IN the Old Testament, very specific dietary restrictions were laid down. With the exception of the followers of those religions that still adhere to these restrictions, people have been too busy trying to survive for the last several thousand years to give much thought about them.
Looking back, though, those dietary limitations made a lot of sense. For example, for nomadic tribes in the desert, eating pork could have kept most of them very sick most of the time. Pork needs to be properly and thoroughly cooked soon after the butchering. Also, most of the world must build an immunity to shellfish, for many people are dangerously allergic to it. Even touching, let alone eating, certain frogs and fish can be deadly.
It is likely that humans have eaten, and used as a protein source, just about every animal on the planet. Of course, human tastes vary from place to place and from age to age. What is fiesta food in one culture might be considered very offensive in another.
The Philippines has some special dishes that foreigners find “unusual”; balut and dinuguan, perhaps, top the list. Even within the country, what might be normal table fare in Mindanao would be considered unacceptable in northern Luzon, and vice versa.
We mention this after a report by Alladin S. Diega that was published in this paper on Thursday tells us that a local company, Coral Agri-Ventures Farm Inc. (Cavfi) of Morong town, Rizal province, has been allowed to export Philippine crocodile meat to, of all places, Russia. Overcoming the hurdles involved in exporting such meat required the assistance of the Department of Agriculture. Since crocodile meat is considered exotic, no one was sure what was necessary to get sanitary approval and other clearances.
Cavfi already supplies a relatively small amount of frozen and fresh meat to the local market. It also makes crocodile sisig. The fresh meat sells for about P600 per kilo.
We are all in favor of trying new dishes, but we must admit that we are not overly excited about Australian ostrich meat that has shown up in some local bars and restaurants in the last few years. But we may have to try crocodile meat, since the exportation of it is contributing to the country’s wealth.
It’s too bad that the name “Crocs” is already trademarked for a plastic shoe; Buwaya just does not have the same impact. We will have to work on that.
Image credits: Jimbo Albano