Rolling out the carpet for Canada Pork

PORK is the most popular meat in the Philippines, followed closely by poultry and beef. Pigs, after all, are the oldest form of livestock, easy to feed and aren’t used for labor. These animals are omnivores, eat pretty much anything. This is the reason why they are domesticated and almost all rural households have a pig in their backyards. Also, it is not unusual to come across free range pigs roaming about in the barrios.

Every town has a piggery, which ensures the abundant supply of pork in the market.

I never thought much about the supply of pork since they are truly abundant. Pork is the most widely eaten meat in the world. “Lechon” or roasted pig has become the Filipino symbol of any fiesta or celebration. The Filipino cuisine, in fact, has more pork dishes than chicken or beef. Pork can be cooked in hundreds of ways. From the snout to the tail, the swine finds its way to every household table and restaurant. Some of our favorite native dishes are Sisig, Crispy Pata, Sinigang (using the belly and tail), Embotido, Adobo, Paksiw na Pata, Menudo, Mechado, Nilaga, Inihaw na Baboy and Torta. Some exotic dishes use the innards, as in Chicharon Bulaklak, Dinuguan, Bopiz, Bachoy. Igadu, and other cholesterol and uric acid laden specialties.

So it was a pleasant surprise getting an invitation from Canadian Embassy through Consul Robert Lee and his wife Ana to a cocktail reception for the opening of the food promotion Canada Pork at Marco Polo Plaza Cebu’s Café Marco. Canada Pork was organized by the Embassy of Canada’s Trade Commissioner Service with the support of Canada Pork International Agri-food Canada and the Canadian Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines. No less than His Excellency, Canadian Ambassador to the Philippines Christopher Thornley, hosted the event to roll out the carpet for Canada Pork. And the pork-inspired event was formally and uniquely opened by carving a huge Roast of Pork by the Canadian dignitaries and VIPs.

Canada is the world’s third largest pork exporter. And Senior Trade Commissioner Andrew Smith talked passionately about how the Canada pork industry maintains extremely high standards for the health, care and feeding of its livestock and for its pork processing and distribution systems to meet the stringent food safety standards in the marketplace. The Philippines is the sixth largest market for Canadian Pork products.

The bounty of Canada was showcased in the cocktail menu—Canadian Cold Meat Platter, Jerk Roast Pork Carving with Citrus Cocoa Charred Red Pepper Coulis, Canadian Poached Salmon with White Wine and Rosemary Jelly, Apple Tart Tatin with Crème Englais, to name a few. I must have eaten at least three and indulged in the melt-in-your-mouth goodness of Apple Tart Tatins. But what stole the thunder from Canada Pork entrees were the Pacific Kiss Oysters from British Columbia (BC), the oyster capital of Canada. The oysters were plump and succulent–a gourmet taste of BC, cultured in compliance with Pacific Kiss quality standards.