Simple Pleasures

Article contributed by Arabella "Bing" Chiong-Banzuela (SCA Batch 77)

About a week ago, my sister and I visited Inang, our mother, in Sta Cruz, Zambales. We were treated to homebred cookery that sends all those memories in overdrive and our stomach in tummy heaven. About an hour and a half away from our town, we already treated ourselves with carabao milk pastillas. It still has the same taste we had in childhood -- creamy but not cloyingly so -- the type that makes you to crave for more. Noticeably, however, they are already so thin and small -- the packaging is only about a fourth of the size that we were used to back in our college days when we were bringing pastillas as pasalubong to our friends in Manila. Nevertheless, it’s still really a treat.

We arrived just in time for supper. We had kularinding -- these are very small fishes, about three quarters of an inch in size -- cooked slowly in green mango slices; the original Ilocano version of pinakbet wherein the veggies are slightly overcooked (hence the name, pinakebet); and small prawns and alimasag.

For some strange reason, I’m having adverse reactions when eating crustaceans, but not when I’m in Sta Cruz – maybe because the prawns and alimasag are very fresh. But Manang has a better answer – “Siguro dahil libre! Just eat. I'm going to give you an antihistaminic if ever”.

For dessert, we had kutitom labos -- given by a relative whose daughter I told about our visit to Sta Cruz. It was altogether a comfort food 101.

One time, my elder brother went home. Siempre alot kami ni Manang -- we went to market. While on our way, we met a vendor selling tuatla -- freshwater(?) crustaceans we love to cook with upo, leaving a sweetish taste to the soupy viand.

In the market, I looked for cascaron or patupat, but nada! I settled with suman instead -- these are white glutinous rice variety wrapped in what I perceived to as coconut leaves. We eagerly unwrapped and ate suman together with our famous sweet ripe mangoes.

For breakfast, it was a nostalgic relief to find out that there are still some vendors selling munamon or mangguliting at your doorstep by gatang -- the familiar milk can. For our lunch, we bought saluyot, bulak-bulak, local oyster mushroom, patola with the ridges, for denengdeng; and tarian, a saltwater fish, to be charcoal- grilled.

I remember, when I was in my 4th grade, I had to take charge of the kitchen to cook family meals as Inang was a working mom. Now, I have to laugh longingly every time I ask my daughter to flour the chicken pieces. Although she would surly obliged, it is not without the usual side comments, "Okey ka ha, may M.D. pa sa dulo ang assistant mo", and would occasionally look at her fingernails to see if they are chipped from the very simple chore. (I had to cook before using firewood and water from the pump which I have to fetch myself). Hopeless! My son would sometimes venture in the kitchen to bake mestiso type chocolate chip cookies -- but that's it.

I have a very simple taste when it comes to food. One time, my son treated me to an authentic French restaurant. I can take Japanese and Italian food, but I realized that French cuisine is an acquired taste. Let me share my lively discussion with my son inside French resto:

"Ayaw ko nyan, bisukol yata yan o baka golden kuhol!”

Son: “Escargot yan Indo.”

“Ahhh....Eh eto, ano?”

Son: “Foie de gras.”

“Goose liver? Pwede iluwa? Ang sama ng lasa eh.”

Son: “PhP650 kaya ang isa nyan.”

I did swallow it, but I felt sick to my stomach. Lasang utak, yuck!. My son would laughingly comment – “Poverty level talaga ang taste buds mo Indo. Kailangan ng matarik na learning curve..."

Nowadays, I tend to go for local fusion since my husband is from another region, Bicolandia. He would not venture on saluyot and denengdeng, so I am the one doing the adjustment. Bicolanos like my hubby love to cook most of their food with gata ng nyog – from fish to veggie including dinuguan nila, may gata. Anyway, I love and hate this guinataan dish since I know how fattening it is, yet it is really very tasty. It’s a good thing that my hubby is not partial to spicy foods because I do not like them either. So the proverbial siling labuyo is out.

One of the downsides of not having a mate from the same region is food preference, but it is a small price to pay if you have a wonderful husband like my hubby. But sometimes you know . . . I really love denengdeng and saluyot. Haaayyyyy! Life really is a series of tradeoffs. Buhay nga naman parang bato, sometimes it’s hard!