|  Aphrodisiac Myths And The Great Pinoy Dog-Eaters
By Diana A. Galang
The Filipino has an adventurous palate. We eat almost anything, edible. More so, our regard for aphrodisiacs, and exotic foods goes inevitably, bedded in our culture.
CULTUREFRONT
Wild animals that are difficult to catch?bayawak, sawa, musang, bats?are just some of the most famous exoticas that are still enjoyed today.
Ginseng Root
With high-spirits and strong guts, many people from all corners of the country take table-exoticas like frogs, ant eggs, locusts, crickets (kamaru,) dogs (as Azucena,) and duck eggs (balut) for their unique taste, and?believed to be?potent effects.
Azucena (out of dogmeat) is an exotic food, widely eaten by Filipinos both in cities and rural areas because it is affordable and sometimes free. And as part of the exotic fiasco, stealing a neighbor?s dog is part of the whole process.
Early during morning, the men from dog pounds are already roving the streets, looking or hunting for stray dogs?creatures that are candidates for being an azucena. Even in the earlier days, people from Northern Luzon, practice dog hunting, and cooking to feed prisoners from other tribes. For so, the custom of eating of man?s best friend has been going on for a long time?mostly prevalent to our brothers in the Mountain Province. According to the writings of the Commissioner of Health in 1905, Mr. Victor Heiser, On the Benguet Road I often see Filipinos bound for the Saturday dog market at Baguio, each dragging along on a leash. This custom is however ruled out, at present, by ordinances and laws of pro-life organizations.
However, in reality, people still eat dogs in the outskirts of Sagada, and illegal restaurants in Pangasinan; more or less, dog dishes like mechado and adobo are served in demand. Not to mention, even in progressive cities, despite laws and tight availability.
Usually Drunkards who can?t wait for regular dogmeat peddlers, dognap their neighbors? pets, or dogs wandering the streets. Dog thieves snatch the poor animal, and load it into a sack and kill it by striking a hard material on its head; then roast it over an open fire?a procedure to easily brush off the fur. Then, they wash the meat and cook it in their own preference. Caldereta, and adobo are some the most favorite Azucena dishes, and go best with beer or gin.
Another way of preparing it is starving the poor animal, then feeding it with rice until its belly bulge, full, before a swift kill, followed by the roasting method. After roasting, the undigested rice inside the dog?s stomach will be steamed naturally. Soon after, the coal-blistered animal?s belly is cut, open, and the rice will be eaten as a festive meal. It is said to be the greatest delicacy in the old days. Some lop its head, letting the blood flow, then cut its body open, the innards are removed and usually cooked into tinumis. While its raw skin and liver are soaked in vinegar, garlic and onions, and made into kinilaw.
Also, Dog blood is believed to be nutritious and beneficial to TB patients. Sufferers insert a straw into the animals jugular vein, to immediately suck the blood fresh. Also, as a myth, azucena is noted to be a great aphrodisiac, making the body extremely hot. But, like Ginseng roots, and other Aphrodisiacs, there is no concrete proof available to support this claim.
Another Filipino delicacy that is somewhat strange to foreigners (Westerners) is the duck?s egg or balut, it is believed to be an aphrodisiac or an aid to virility. It is beneficial to eaters for its high nutritional and calcium content. As the saying goes: balut, pampatigas ng tuhod.
It is also known to China, Vietnam and other Southeast Asian countries for its benefit. Balut is a major industry to places where ducks can be easily raised. Places near rivers or at bay, where there is a large quantity of sus? (snails) whose meat is the best fed to ducks.
Pateros is the famous supplier of the said product. The people of Pateros said that in Pateros, one need not be employed, instead one can employ others under him because of duck raising.
The known process of preparing balut is by incubating the egg artificially in heated rice husks and boiled about 30 minutes, making it ready to eat. A 17-days old egg is the prime balut to Filipinos, with the duck embryo, enveloped in a white membrane, and still soft, tender?without visible feathers of beak. While the Vietnamese prefer their balut at 19-20 days old. It is quite different to the characteristics of our balut, along with the development of the fowl.
Balut is enjoyed with salt and vinegar. But then again, Its aphrodisiac qualities is far to be concrete.
Clearly, the question of whether why we love to eat exotic foods, is unanswerable as their Aphrodisiac qualities. For so, for a country with a diverse cultural background, different foods are enjoyed in so many ways.
The only concrete fact will always be: we eat, because we eat, because we eat, because we eat, the way we enjoy.
*oink* *oink*
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