SentiSunday – sights, scents, and taste of my not so long ago

5 September 2010

I enjoyed  that trip to memory lane again this morning maybe because it is Father’s Day in Australia. I like taking myself back to when life is simplier. I think it is also triggered by the sentisabado tweets that made me smile. Wherever we are in the world, we do share something uniquely Pinoy – and that is the child in us is forever there.

Chinese Garter, Takyang, Japanese game, Batikubri, and how about the Plastic balloon and the “patakla-a” requests of those who do not have any?  Jackstones and that girl who can do some super tricks with it! Lastiko and the double triple star with a house – top that! I remember with glee going to the cemetery to get some kalachuchi (frangipani) to string for leis.  How about - Gumamela flowers sliced with blade and seeped with water to make ‘oil’ for bayay-bayay (home corner)? I remember fondly the foodstuffs as well - pandesal with kisiyo(cottage cheese) and bugas kape or ginger tea for breakfast. Eat Bulaga would be blasting loud on TV or CNN depends on what part of the house you are in.

And how about the smell of shoe polish on a Saturday morning  when Papa got our shoes ready for  Sunday? And after Church,  we get to taste the best corn soup ever in Cherry Blossoms  for lunch! We always go there regularly.  I felt so important when I was asked what softdrink I want – even though I get to share it with Kingay or Mano,  SPRITE!

The comforting smell of Vicks vaporub when one is ill. Vicks, vicks , vicks your magic stays.

All time favourite was going with Mama to early Saturday tabo`(market). Even before the Organic Craze has hit the world Markets, we in the Philippines already enjoy  sweet little tiny produce that are chemical-free. After each tabo` - we relish the best lunch of the week with freshest ingredients -  Favourite is dayo-dayo with gata. Seashells akin to escargot simmered in coconut milk with lemon grass and garlic.

 How about fresh pork liver simply grilled with oil and salt? Or quickly stir-fried with red capsicum? And the bamboo shoots! How can anyone forget the bamboo shoots! It is usually cooked with coconut milk as well .  Always cooked in charcoal or wood fire.  How the aroma filled the whole compound! The most delicious food ever! How time flies and how things change. Today I do not eat liver unless I am in the Philippines. I have spotted canned bamboo shoots in a Vietnamese shop but I worry that it might get my tummy into trouble.


We love our food. Food, my family love to share whether we have in abundance or wanting.  We share. Our love of anything yummy early in life  might have sparked the Foodie in each of my siblings heart. Up til now or more so now. I think of the big sack full of Saang (grilled spider shell) that Papa brings from his cases out of town (Cantilan). We were exposed to exotic and freshest produce early in life. Before teens I sampled a grilled wild pig, and also Pawikan (sorry we have not heard of green peace then). We enjoy meals with the whole family, blood related or chosen families :o) People will just come in around meal times and just dig in.  Until I left home in my late 20’s we eat our meals together.  If you are upstairs in your bedroom expect a knock and an invitation (or an order) that lunch or dinner is served.

Mama’s Pinakbet.  My earliest recollection of pinakbet was when Mama who rarely cook – would arrange the ingredients in a precise manner, in our rice cooker (which doubled as a slow cooker ) The longest to cook at the bottom and those that needs less cooking time would be on top.  To this day it is the best pinakbet ever. Here it is, in order :

Teaspoon of oil on the bottom of the pot, diced pork chops with a bit of the fat, diced kalabasa (pumpkin) ,  sitaw (string beans)cut roughly 3 inches,  Talong (eggplant/aubergine) cut lengthwise about 3’ as well, okra –head removed and cut half, ampalaya (bitter gourd) - sliced and squeezed of bitter juice, sibuyas (spring onion), Bombay (sliced onions), roughly crushed garlic, and sauce of  angsuhan (fermented prawn paste) – had to be the Cantilan variety no less, ginisa mix, pinch of salt, little bit of brown sugar – all of which you pre-mixed in a cup of water before pouring on to the pot of veggies. Slow cook for over an hour. No stirring, no stirfrying.  It is yummy goodness in action. Main tip - do not keep on opening the lid to check – which was not hard since we had a glass lid then. The steam would escape with the flavour I was told.

My sister Ding has her own way of cooking this a little bit based on Mama’s but she seemed to perfect it in her own way. I think it evolved into a masterpiece now. Can’t wait to sample it with hot steaming rice and fried fish on the side. Again yummy goodness.

My list could go on and on and on and on again and again and again. I love my past – thinking of it makes me smile. I long to go back and let Richard in,  into a wonderful experience. But unless I have time machine-that might not be possible. Maybe a bit, but not completely. Things have changed since main roles have decreased over the years, they either moved away or passed on.  But the sweet memories of the past will stay in our hearts forever .

While keeping the old, we can always make new memories, wherever we are.

Or that Pinakbet.

ANyulaszi 5 Sept 2010 Melbourne