Comfort From Home

I just found myself musing over what to eat for lunch and I had thought of many. Scrumptious on my mind -- beyond any doubt. These are food that the real Pinoy's tummy craves for. When one dines on any of these, it just tells you, “It’s good to be near the cook and the kitchen.” ohh. No. It's good to be home.

I can certainly tell that the bowls and platters I'm going to share below will make any probinsyano long for home [and the kitchen] and the people that make the unpretentious bahay a very special place. Bahay is a place where one comes to eat, rest, sleep, and be with the family. Bahay is simply home.

Inside my head right now: When I grow old, I want to build my own bamboo cottage and stay there, and fill it with nice things, beautiful flowers, palm trees and bamboo, kalamansi, gulay and many others. It really feels good when I look into days of serenity in my own version of a cottage in the farm. I'm going to leave my subdivision home, take my hubby with me and we will live free range. I mean, a quiet life, like the other creatures. Chill.

In the midst of this busy life, who cannot think of retiring? The old ones said, marami ka pang kakaining bigas. I mumbled, bigas nga at mahabang lakbay pa. A long way still.

But before I get sidetracked with future things, I'm going to bring myself into the present with these definitely delightful Pinoy comfort foods. Oy! Masarap nga talaga pagkaing ganito. Para sa isang kagaya ko.

This is the Arroz Caldo. A porridge made of stewed & browned chicken cooked in sticky rice, and garnished with lotsa fried garlic and sliced green onion leaves. Terrific... nom nom nom.

The best loved Chicharon. Made of pork skin, boiled and fried to achieve that crispy texture. Usually paired with vinegar with a dash of small chilis -- super hot variety from the Philippines. A small amount of vinegar from a bottle of Pinakurat makes everything perfect!

Lovely, yummy, grilled Pusit! This is a local specie of squid that grows up to 1 foot long. Some are served in banana leaves for a more appetizing presentation in green. Some are grilled and placed in sizzling plates, like this one.

This red is a hothead. Alimango sa Gata at Curry or Crab Curry. It can also be cooked with chili-- you like mild or wild? I can subsist on this weekly. Chica mia on cholesterol diet.




Fresh Lumpia. Vegetables wrapped in crepe slathered with garlic white sauce or peanut sauce that's slightly sweet. Tempting treat! My only source for the moment is Goldilocks and Jaltan, a local native food store in Davao.




Oye, Mr. Bacon turned into Lechon. This is the legendary roast pig with its crunchy, crispy, browned skin, the meat is full of flavor. This goes well with a sauce of kalamansi, toyo, vinegar and chili. Some like to eat it with liver sauce. Found in almost every party in and out of town.




For the bronco, Bulalo. Numero uno favorite of beef eaters in the country! A soup made of beef shank with its marrow, cooked with vegetables, pepper, lemongrass and corn cob.


oops, and don't forget-- the Chinese legacy of the...................


Noodles all strewn, all colorful-- the Bihon. Ay, I can eat this everyday. Rice noodles in thin strands cooked with stewed chicken liver, pork cutlets, shrimp and sometimes, with shellfish. They are transparent when cooked but the seasoning colors it and throws the flavor into the heap. A small platter of this truly makes my day. Here, have some.

I would remember they call me Chibog when I was little. Huh, it all comes back... the reality that I really love food. Any happy kid would love to eat. Right?

One more thing, Pinoy food is certainly the best. That is, for me. Mabuhay ka Juan at Ineng. Mabuhay.