Click to view full screen
- Title:
- Unusual Food
- Date Created:
- 2021-03-03
- Description:
- Navarrete confirms that the ancient trade of Philippine edible birds’ nests with China was on-going. We wonder if he tried bird’s nest soup. He wrote, “When cooked with meat [the nests] are a marvel and contain much nourishment. They are given as presents in Manila.” The expensive nests of swiftlets were extracted by hand from craggy limestone rock faces, caves and cliffs. The Calamianes in Palawan have been famous for the product. The nests are made from dried bird saliva and resemble ash-coloured earth often with some feathers and twigs. But when cleaned they become white. (There are naturally orangey and reddish nests too.) Once softened the nests become gelatinous and are a favourite ingredient for nutritious soups that have been a part of Chinese cuisine for at least 400 years. The Portuguese included edible birds nests from Siam and Cambodia among their goods for the Chinese market. Navarrete must have been proud of his knowledge about Asia, an exotic realm. Few people travelled as tourists then.
- Subjects:
- Domingo Fernandez Navarrete O.P. Philippines -- Commerce -- China China -- Commerce -- Philippines Edible birds' nest Calamian Islands (Palawan, Philippines)
- Exhibition:
- 100 Minus 8
- Source:
- Clean birds’ nests ready for delivery. From: economist.com Alamy stock photo.
- Type:
- Image;Still Image
- Format:
- image/jpeg
Source
- Preferred Citation:
- "Unusual Food", Philippine Food History, Felice P. Sta. Maria
- Reference Link:
- felicepstamaria.net/items/coll189.html