Cycle 5 – Item 93

8 (Tue) April 2014

Anchovy Lovers Pizza

1.0

from Yellow Cab Pizza Co.

at the office

-Ermita, Manila, Metro Manila, Philippines-

with various members of the meeting secretariat

The Consultation on Overweight, Obesity, Diabetes, and Law – the meeting that I’ve been working to organize over the past 3 months – begins tomorrow.  The night before, the members of the team stayed late in the office to finalize preparations.

Yellow Cab Pizza Co.is an American-style pizza chain.  Established in 2001.  Filipino-owned.  Branches in 5 countries, including 103 (currently) across the Philippines.

For dinner, someone ordered pizzas from Yellow Cab.  The one with anchovies was my choice.

Unbearably salty.  Not just the anchovies, and the capers, and the black olives, all concentrated sodium bombs, but way too salty all around. I barely finished a slice.

Two nights in a row that I couldn’t handle the food because of the salt, or perceptions thereof.  Initially, I’d assumed that the problem was the Filipino tendency to overseason everything, which was probably part of it.  But then, I learned from the Chief Medical Officer in our unit that certain systematic disruptions in the body, such as an electrolyte imbalance caused by stress – as described yesterday, I’ve never been more stressed in my life – can certainly have dramatic influence on perceived taste.

So, inconsistent dining experiences at the same restaurant, with the same dish, may simply be a manifestation of fluctuating personal state rather than lax quality control.  Interesting.  I wonder if food critics, for example tasters from the Michelin Guide, which emphasizes consistency, make sure that they’re in optimal condition before going in for review.

(See also GLOBAL FOOD GLOSSARY)

(See also RESTAURANTS IN PHILIPPINES)