November 19, 2007

Weekend Snapshot #11: Carabao milk products

WS1

Carabao milk products

Ugh, it's been a week and I still haven't had a chance to continue posting about my Beijing trip. Anyways, it's weekend snapshot time once again and my entry this week is a picture of dairy products such as white cheese, pastillas de leche, plain and flavored yoghurt (blueberry, patchberry and mango), chocolate milk, and some cups of milk-o-jel (which I have yet to try), all made from fresh carabao's (Philippine water buffalo) milk, known locally as gatas ng kalabaw or caramilk - one of my favorite things in the world. Caramilk is much richer and creamier than goat's milk or cow's milk because it has a higher fat content.

So bright and early Saturday morning, my dad and I went on a road trip to the Dairy Training Research Institute (DTRI) of the University of the Philippines in Los BaƱos, Laguna. To our dismay, the UPLB Dairy Bar had run out of cheese (we had plans of buying white cheese, bleu cheese mozzarella and gouda) by the time we got there so I bought some yoghurt cups before making our way to the Philippine Carabao Center also on campus where I bought the stuff you see in the cooler above.

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27 comments:

SandyCarlson said...

Wonderful photo! Thanks for the dairy lesson, too. Sounds like you and your dad had a nice trip.

Great WS.

maiylah said...

they now have blue cheese, mozzarella, and gouda cheese there? cool ... they only had kesong puti back then. eons ago. LOL.
brings back wonderful memories ...

happy WS!

My WS post

Anonymous said...

Oh the last time I was able to eat a kesong puti was when we went to an aunt's place... Delicious filipino food!

Happy weekend!

Carver said...

That's a very interesting post and photograph. I'm sorry they were out of cheese. I hope you have a good week.

Liz said...

I always liked kesong puti, lalo na sa pandesal. Thanks for sharing. Happy WS!

Oggi said...

Kesong puti at DTRI, simply the best! My mother-in-law discovered that store when she went on regular Opus Dei retreats in Mt. Makiling. The H and I drove there from Makati once a month for our cheese and milk. Sarap!

ScroochChronicles said...

hi christine! i love going to dtri and their cheese. i usually grill it in a skillet with butter and eat it with pandesal. Yummy!! do they still have ice cream there?

Anonymous said...

Masarap talaga ang kesong puti:) Nice shot!
Mine is up here;
Snapshots
Happy WS!

tanabata said...

Nice pic and very interesting! Happy WS!

**"Liza"** said...

nice shot!I love kesong puti too.yummy!

Toni said...

I've never tried carabao's milk! I'm so intrigued. Some friends pour it over their white rice. They said it's best paired with dried fish. Sounds interesting!

Anonymous said...

I have to make it out there one of these weekends...yum! :)

Anonymous said...

Oh yeah, love carabao's milk!

Unknown said...

Wow! I am so happy that they're making cheese up there already. Galing ha!

Anonymous said...

Intresting entry! I love yogurt and milk! :-)

Happy Monday!

Anonymous said...

besides being richer and cremier, is there much of a flavor difference between caramilk and cow's milk?

christine said...

Thanks Sandy! Yes we did. We also got to buy our usual stuff there like fruits and honey which is consumed like water at home, and also good garden soil and fertilizer. So it was a very fruitful road trip for both of us. :)

Cookie, Maiylah and Knittymommy, yes! They have lots of stuff aside from regular milk and kesong puti. They have the cheeses I mentioned, butter by the tub, and ice cream. But you have to be really early! We were there at 9:30 and already they ran out of most products. :)

Thanks Xixi, hope you had a good weekend! :)

Thanks Carver, I had a great weekend, which involved about 7 hours of Christmas shopping! :) I hope you had a good one as well.

Liza, kesong puti in hot pan de sal with butter and then grilled, that's one of my favorite ways to eat it! :)

jennyr said...

that is soo cool! i remember those when i was little! great WS!

christine said...

s.j., I never knew that. And even more shocking is that it is "the locals did not take to it". Thanks for sharing that little bit of trivia. :)

Oggi, I agree. They really have some of the best stuff over there! I'm glad it's near enough for regular visits to replenish our fridge. :)

Thank you, Yes , tanabata and Liza! :)

Hi Toni, I'm assuming that would be chocolate milk, and then cooked with rice to make champorado and eaten with tuyo? I love champorado, but prefer it without the dried fish myself. :)

Hey Jo, you should, but go very early! They open at 7 am. :)

Hi Veron and tricotine - me too! :) I can live on the stuff. Yum!

Hi Marvin, in terms of flavor not really. But you can "taste" the difference in creaminess! :)

Thanks Jenny! :)

Chibog in Chief said...

as usual nice weekend snapshot entry..i miss our carabao milk products ;-) i used to bring students there in UP Dairy Farm and we always need to be there early if we want to buy these products ..by the way i already joined WS its really fun

raissa said...

The pastillas from a town in Leyte (Carigara) uses carabao milk and not to be biased but I think its the best pastillas de leche this side of the planet. Its rich and creamy and so addicting. I hoard when my parents send those over.

christine said...

Aww Dhanggit, you posted my favorite photo for WS!! I'm so glad you joined. :)

Oohh Raissa, I have to try that! My friends mom is from Leyte, maybe she can get her hands on some for us. :)

Anonymous said...

Don't know much about cheese/dairy products but you make it sure so tasty!

Thanks for commenting at my blog. Have a wonderful week!

P said...

On another note, there's a gorgeous trail there near IRRI. Up the Makiling. Great for hiking or biking, if you are so inclined. It's leafy and green and winding and just beautiful.

christine said...

Thanks Lissa, you too! :)

Hi P! I think I know that trail! A bunch of us used to go up to Makiling often in the summer back in college. I remember my first hike up there, I was so exhausted and out of breath I swore I'd quite smoking forever! My friends didn't waste anytime placing bets on how long I would last (which was not much more than 2 weeks).

raissa said...

I think these are only available in Carigara which is approximately 30 minutes away from Tacloban City. I will ask my dad which one is the best because theres a lot of choices but all of them are good. A friend mentioned Benny's.

christine said...

Ok, thanks for the tip, Raissa! :)