# What can't you do without?



## Tatoosh (May 7, 2014)

There are lots of threads, I'm sure, about what to bring and what is essential for living here comfortably. Besides an open mind and willingness to let go of some of what you expected in your country of origin. 

But what did you decide you really needed and decided to make yourself once you were here and found out you couldn't get it in the Philippines. Or at least could not get it reliably or at a reasonable cost? 

For me it was bacon. I found some after a year or so, but it was hit and miss to get and always sliced very, very thin. I talked the maker into slicing thicker - but it was still mixed success even when I ordered ahead. 

I finally got fed up and learned to make my own. I worked at it for a year, developed my own cure recipe, got friends to balikbayan some hickory chips in and now I kick out something I really enjoy eating. 

I moved on to cured pork chops and have those so they can almost melt in your mouth when they come out right. And are still plenty tasty when they aren't perfect. 

My next project, one I'm more hesitant about due to the quality of meat, is pastrami. I'll be making it and smoking it lightly. There is a New Zealander who has a nice bake shop and turns out some very good rye bread where I live, so if it does work out, pastrami on rye sometime in March! 

What did you decide you had to make or learn to create for yourself?


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## Cebu Citizen (Dec 13, 2013)

I love to do wood carving in my spare time and I had a feeling that a variable speed Dremel tool and all the associated specialty tips and bits and other accessories might be difficult to find here in the Philippines...so, I brought all my own items from the US along with an electrical converter because my Dremel is not wired for the Philippine electrical system.

I was right...because I have never seen a Dremel here, (perhaps they are available somewhere but I have never seen one anywhere), and it would be virtually impossible to expect to order the bits I need on the internet and wondering when, if at all, they might show up through the PhilPost unreliable mail delivery system.

I also brought a very unique custom hammock with me that I picked up in a specialty shop in Long Beach before I moved here.

Other than that, I knew from past trips here that I could find most anything I wanted on the Philippine Market. Even items other Forum members have said they cannot find, I have already found easily...four and five burner induction digital stove tops, large sized crock pots or slow cookers, full sized washers and dryers, full sized water heater tanks. Anything I have ever wanted for my life here, I have found here locally...so other than my Dremel specialty wood carving tools, I can't think of anything that I wished I would have brought with me...


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## Tatoosh (May 7, 2014)

Yep, with time and a bit of luck you will be amazed at what you can find here. I have not seen a 220v Dremel anywhere. I did see a good quality Japanese equivalent though, made for sale in Australia that would meet most of your needs, I'm guessing. I almost bought it but was a bit too tight to let the pesos go - I think they wanted 3k or 4k for it.


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## lefties43332 (Oct 21, 2012)

Tatoosh said:


> There are lots of threads, I'm sure, about what to bring and what is essential for living here comfortably. Besides an open mind and willingness to let go of some of what you expected in your country of origin.
> 
> But what did you decide you really needed and decided to make yourself once you were here and found out you couldn't get it in the Philippines. Or at least could not get it reliably or at a reasonable cost?
> 
> ...


Happy with good burger. I eat mostly Asian. Healthier. Don't miss u.s. food much


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## Tatoosh (May 7, 2014)

I'm not all that thrilled with Filipino cuisine. Oh, it can be good and even great at times, but usually it is not done with an eye to quality but rather an eye to lowest cost possible. There are some good restaurants serving pretty decent food but I usually have to go through four or five before I hit them. 

And if they venture into international entree's, unless they are pretty darn upscale, the result is usually a pale shadow of the its namesake. I steer clear of most international - and I don't mean just Euro or American dishes. I've tasted some sad things carrying Thai and Korean names. 

But with a bit of hunting, a willingness to abuse your tongue and tummy, and help from friends ... it is possible to find some pretty good grub. We found a restaurant that does a noodle and veggie dish that is simply superb. Wonderful blend of flavors, not overrun with MSG, and cheap to boot. If they weren't an hour away, I'd be eating there three or four times a week. 

There is a pretty decent Korean menu restaurant that has slowly got me enjoying foods I could barely fathom before. And a wood fired pizza place - oops - not Asian, but darn good anyway. 

Took me years to run those down though. And I love western food. Particularly if I make it myself. I cure my own bacon. Same with the chops. Those are labors of love and journeys of adventure for me.


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## Cebu Citizen (Dec 13, 2013)

I don't miss any US food items here because between S and R Membership Shopping and the local ShopWise store, I have found most anything I could get in the US...

The types of things that I really miss is just the basic quality that I could find on any product in the US that I cannot find here in the Philippines...like quality furniture. Here in the Philippines it seems that everything is made of particle board. Even the high end furniture stores. I miss the higher standards of quality. I hate buying some cheap junk and then have to replace it all the time...I want to purchase a good, well made quality item that will last me for years and though I am eventually finding what I need, I really have to search hard to find quality in the Philippines!


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## jon1 (Mar 18, 2012)

I found a 240V dremmel tool set here in the Freeport. Cost me about 5000p but worth it.

I agree with Cebu Citizen, between S&R and Royale, I can find 90% of what I want. The hard part is finding decent cold cuts. Which I probably don't need. I found some liver sausage the other day at Royale. Haven't had that in ages.

I order all of my home brew supplies from the US. Which has proven to be a challenge as of late due to the Port Workers strike on the west coast. Labor Dispute Brings West Coast Ports to a Standstill - NBC News


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## soulman1949 (Aug 5, 2013)

I'm in the process of moving to the Phil from the UK, as I speak our house is being built here in Mindanao and I'm in the middle of a two month stay this time around.

What I *REALLY* miss is British TV. OK I can get BBC World News but you get fed up of a diet of nothing but news and I have to say the Pinoy taste in entertainment is not one I'm likely to acquire in a short time! ;-) Back home we have a wide choice in programming and I'm struggling with the dearth here. Next time I'm coming over with a portable hard drive rammed full of material to view!


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## galactic (Dec 2, 2014)

Cebu Citizen said:


> I love to do wood carving in my spare time and I had a feeling that a variable speed Dremel tool and all the associated specialty tips and bits and other accessories might be difficult to find here in the Philippines...so, I brought all my own items from the US along with an electrical converter because my Dremel is not wired for the Philippine electrical system.
> 
> I was right...because I have never seen a Dremel here, (perhaps they are available somewhere but I have never seen one anywhere), and it would be virtually impossible to expect to order the bits I need on the internet and wondering when, if at all, they might show up through the PhilPost unreliable mail delivery system.
> 
> ...


I had clients from Oregon that did wood carvings and weavings. One was a former US Marine Corpsman and the other was retired career educator. 
I was amazed in their knowledge and their willingness to share what they have learned.
They travelled to Baguio Easter School and Sagada Bontoc Province just to witness indigenous tribal weavers and carvers.

And as for the original question, I surely miss my power pneumatic tools.
I tinker a lot with my vehicles that I use them often when I was stateside.
I miss my Craftsmen and Snap Ons. There is no local store that I know of that carries them here.


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## Cebu Citizen (Dec 13, 2013)

Oh Man...I do miss my shop full of Craftsman Power Tools. I also had a lot of DeWalt tools and I have found them here in the Philippines...so, if I decide to design and build my own house here, I may end up buying some DeWalt tools...and rebuild my workshop.


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## lefties43332 (Oct 21, 2012)

soulman1949 said:


> I'm in the process of moving to the Phil from the UK, as I speak our house is being built here in Mindanao and I'm in the middle of a two month stay this time around.
> 
> What I *REALLY* miss is British TV. OK I can get BBC World News but you get fed up of a diet of nothing but news and I have to say the Pinoy taste in entertainment is not one I'm likely to acquire in a short time! ;-) Back home we have a wide choice in programming and I'm struggling with the dearth here. Next time I'm coming over with a portable hard drive rammed full of material to view!


Lol


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## galactic (Dec 2, 2014)

Cebu Citizen said:


> Oh Man...I do miss my shop full of Craftsman Power Tools. I also had a lot of DeWalt tools and I have found them here in the Philippines...so, if I decide to design and build my own house here, I may end up buying some DeWalt tools...and rebuild my workshop.


And all rolling my tool boxes. I miss them. 
I had to sell most of them because it was too expensive to ship out.
All I have left are tool boxes and some manual tools that could fit in the balikbayan boxes I sent through surface cargo via forexworld.
Craftsman has the unusual lifetime guarantee program that I also miss.


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## jon1 (Mar 18, 2012)

galactic said:


> Craftsman has the unusual lifetime guarantee program that I also miss.


That I do miss. Real warranties!


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## lefties43332 (Oct 21, 2012)

jon1 said:


> That I do miss. Real warranties!


You know it.


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## galactic (Dec 2, 2014)

jon1 said:


> That I do miss. Real warranties!


Speaking of warranties, CamelBak "Got your Back" warranty is also superb.
My hydration bag cover seal conked out on me, I sent an email and few of weeks I got new ones in the mail.


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## M.C.A. (Feb 24, 2013)

*Bacon and smoking receipe's*



Tatoosh said:


> There are lots of threads, I'm sure, about what to bring and what is essential for living here comfortably. Besides an open mind and willingness to let go of some of what you expected in your country of origin.
> 
> But what did you decide you really needed and decided to make yourself once you were here and found out you couldn't get it in the Philippines. Or at least could not get it reliably or at a reasonable cost?
> 
> ...


That sounds good.... Tatoosh have you made up any reciepe's on how to do this like a Word file just curious and if so, no pressure could you shoot it too me in the PM or post it under Smoking your own foods. 

I tried to make sausage but I'm no Jimmy Dean and I thought I had something with the Pork bellies but what I'm missing I guess is the smoking part and the correct seasonings, so everything is off. Some time this year I'll design and build a heavy duty smoker made out of stone. The weather here is tough on metals at best a heavy duty grill will last 4 years and it rusts to dust, I don't mind changing out the grills that's cheap but the the rest of the cooker, grill is rusted also, so I'm looking at something that will last a decade...lol, right I mean why waste money over and over again. Back to the smoking pork products that's gonna be my main focus though.

Not to rock the boat but I'm Norwegian heritage and I do like smoked fish it's really expensive in ND, something like 400 peso's for a small lake fish, my favorite was the "Walleye", they do sell smoked fish here but it's pricey and full of chemicals and food coloring, I'd like to smoke my own "lake/fresh water fish" so a milder tasting fish but smoked, dang it's gonna be my breakfast every now and then along with bacon and sausage.


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