HEALTHY LIVING Green bananas are an excellent source of potassium, fiber, and vitamins C and B6 A month after Martial Law was declared 51 years ago, I took a leave from the 24/7 job, which was so demanding it was driving me nuts. Away from it all was my main goal when I chose to visit a friend in...
The rising price of white sugar, coupled with seasonal scarcity, has led Filipino consumers to wring their hands helplessly, confessing that there is nothing they can do to remedy the situation. The same is not true in the provinces, where in place of sugar, folks use a more nutritious, cheaper,...
Super typhoon Mawar signaled the coming of rains and a relief from sweltering summer heat that reached 40 degrees in some areas. The cool nights and rainy days were perfect for homemade Filipino snacks that warm the body and the heart. Nothing beats arroz caldo The first merienda that comes to mind,...
Newspapers, TV, and radio carry daily news about the spiraling prices of agricultural produce, such as rice, sugar, garlic and onions. The situation is no different for sources of protein—pork, chicken, and fish. Supply shortage has been pinpointed as the root cause of the price situation;...
FIESTA FARE Food served during fiesta highlights the best of local produce Exuberant lines from the popular musical Camelot capture the spirit of Filipinos’ song-dance-feast attitude once the first rains of May start softening the heat and humidity of summer. May is fiesta time all over our...
Sinigang na baboy Watching the live coverage of the official visit of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. brought back memories of another president, another US visit—President Ferdinand E. Marcos’ state visit to Washington in 1982. It was a very interesting time for political analysts and...
Which of these recent hot items made it to your table over the holidays? The pandemic restricted movement and affected every facet of our lives. Confined to quarters, many tired of the usual homecooked menu and used their time to experiment in the kitchen. The less adventurous simply used their...
Filipino customs and traditions when greeting a new year Our barrio was always most festive for New Year week, with activities surpassing those for Christmas and the town fiesta. Christmas was a day for church and presents for children from their godparents. The town fiesta was a day-long frenzy of...
Christmas is a time for hope Christmas brings hope to everyone. It is a season of joy and sharing. It is also a season of miracles. I am not a deeply religious person (although I may be described as a believer) but a Christmas miracle convinced me that there are many unexplained phenomena beyond...
Christmas back then was one full of effort, creativity, and meaning, and this generation should learn from it A flood of memories swept through me when a package sent by childhood friend Letty arrived from Chicago where she’s happily retired with her children and grandchildren. The FedEx envelope...
CRISPY MILKFISH Daing na bangus Gourmet and gourmand tours of Manila normally focus on Divisoria, Chinatown, Sta. Cruz, and the Malate-Ermita area. Very often overlooked is the Quiapo district, which is more often associated with religious rites centering on the miraculous image of the Black...
Missing our childhood fruits Baby Boomers like me are very fortunate for having tasted many fruits, which now are slowly disappearing. I am not talking about santol, lanzones, mango, avocado, and guyabano, which are still cultivated and sold nationwide. What I miss are the likes of kasuy, mabolo,...
