Channeling Martha Stewart in Quiapo

It's amazing what you can find in Villalobos, Hidalgo and Carriedo streets in Quiapo on a Sunday morning. I find, to my surprise, that veggies are cheaper and some commodities are imported brands.

Just last weekend, I bought bunch of parsley and had a laugh when I asked the "tindera" and the conversation went:
ME: Manang, magkano ang parsley?
Manang: Hindi ho parsley yan, Kinchay!
Me: Ah, ok... Magkano isang tali ng kinchay?
Manang: limang piso...
Me: Eh ang chives?
Manang: Sibuyas na mura... Pareho lang
For five pesos a bundle, how can you lose? Same goes for a bundle of chives... Finger chilli costs ten pesos a bunch... Bell pepper costs twenty per bunch..

Surprisingly, I found a vendor that sells butter for a hundred pesos per plastic bag and cream cheese for the same amount. Pepper jack sold for two blocks at fifty pesos. I was hesitant to buy at first as I was warned that the products might be expired. I did purchase a couple of i bags out of curiosity. I tried it when I got home. They weren't rancid at all!

So while I was making lunch the other day, I decided to stuff squash blossoms with pepper Jack cheese. Dredged them in bread crumbs and fried them to a crisp golden brown. It was fresh and filling.

Last night, I was looking for a light snack... I made cream cheese with herbs starting with the parsley I bought. For lunch, I stuffed finger chilli with minced meat and wrapped each stuffed chilli in lumpier wrapper. After lunch today I made another batch of the cream cheese but this time I made it with chives. It makes for a great spread on toast or salty cracker. I have yet to try a multitude of applications for the other veggies that I bought... Maybe I'll make a batch of pasta gusta using the bell pepper that I got for twenty pesos a pop. I'm so looking forward to lunch tomorrow...