MEDIUM RARE 

Eat right, eat light.

If hot water comes out of the tap and you could fry an egg on the sidewalk, it’s time to skip a meal that’s heavy on meat, such as pork, beef, lamb. Blame the heat.

There’s a reason – other than religion – why people who live in hot climates eschew red meat. The weather.

As the temperature continues to climb, from the high 30’s and up, as felt by the body as 40-43 or what is called the heat index, it would be nice if more of us switched to non-meat meals, or at least to reduce their consumption. Fish and shellfish are a delicious substitute; chicken, too. Fruits are even more enjoyable, especially when they are consumed with plenty of ice on your plate, or served as ice-cold juice in your drinking glass.

The fruits of summertime Philippines – including tomatoes – are plentiful and cheap. There are days when lunch and dinner call for watermelon, melon, mango, papaya – not as dessert but the main course. Tomatoes are an important ingredient for salads, especially with the addition of a few wispy cilantro leaves, but the simplest tomatoes turn into a gourmet’s delight when they’re converted into a brew of soup, so pretty when decorated with chunks of glittering ice. (I’m the only Daza who cannot cook; pardon me for not including the recipe.)

In the meantime, our 55-year-old duhat tree, planted by Papa Gabriel with his own hands, is fruiting like crazy. ‘Tis the season, so, as plump as they are, the purple plums just drop to the grass from their sheer weight, sweet and juicy, waiting to be eaten, with or without ice.

It has been said that vegetarians sooner or later convert into fruitarians, and vice versa, but whichever is one’s preference, veggies and fruits are easier on the digestive system. Once the body is used to these colorful jewels of the earth, “kanin” (cooked rice) – steamed, fried in garlic or dressed up with bits of meat, carrots, etc. as fried rice – seems to produce a “heavy” effect on the tummy, especially in hot weather. Fruits, in contrast, give off a cooling effect. And fruit juices, as your mom will tell you, are better (and better-looking) for you than cola.