Planning to Retire Soon!

If you are planning to retire in the Philippines soon, I suggest you visit several excellent websites on pro's and cons of retiring in the Philippines. However if you want to retire in the provinces, where life is simple, standard of living cheaper, less traffic congestion and pollution, availability of fresh seafood and vegetables compared to the big cities, my island province is the place for you! If this is your first time in my site, welcome. Some of the photos and videos on this site, I do not own. However, I have no intention on the infringement of your copyrights. The photo above is the front yard of Chateau Du Mer- Our Retirement Home in Boac, Marinduque, Philippines

Saturday, January 8, 2022

Dungeness Crab Omelet- Torta de Cangrejo

Two days ago, I prepared my favorite dish, normally served only on special occasion. It is the Dungeness Crab Omelet ( torta de Cangrejo) with shredded cabbage and sweet Vidalia Onions from Hawaii. Today is not my birthday or some other special occasion, but I have two whole crabs left-over from our New Year Lunch. The Dungeness crabs were on sale( for only $7.99/lb) at Safeway for the last couple of days.

The last time I tasted this dish was a couple of years ago, but the crab was from the Maryland crabs known also as the blue crabs. Preparing the dish is simple. The hardest part is to remove the crab meat from body, the claws and legs.

The cabbage is shredded (1 bowl) and sauteed with the onions in olive oil until partially cooked. An equivalent amount of crab meat is added to the shredded cabbage and onions and cooked in olive oil until the cabbage is fully cooked . The crab and cabbage patty mix is added to beaten eggs with a small amount of corn starch. The patty is then fried in olive oil until the egg is cooked. The omelet is served with Picante Sauce (Hot or Mild) with steam rice. If you do not a cabbage, just the onions will suffice. The cabbage also give bulk to the dish.

My other recipe is the use of cube potatoes, bean sprouts or green beans( julienne) instead of the shredded cabbage. Try it and let me know if it is good.

Do you know the difference between the Dungeness and Maryland Crabs. The Maryland crabs, also known as blue crabs are much smaller in size and very similar to the Philippine crabs in appearance and taste. The Dungeness crabs are big and are caught here in the San Francisco Bay area and northward up to Alaska. The Maryland crabs are from the Chesapeake Bay of Northern Maryland and Virginia.

The Dungeness crab, Metacarcinus magister (formerly Cancer magister), is a species of crab that inhabits eelgrass beds and water bottoms on the west coast of North America. It typically grows to 20 cm (7.9 in) across the carapace and is a popular seafood. Its common name comes from the port of Dungeness, Washington. The crabs is a special attraction to tourists in the San Francisco Fisherman's Wharf during the Crab Season. The season for the San Francisco Bay starts in the second Tuesday of November. I have posted several videos on Crabbing in my recent article in case you have not read it.

This dish is also the favorite of my mother- Paz Balleza Katague(RIP)

Tuesday, January 4, 2022

Side Dishes to Complement Whole Dungeness Crabs

Three of the Six Dungeness Crabs We Had for Lunch on New Years' Day. We also had garlic noodles prepared by Ditas.

The other day I posted responses to my query in the Filipino Cooking FB page regarding side dishes and what to do with Dungeness Crabs that I recently purchased. Some of the responses were recipes for Crabs ( not side dishes) so today

I am posting some of the side dishes that I found in the Internet. The side dishes are as follows:
- Double Garlic Herb Garlic Bread
- Hush Puppies
- Tri-Color Slaw with Lime Dressing
- Teeny Tiny Roasted New Potatoes
- Chewy Molasses Cookies with Crunchy Lemon Icing
- Plenty of cold beer (PBR, pale ales, and IPAs are encouraged), white wine, or if you’re feeling extra fancy, champagne
https://www.thekitchn.com/dungeness-crab-garlic-bread-crab-fest-menu-to-feed-a-crowd-party-menus-from-the-kitchn-184181
Our New Year Lunch, Jan 1, 2022
From another web site:
https://www.mainelobsternow.com/blog/crab-dinner-sides
Steamed Artichokes with Garlic and Butter
Cottage-Cut French Fries
Roasted Brussels Sprouts
Lemon and Garlic Butter Dipping Sauce
Brandy-Infused Mayonnaise Dip
Twice-Baked Garlic Mashed Potatoes
Zucchini, Onion and Corn Hash
Almond Caesar Salad
Cold Sesame and Ginger Noodles with a Peanut Sauce
Avocado Deviled Eggs

Finally, here's the article on Roasted Garlic Crab and Noodle( see link below*) that I heard from Ditas.

Enjoying Crabs with Your Hands

Roasted Garlic Crab and Garlic Noodle

Roasted garlic crab and garlic noodle is a scrumptious seafood dish that will make you drool. The garlic noodle complement the roasted garlic crab so well. I use linguine and it is delicious.

This roasted garlic crab copycat recipe was inspired by Thanh Long in San Francisco and Crustacean in Beverly Hills, California.

If you’ve been there, you know what I mean. They are well known for their roasted garlic crab and garlic noodle which is a family secret recipe.

Blue crabs is a great substitute for Dungeness crabs. It is sweet and tasty compared to any other type of crab. Thank God for this copycat recipe, we can now have roasted garlic crab and garlic noodle at the comfort of our home for a lot less money.

*https://www.todaysdelight.com/roasted-garlic-crab-and-garlic-noodle/

Feasting with Dungeness Crabs- Jan 1, 2022

Saturday, January 1, 2022

Responses to My Query on Dungeness Crabs in the FB page of the Filipino Cooking Group

Query: I purchased Dungeness Crabs( 6 whole crabs) for our New Year Feast. I need suggestion what other dishes besides white wine will go with it. I am thinking of Arroz Valenciana. Any suggestions will be appreciated.

I received 37 comments ( below). I have decided that I will just served 4 crabs ( one whole crab for each guest) just As Is ( steamed before serving) and the other 2 just sauteed with garlic butter and garnished with onions/parsley and served with garlic noodles ( prepared by Ditas).

Below are some of the responses to my query. Thanking all members of the Filipino Cooking Group for their responses. Happy New Year to All!

37 comments

Vic Zambrano

Prime rib/rib eye roast is always a good combination with Dungeness crabs with baked potatoes with all the trimmings and sautéed green beans (butter, olive oil, garlic salt).

Billy Ocampo

We just had crab legs for dinner last night, we had steamed okra, and bagoong mixed with olive oil for dipping sauce,,almost finish a whole pot of white rice..kamayan na !!

Sarah Abigail M Natividad-Santos

Rellenong Alimango

600g. Crab Meat

1/4c. Minced Onion…

Odette Prudencio

One of the best dish I had for that was it was like a stew cooked in coconut soup

Mark D Guillermo

With the crab, all you need is hot chili, garlic, and vinegar dipping sauce. Good to go.

Nancy Easterly

Lumpia rice or fried rice you can also do crab cakes there's a lot you can do with that make sure you make the butter and the real butter and lemon with

Helen Garcia

We cook Coconut Garlic Crab and add Coconut Milk, Fresh Chopped Garlic, some Butter, Parsley Flakes, & Fresh Spinach

Martin Vangie

It’s great with garlic noodles

La Vie Est Belle

David B Katague

https://youtu.be/VZckD_bZlso

YOUTUBE.COM

Garlic Noodles - Food Wishes

Martin Vangie

https://youtu.be/It4jb7KMoR0

YOUTUBE.COM

Garlic Noodles to die for - East meets West!

Emerita Buron

Coconut milk w cabocha squash and string beans w soupy yummy

Carrie Fruto

yes, for the rice, then green mango salad mix

Diana Cruz

Filipino style feast combo: Ginataang calabasa and string beans with crispy pork topping.

Maria Filleti

Onions, garlic and chopped tomatoes.

Susan Del Rosario Reissig

Arroz Valenciana is perfect, go for it!

June P Horario

What about Garlic Butter? I had that in Boracay and it was good!

Feliciano Delapaz

Steamed lobsters and Shrimp cooked in garlic butter

Myrlin Turija Java

Steamed and cooked it again sa taba nya mix with oyster sauce, soy sauce, vinegar, sugar with lots of garlic and green onions. I am sure, sa sauce pa Lang ulam na.

Araceli Salee Agcaoili

Carbs...carbs...carbs...

Marius Clemente

Crab/ asparagus soup

Allan Azurin

Crab Suman with ube macapuno sago

Crystal Castaneda

Ginataan crab

John Stuart

a hearty vegetable soup !

Paul R Sarmiento

Look at my post, Dungeness crab in aligue sauce or gata

Chechi Luz

Aimee Villaruz-Mckinney please correct me if I am wrong; not sure if Dungeness crab will blend with cioppino. Cioppino is one of my favorite, whenever i am on assignment in the bay area, never leave till i have my cioppino from the restaurant with that…

Aimee Villaruz-Mckinney

Chechi Luz, yes As this is a actually a San Francisco recipe, I was taught to include it in the soup. Just cut in quarters and add in soup. Maybe some stop when there was an issue with Dungeness. I recall many years ago that Scoma’s at the wharf served Cioppino with Dungeoness.

Meanwhile here are 3 videos for Garlic Noodles known in the San Francisco Bay area and recommended by some to be a great compliment for Dungeness Crabs. Ditas cook the garlic noodles today for our New Years Day Feast.

About Me

David B. Katague is an online memoirist and cultural essayist whose writing has appeared on HubPages and Blogger since 2007. His work reflects a sustained interest in Filipino heritage, family history, senior living, art, community life, and the cultural meaning found in everyday experience. Through memoir, reflection, and essay, he explores the personal and historical dimensions of identity, memory, and belonging. His writing seeks to preserve lived experience while offering thoughtful commentary on the traditions, values, and social realities that shape individual and collective life. As a Filipino-American writer, he brings a distinctive cultural perspective to his work, drawing on personal experience and careful observation to create writing that is both reflective and engaging. His online essays and memoir pieces continue to document a lifelong commitment to storytelling, cultural understanding, and the written record of experience.

Fruit Trees in the Gardens of Chateau Du Mer

The Mango Tree-I have three varieties in my Garden-The Indian, Guimaras and Carabao Mangoes My caretaker/gardener informed me last month that due to the El Nino drought in Marinduque, two of my Durian trees died in spite of his vigilant watering. One of the tree was attacked by insects that looks like a big fly but yellowish in color that sucks the sap of the seedling. The roots of the other tree was attacked by ants residing in the soil. However, my other fruit trees, the rambutans( 2), the lanzones(2) and the jack fruits ( 2) trees are doing well. The above eight fruit trees were given to me by Retired General Recaredo Sarmiento of Boac and Lucena., about three years ago. General Sarmiento is the “atid” of my wife. “Atid” is the colloquial term for brother. Evidently, Macrine's father, the late Bernardo Jambalos was the Godfather of General Sarmiento during his baptism and comfirmation. Gen Sarmiento's hobby is orchard planting, reforestation and farming. The other fruit trees in my garden are guayabanos, cashew, avocados, starapples, duhats, ates, guavas, mangoes( 3 varieties) and papayas as well as several varieties of bananas . Of the above fruit trees, my favorite is the guayabanos, also known as soursop tree known for its anti-tumor and anti-cancer properties . The following are photos of the fruit trees. The Durian photo is from the web. Note that it almost look like a jack fruit tree, except that the leaves are bigger and shiny. My desire is to have a passion fruit tree in the near future. You are welcome to visit my orchard and flower gardens any time, if perchance you are in the vicinity of The Chateau Du Mer Beach Resort and Conference Center.

The Rambutan Tree and Fruits

The Lanzone Tree and Fruits

The Jack Fruit Tree

The Durian Fruit Tree