
on the new arrival by the climate Heavy
or heating foods, such as oatmeal
baked beans, plum buildings, chocolate.
and the like are best left alone and In
my mind the less alcohol one takes the
better. Claret and seltzer make one OF
Ihe cleanest drinks TO be imagined. and
one better than brandy and soda. o.
Of the same strong make-un