A new year demands a new approach to things. We need to set our goals right and plan strategies that are actually feasible. Unfortunately, clutter, noise, the Internet, the constant barrage of information and overwhelming activity that take place in our daily lives prohibit us from focusing and opening ourselves fully to preparation, contemplation and even relaxation.

To pursue this, I confronted one part of my room that really served as a hindrance to my goal of being organized: my tocador, or what is called a “dresser” in English. Almost all Filipinos have tocadors in their rooms. And almost always, these are susceptible to clutter, dirt and utter chaos. Receipts and candy wrappers scattered, coins here and there, a comb beside one’s ball pen, and many other things are just some of the stuff that clutter our desks or as I said, tocadors.

My Papa gave me a big tocador that could blend well with the rest of the sala when the sliding doors of my room would be opened. As I mentioned in a tweet before, my parents are on an all-out crusade to try to make our house (which was built in the 1930s as my grandmother’s mamá’s bungalow rest house in the compound) to look modern and sport an Ikea feel to it. I detested their plans but to no avail. My wide tocador is covered with vinyl (formica), prefabricated and sports a pale brown hue very unlike what I preferred, a hard-wood piece colored deep, chocolate brown with callado details on the side. Luckily, they still allowed to put the old, wooden grills from an old decor in my grandmother’s house on top of it. I was given the freedom to decorate my tocador, and one of the first things I decided was to not put a mirror on it.

When I decided to fix my tocador, I knew it would be like diving into an ocean of disorder. Its width gave me a hard time organizing things. Luckily, after two hours of fixing all the papers (and there were still readings from college!) tucked in the drawers, rediscovering old books and antique prints, and gathering all the loose foreign and old decommissioned coins scattered everywhere, I was finally able to fix my tocador. A little bit of cleaning also had to be done, and the doily that used to be there had to be removed because it was just gathering dust.

I like its new look because it shows who I am, and it holds almost all the things that inspire me. In the middle is my muse and patroness, Our Lady. Well actually, many images of her sprout elsewhere in my tocador because of my many stampitas. There are also my travel guides and maps, my Filipiniana books on history, heritage and culture, some photographs and the glass lamp I bought for a steal in Rustan’s. I wanted to give it a modern-Filhispanic appeal, something I want my future home to look like. Also, the different coins in different currencies and years also remind me of my insatiable thirst for traveling and collecting, and keeping the memory of the past alive. I also decided to put my more important and old books readily available so that I wouldn’t be searching the entire house when I need them. I also finally placed an 1800s libretto of Luigi Bordese’s in an enclosed glass frame to better preserve it. It’s my 50-peso find, which I proudly bought to save it from being discarded. Of course, my old Philippine map featuring the forested areas at the turn of the 1800s also finds a place of prominence on my tocador.

I’m not great in interior designing but I could say I tried my best to make my tocador look appealing, not to mention, chic and eclectic but I hope that after one year, it still remains neat and organized just as how I would like my plans to be – successfully in order and executed.

Have a great week ahead!

Many of these dishes, particularly those from old households, are actually reflections or manifestations of a clearly colorful and blatantly Christian-Hispanic heritage. Recipes that date back to the time of the Spaniards and boasting of Spanish or Hispanic names decorate our buffet tables during this season that until recent decades, was steeped in tradition and solemnity. Many of the ingredients and procedures used for the embutido, morcon, lengua estofada o con champignon, galantina, pavo and the lechon de leche were Hispanic and considered foreign by local culinary traditions. Likewise, as a Hispanic people, let us not discount the beverages that accompany our dishes: cerveza, vino and sangria. As we end all our meals, we also have the Spaniards to thank for bringing us coffee and dessert. Through the Spaniards we developed a baking and confectionery culture that I believe is better than in other Southeast Asian countries.

And yet, they are also very Filipino. In this day and age of globalization and of the Internet, we realize the uniqueness of our culinary heritage in the Asia-Pacific region. Although Hispanic, it is also very original. In fact, I would like to assert here that being Hispanic is indeed an intrinsic part of our own heritage. It cannot and shouldn’t be denied or forgotten. As compared to the spicy and sour flavors of our Southeast Asian neighbors, our savory, decadent and complex dishes triumphantly proclaim the Hispanic but also Malay (and Chinese!) influences that serve as the threads to our colorful quilt.

The Fil-Hispanic table is a table we ought to preserve and support. It is the last bastion of our cultural identity that is pronouncedly Hispanic. It is the table where Filipinos, and their Hispanic family dynamics, share bread and drink, talk about their lives and open themselves up to greater possibilities through conversation and discourse. The Hispanic heritage that is enshrined in Philippine cuisine, and even table manners, though much more highlighted during the Holiday Season, is no doubt, a telling indication of our country and people’s unique story. In this side of the planet, instead of chopsticks, folks use cuchara and tenedor, but they also have dipping sauces such as toyo (soy sauce), patis (fish sauce) and suka (vinegar). However, our uniqueness shines forth in how we make use of these borrowed or great contributions to Filipino cuisine. Instead of simple using vinegar, we add garlic, ground pepper and onions as well as red chili to make it packed with flavors. The ingredients are no doubt Hispanic. On the other hand, some Westerners are either appalled or impressed at how we cut into meat by using our spoons!

Nick Joaquín, the most celebrated Filipino English-language writer, championed the causes of Hispanism, asserting that one of the most important gifts received by the Filipino people are the “revolutions” initiated by the Spaniards in our lives, one of which is the guisado, the sautéing of tomatoes, garlic and onions in oil (Culture and History). With the arrival of the Spaniards, our cuisine flourished and became more flavorful. From merely boiling and broiling, we began to learn how to roast, tenderize, fry and sauté. In this part of the world, a small European-influenced cuisine was playing host to lavish feasts that portrayed the archipelago’s smiling people, a race that loved to celebrate and show-off. Within the storied walled city of Intramuros, countless cocidos, calderetas, sopas, asados and whatnot were made not solely on ingredients from Spain but also from China, the Spice Islands, Latin America and of course, the Philippines. Manila, being a major entrepot in the past due to the Manila-Acapulco Galleon Trade, attracted skillful Chinese cooks who created delectable dishes with Spanish-names and Hispanic ingredients.

From the late 1800s though, many of the country’s illustrious families were able to send their sons, and eventually, their daughters, to Spain, France, Switzerland and to many other countries. When they returned, they further animated and colored our culinary heritage. But this was without ignoring the Hispanic nature of our tables – they actually enhanced and enriched this. They built upon the wisdom and experience of 300 years of Hispanic cooking.

However, in recent decades, many of the old recipes brought down through the years, have been threatened by the new global trends that treat food, for a lack of a better word, callously. And with this new way of treating food came the compromising of an entire cultural heritage that bore it. The undermining of Fil-Hispanic heritage comes daily as Filipinos, uninformed and foolishly convinced of the Spanish regime’s purely evil character, tell others that there is nothing original in Filipino culture not to mention its cuisine. Many Filipinos fail to explain the beauties of Filipino cuisine simply because they do not know it, simply because they do not know how to put into words our cultural identity.

This pathetic failure to differentiate Filipino cuisine from Spanish cuisine (or Latin cuisine) is caused by an immature view of national identities. Some believe that Japanese cuisine is a purely Japanese enterprise, immaculately produced in Japan. There are people who strongly assert that we cannot call our cuisine original because French cuisine, unlike ours, was purely influenced by all-things French, that Italian cuisine is unique because everything in Italian cuisine is Italian. This is, however, blatantly wrong. All the great cuisines and all the culinary heritages were influenced by other regions, countries, peoples and traditions. There is no pure culture; there are only better marketed/advertised ones. And this is where we fail.

Instead of placing the Hispanic heritage of our food, we bastardize and malign this, simplistically saying that we “borrowed” these from Spain and Mexico. But this proves futile as the ingredients, flavor-preferences (we like it a tad sweeter), procedures and the presentation have differed since these were introduced. We have cultivated a richly Hispanic cuisine without blindly copying – these have become naturally part of our people’s history because we chose it to be so. Our women, our mothers, grandmothers, aunts and sisters learned to develop these dishes with their own talents and preferences, making sure that the Hispanic nature of the dish isn’t lost. For example, we may have been influenced by the Chinese in eating noodles (pancit), but we add an original twist by adding achuete, bell peppers, etc from Latin America. Although we received from the Spaniards the gift of making and eating breads, we didn’t blindly copy their bread-making procedures. Instead of creating almost rock-hard breads, we used the technology to create soft (some use the term “hukmoy”) and fluffy breads, something which we prefer.

Today, as countries and races’ unique beauties are being grayed out by the Internet and globalization, all the more would it be beneficial to share and proclaim the unique values, heritage and aesthetics of Filipino cookery, proudly sharing and at the same time, innovating a cuisine sadly ignored. We have to stop calling our food “borrowed” and “unoriginal” and recognize and maximize its natural Hispanic-ness infused with our Asian roots. This edge of Philippine cuisine, often displayed ostentatiously during the Christmas season, should inspire and cajole us to continuously research, preserve, maintain and celebrate our culinary experience as a people of an archipelago, composed of more than 7,000 islands.

This enterprise of keeping our food’s heritage constantly alive obliges us to recognize our culture as a Hispanic people found in the Southeast Asian region which is also comprised of individuals that have Chinese, Malay, and Spanish ancestries and also Catholic, Protestant, and Muslim religious orientations.

It has exactly been a week since I flew to Singapore to attend the Holcim Regional Awarding on Sustainable Construction. As the winner of Holcim Philippines’ Students’ Journalism Contest on Sustainable Construction last year, I was entitled to attend the affair gratis.

The event was held at the glitzy Ritz Carlton Singapore, and as such, we, the delegation from the Philippines, were also booked in the said bespoke hotel.

One thing I enjoyed greatly during my short stay there were the buffet breakfasts at the hotel’s Greenhouse. My room mate and I would wake up at 6:30 in the morning just to leisurely enjoy the overwhelming spread.

For two days, as I would enter the Greenhouse, friendly Filipina staff members would graciously check my room number, and then, lead me to a particular booth at the rear area of the dining area where my fellow Filpino representatives and I would enjoy, at a glacial pace, the marvelous food that beheld us.

The buffet area was circular in form, with the hot dishes such as dimsum, nasi and mee located in the middle. At the rear end were the chef’s egg station, the fresh fruits, the jars of yoghurt and dairy beverages, the salad bar and my favorite section, the cold cuts area where thinly sliced succulent and salty jamon serrano, smoked salmon and other cured meats are found.

At the peripheries were counters serving various breads and pastries, freshly-squeezed fruit juices and also pungent cheeses, all tastefully organized. Oh how I enjoyed the different cheeses and rolls!

As I read the morning’s papers, friendly, roving staff members with teapots would approach and ask me, with smiles on their faces, which drink I preferred. Whether it would be coffee, tea or hot chocolate (which was served generously in small ceramic tea pots), these were promptly brought to our table.

The mood and atmosphere were very relaxed, and thus, one could be able to fully enjoy the food and time one has in the said dining area. Unlike in other buffets where the crowd seems to be uncontrolled and the acoustics poor, the Greenhouse had an efficient crowd-control plan that limited the noise and volume of people.

The dining experiences I had at The Ritz-Carlton, Millenia’s well-staffed Greenhouse breakfast buffet were memorable, enjoyable and really impressionable. Anyone visiting Singapore or who’s planning to book at the said hotel should try, even for one morning, the experience that is the Ritz-Carlton breakfast. Although 2 days seem to be bitin, I could really say that the two days were two 5-star days.

More power to the Filipino and the rest of the staff of the Ritz-Carlton, Millenia! I am a happy customer honestly all-too-willing to share the happy days I spent in the said hotel.

For contact details of the Ritz-Carlton, Millenia Greenhouse Breakfast Buffet, check out this link: http://www.ritzcarlton.com/en/Properties/Singapore/Dining/Greenhouse/Default.htm

Thankfully, the kitchen still serves as my “art studio” as it serves as my “atelier” for my beautiful works, my dishes.

These past few months, I have been trying my best to perfect my version of the hearty Italian soup dish called Minestrone. I’ve tried making it several times, but I must say the version I made two weeks ago was, by far, the most enjoyable and notable one.

Making minestrone is easy but making it flavorful and rich can be challenging as it may turn out to being a mere mixture of tomato sauce and water, something which all of us should avoid. The key then, is first, to have good, fresh chicken stalk and two, to add in flavorful cured or smoked meats. I prefer adding Italian ham (prosciutto) and the Spanish Pamplona sausage. I also add in a cup of full-bodied Cabernet Sauvignon to my soup.

INGREDIENTS:

1 liter and a half of chicken stalk
1 packet of Del Monte Tomato Sauce
1 cup of Cabernet Sauvignon
3 tbps of olive oil
1 stick of butter
Left-over pork fat
Bacon strips, Pamplona sausages and Prosciutto
Half a can of corn kernels
2 medium sized potatoes, diced
3 carrots, diced
1 whole onion, sliced
3 cloves of garlic, crushed
A handful of Baguio beans, sliced into one-inch pieces
Basil leaves
1 sprig of Thyme
Spaghetti noodles
Paprika, Salt and Pepper

PREPARATION:

In a pot or casserole, sweat the bacon slowly over low fire in minimal oil. Do not brown the bacon strips. Remove the bacon then add in the Pamplona (or Hungarian sausage) as well as other left-over meats such as chicken into the pot.

Remove the assorted meats from the pot and add in the onions. Again, over low fire for around 10-15 minutes, let the onions cook and turn translucent. This is very important, to allow the onions to caramelize. Once the onions have turned soft and seemingly silky, add in the garlic. Again, don’t brown the garlic! At this point, I add in a stick of butter to really give the soup an overwhelming flavor.

Add in the tomatoes and allow these to simmer with the onions and garlic. Once they have softened and the tomato’s juices have inundated the mixture, add in the chopped carrots and potatoes as well as the meats.

After sauteing all the ingredients over medium heat, add in the stock, the wine and water.

Let the entire broth simmer over low fire for around 30 minutes, allowing all the glorious flavors to mix and integrate.

At this point, we add in the sauteed meats as well as a table spoon of paprika. Make sure to stir in the meats.

As it cooks, add in basil, thyme, the corn kernels and also more olive oil if you desire it so.

Add in salt and pepper to taste. This soup is best served hot and prepared in large quantities. Indeed, during these (supposedly!) cooler months, this rich and decadent soup is consoling refuge from all the (unnecessary) sources of stress during the Holiday Seasons (i.e. traffic, sales, gift lists, decorations, scheduling of parties, etc.) Wouldn’t it be so elevating to come home and head to your kitchen to see a soupd ready for your voracious consumption?

Well I think it is. Hahaha!

Go make yourself some hearty Minestrone, a world-renowned Italian dish tweeked for Pinoy preference. This recipe hecho ayer.

Saturday was a day I would be perpetually thankful for. Not only was I able to hear Mass on that feast day of one of my favorite saints, St. Thérèse of the Holy Child and the Holy Face, at the Carmelite nuns’ monastery, I was also able to deliver a speech at a convention of students taking up Tourism and also, literally rubbed elbows with a world icon – Former First Lady and now Ilocos Representative Imelda Romualdez Marcos.

About two weeks ago, I received an invitation from Saint Paul University’s BS Tourism Management program students to speak on Manila, and the role of the youth in its future. I immediately said yes as it I always find it an honor and humbling experience to share my views on cultural heritage, history and tourism. Likewise, I found it exciting to do something in line with my passion as my desk job has been seemingly sucking all of my “youth”.

According to the organizers, an estimated 450 students from different schools which offer Tourism courses would be attending the afternoon event. There were 4 speakers supposed to speak before me then, all experts in their respective fields. The Intramuros Administration, headed by Mr. Jun Capistrano, sent a representative, the Chief of the Planning Division of the Intramuros Administration. The Intramuros Administration or IA, which was established by a presidential decree during the Marcos regime, is the primary government agency tasked with overseeing the preservation, restoration and maintenance of the Old Walled City, Intramuros, which was synonymous then to Manila. Ms. Raidis Bassig, the speaker on behalf of the Intramuros Administration, stressed on the undeniable importance of Intramuros in Manila’s quest for identity and progress.

The next speaker, however, was undoubtedly the most popular and most awaited for, the Iron Butterfly, the Big-Haired Woman, the Filipino with “3,000+++ shoes”, the so-called Imeldific, the Former First Lady and former Governor of Manila Imelda Romúaldez Marcos. In a stunning pink terno and donning a few delectable pieces of jewelry, the former first lady, the subject of scorn and praise for decades, commanded a presence not only because of her height and elegance but also because of her disarming charm and wit. Though she was already showing signs of age (she ended up talking about herself, the former president Ferdinand Marcos, and her many theories instead of Manila), Mrs. Marcos was still able to dispense some words of wisdom and heart-warming encouragement to the young crowd despite her dragging and repetitive talk.

After her talk, one of the organizers, the same young lady who invited me, Let, called my attention and invited me to meet Mrs. Marcos in the waiting room for VIPs. I was late for the event, and so I wasn’t able to sit with the other speakers before the event started. As I was being led to the room, I was undoubtedly feeling both excited and anxious. “Would she be snooty?” “Would she bother shaking my hands?” “What would I say?”

But alas, when one beholds her, one is really taken aback at her statuesque figure, her legendary coiffeur and her surprisingly friendly demeanor. She immediately extended her hand and shook mine firmly. I thought I was in heaven. Kidding aside, it was a very surreal moment. Here was our former First Lady, a woman sent on missions to Libya, Iraq, Cuba and China during the Cold War, shaking my hands in a small, unkempt backstage room. She encouraged me in my work of writing, touring and speaking, telling me that as the speaker responsible to address the youth on their role in promoting Manila, I had to do well in delivering my speech. A few blurry photos eternalized that moment, but the next few moments were more surprising.

As I returned to the auditorium after that pause with my friends, Mrs. Marcos saw me entering from a side door and when I was getting closer to where I was originally seated, she gestured towards me to sit down besides her. I asked my friend to take a photo. Apparently though, she really wanted me to sit beside her. She then asked me about the content of my speech. She said she needed to go right after the next speaker but since she feels strongly about the role of the young in Manila’s future, she said that she will stay to listen to my speech.

I really felt humbled, and at the same time, nervous the moment she said those lines.

The original 3rd speaker was heritage advocated Ms. Gemma Cruz-Araneta but since her mamá, esteemed cultural essayist and historian Ms. Carmen “Chitang” Guerrero-Nakpil was in a critical stage (I think she’s 89 years old), Ms. Gemma decided to stay by her mother’s bedside. It was tasteful and proper on the part of the organizers to offer a few moments of silence for that lady’s well-being, a woman who wrote of Manila’s once genteel Manila.

The next speaker was urban planner Dr. Nathaniel von Einsidel, whom I met in an event last February at the National Museum. Dr. Von Einsidel spoke about Metro Manila’s growing problems (e.g. traffic congestion and garbage disposal) and how the need for comprehensive and integrated planning is an urgent issue needed in Manila.

Finally it was my turn, and my message was pretty simple: regardless of how many millions of Pesos tourism folk spend on marketing, conceptualizing tour packages and souvenirs, if the city of Manila is not regarded, treated and seen by its own citizens as its rightful capital, then everyone’s efforts are futile. I learned from talks and lectures given by my friend and professor, Dr. Fernando Nakpil Zialcita, and Dr. Ed Nuque, that cultural heritage, its preservation and proper utilization can bring about a successful kind of tourism that benefits ordinary folk. I also stressed in my talk what I learned from these two men that putting up “world-class” hotel, resort or casino chains isn’t the answer to our tourism problems here. Manila, I reminded the audience, should not be filled with casinos, world-class highways and tall skyscrapers in an effort to keep up with global tourism. In fact, I mentioned that before we do all of these things, we need to come to that point where we can stare straight at Manila’s face and accept her as our once-fabled, once-glorious city, a Hispanic community once known for her fine art, magnificent architecture, scientific progress, lively theater scene, world-class products and Spanish-speaking, Latin-praying folk.

I wanted the audience to remember and know, realize and accept that Manila’s value is not based on the fact that it can bring in tourists; it is valuable and worth every single drop of our sweat, tears and blood because it is our capital, and with it comes the responsibility to conducts ourselves in such a way worthy of calling ourselves residents of the country’s capital. The temptation to forget and distance ourselves from the city of Manila is strong and irresistible. But the pockets of hope that resist the forces of Ugliness and Apathy, those beautiful historical sites such as San Beda Abbey, San Agustín Church, UST’s campus in España, the Neo-Classical Corridor (The Manila Post Office, the Manila City Hall, the National Museum Complex) and all the many beautiful buildings, churches and houses serve as our rallying point to combat the callousness that daily degrades and taints our city.

As “Madame” Imelda said last Saturday, “We Filipinos are brainwashed for the beautiful. Ayaw natin ng pangit!” We must live up to this assertion, and most especially us who live and work in the capital, Manila, once the Pearl of the Orient.

Many thanks to Kid Centeno and Let Alcobendas for the photos and support.

For the first time yesterday, amidst the howling of monsoon winds and the pouring of buckets of rainwater, I cooked my very first cocido madrileño. The Cocido used to be a staple among buenas familias’ (good families) tables in the Philippines but I have noticed that in during these past few decades, many Filipino families have forgotten or totally abandoned these traditional (not to mention, complex and difficult) dishes in exchange for Italian pastas, Korean barbecues and Japanese sushi platters. Not that there is anything wrong with this broadening and education of the Filipino palette. No, of course not. But it is again another sad and significant indication of our Hispanic heritage’s continuous decline. The Filipino table was once considered the last bastion of our Hispanic heritage but now it is being strongly challenged. What used to be usual fare is now considered completely Spanish or alien; they have ceased being Filipino, sadly.

Why cook cocido at the height of typhoon Mina anyway? Simple. It is a hearty, decadent stew that combines plenty of “power ingredients” that can warm both the body and the soul. Plus, it was a Sunday. This dish was a typical feature in Filipino families during their Sunday lunches particularly those held in grandmothers’ homes. The recipes for the cocido, as well as callos, galantina, different rellenos (stuffed food), home-made sardines, calderetas, morcons as well as kare-kares and roasts/asados are usually age-old family heirlooms passed by the elder, venerable generations to the generation of our grandparents (thus the need to salvage them before our grandparents die!)

Many of the ingredients, likewise, were already stored in either our fridge or pantry, therefore, there was no need to brave the strong winds and heavy rains of Mina. All I had to buy were the jamón serrano, its bone, morcilla (blood sausage) and the beef shanks. Here are the other ingredients:

INGREDIENTS (for both the stock and the tomato sauce):

4 portions of a whole Pork Pata (leg)
1/2 kilo beef
1 whole chicken cut into pieces
1 can of garbanzos
1 whole cabbage
Celery stalks
string beans
3 potatoes
1 big carrot
5 tomatoes
5 onions
5 cloves of garlic
bacon
Spanish chorizo
Chorizo de Bilbao
morcilla
jamón serrano serrano and bone
red wine (I used Lambrusco)
1 cup of tomato sauce
Spanish paprika
Salt and peppercorns

PROCESS

I first sauteed a chopped onion and a chopped tomato in considerable amounts of lard in a big casserole. I also added some garlic before the onions were cooked. I then added water and some salt and pepper corns, then once it boiled, I turned down the heat and added the beef shanks and the pata as well as the aromatic ham bone. That was 7:30 in the morning I had to constantly monitor the tenderizing of the meats because I had to make sure the stalk wouldn’t be boiling. Unfortunately, the pork knuckles got overcooked when I asked the help to take over for a while as I watched TV and chatted with friends and relatives in Irene-threatened US East Coast.

After removing the pata not without worried questions for the maid who was supposed to watch over it, I added the chicken into the broth and also a wine glass of red wine, a table spoon of paprika and more salt and pepper.

Around 40 minutes later, when the beef was already tender and the chicken cooked, I allowed the stalk to boil. I slowly added all the other ingredients. First was the morcilla and sausages, then the peeled potatoes and carrots, then the garbanzos, string beans and celery stalks and cabbage.

Because I wanted to preserve the crispness and also, the nutrients of the veggies, I took them out immediately, simply blanching them and placed them at the bottom of my serving platter for the meats. One must remember than in serving cocido, the three components should be served separately: the meats, the sauce and the soup.

I poured more tomato sauce into the soup and also more wine as well as paprika.

In another pan, I started t sweat the bacon in a little bit of olive oil, and when it was half-way cooked, I also added this into the cocido. Again, I lowered the heat for the soup not to boil but only for it to simmer.

With the oils and fats of the bacon, the other pan where I made the tomato sauce. Four onions, 3 cloves of garlic and 4 chopped tomatoes were the main stars in that sauce, melodiously giving off a heavenly scent that filled the kitchen. When the tomatoes were wilted, I added some tomato sauce, salt and pepper as well as some chili powder to spike up the sauce.

Then, it was only a matter of time when I served the three components of my version of the traditional Cocido madrileño, a hearty, heavy and rich stew that was appreciated greatly on a cold, windy and rainy Sunday lunch.

This recipe hecho ayer.

Last 11 August 2011, I hitched a ride with my office mate who was on her way home to Fairview. Since we end work at 6:00 AM for the graveyard shift, I decided to ride with her as I planned to hear the Bishop’s Mass in the Real Monasterio de Sta. Clara along Katipunan Avenue. It was, after all, the feast day of one of my favorite saints, Sta. Clara and likewise, the feast of the nuns I always ask prayers from (and I, in turn, always pray for), the Poor Clares.

Their original monastery, ostensibly called the Real Monasterio de la Inmaculada Concepción de la Madre de Dios de las Monjas de Sta. Clara, was established in 1621 in the old walled city of Intramuros. 20 Spanish maidens, under the spiritual guidance and mighty direction of their first Mother Abess Sor Jerónima de la Asunción, began the silent story of the contemplative monastery of Sta. Clara, a place that has witnessed quiet prayers and silent lives for the past 390 years. Countless women have gone through its portals, never to be seen again by the world.

Last 11 August 2011, devotees again flocked in the thousands to celebrate the feast of the Seraphic partner of Saint Francis of Assisi in his work of evangelization, Sta. Clara.

When Imelda Marcos envisioned the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) more than 40 years ago, she had in her mind a structure/organization that would serve as the grand stage and venerable repository of Philippine culture. In it, the fine arts would be displayed and honed, performed and shared. It would serve, according to her and everybody else who supported the project, as the home of the “Filipino Spirit”.

Indeed, going to the CCP whether for a musical production or a play has always been a joy to me. I have been to many affairs there: from operas where doñas would don their finest Filipiniana to simple shows which were filled with different kinds of people. The excitement and the memories that accompany me every time I visit the CCP are worth recounting.

However, these past few weeks, I can say, with much conviction and sorrow that the CCP’s absurd arrogance, disturbing stubbornness and cold rejection of concerned and hurt Filipinos’ sentiments over Mideo Cruz’ “art” work is appalling. The people who are running and managing (you call that management?) the CULTURAL CENTER OF THE PHILIPPINES (it is supposedly the HOME OF THE FILIPINO SPIRIT!) seem to be too caught up in their haughtiness and “art theories” that they have forgotten their role of celebrating and sharing the glories and beautifies of Filipino talent and skill.

Why am I asserting this? Because Mideo Cruz’ work, to begin with, sans my strong Catholic convictions, isn’t art. It is garbage. I can be an Atheist or a so-called “Free Thinker” (Yeah, right.) and I’d find his work a waste of my time and CCP’s space. It has no place in an exhibit that seems to be celebrating the Royal and Pontifical University of Santo Tomas’ 400th year and the national hero, Dr. Rizal’s 150th. It is actually a narrow-minded and lousy, below-the-belt caricature of the Catholic religion. It resorts to poking fun and slinging crap at the faces of believers and even non-believers.

The work of Mideo Cruz is the work of a man whose understanding (or lack of) of history, society and religion, faith and morals is unfortunately distorted or imbalanced. If he thinks that he is making a point with regard to how Catholicism has been steeped in its veneration of icons, then it is he who is a fool for Catholics are not simply insulted by his treatment of the paper images; we are offended and hurt by his intention and his malice. He knows that the greater majority of the populace belive and hope, love and adore Jesus Christ, His Virgin Mother and the Saints. He knows, surely since his youth, how important the Christian Faith is in this side of the world.

It is not for us to judge Mr. Cruz for his beliefs or disbelief. He is entitled to that. We are also not against his craft, if ever he does have artistic talents to share. We are, however, angry with his garbage being hoisted up seemingly as a banner “against” Catholicism in the national stage, the CCP. What was the motivation behind his installation?

Emily Abrera, whom I actually met for a contest I won, which she judged, gave a callous and snobbish answer in a TV show when she said that, in relation to Mideo’s work and the brouhaha it has predictably created, that it is “part of Filipino culture to question, to think.”

What was she trying to suggest?

That we who were offended and angered by Mr. Cruz’ work are stupid for reacting so negatively?

That we who are demanding for its removal from the CCP are being parochial and being too imposing?

That we who act out of religious fervor and who speak out to express our pious sentiments being “illogical”?

That we lack the critical mind to comprehend or even APPRECIATE (BARF) that awful thing by Mr. Cruz?

Ms. Emily Abrera and the rest of you “culturati” (honestly, some of you there don’t have fine taste or any deep appreciation for culture; you’re just there as employees) in the CCP should listen and consider the pains and woes of the people who feel betrayed by this continuous support for Cruz’ crap.

Alas, the “Free Thinkers” have again spent many precious hours of their lives supporting Mr. Cruz forgetting many essential humanist philosophies regarding compassion and understanding, humility and mutual respect. They are accusing the Church (they are again painting unnecessary images of kingly Popes, Pajero-driving bishops and salivating priests) of meddling with the private affairs of individuals who should freely do as they want. Is that the meaning of free thought? To immediately come into the defense of mindless acts, acts that are completely insensitive to the feelings and faith of others, is that the task of “Free Thinkers”?

Why are we so offended with a penis protruding from the face of Our Lord? Why are we fuming angry at the sight of seemingly used condom “adorning” the image of our Lady? Because we are Catholics! Because we are human beings who should be free to practice our religion and live our Faith, and thus feel strongly about these things! Do you want us to simply back off and keep quiet? What does Mr. Cruz want to achieve? A celebrity status at the expense of Catholic sentiments?

These recent months have been sad for Catholics, often painted as stupid and illogical. Political issues and irresponsible statements like that of Margie Juico casually speculating bishops got Pajeros, thus the furor, are really eroding the image of the Church here in the Philippines. Sadly, it is this same Church which has constantly worked with the poor since 1565.

The CCP should remove Mideo Cruz’ garbage and apologize to the people soon.

As for the Catholics out there, let us heed the late Pope John Paul II’s admonition, “DO NOT BE AFRAID!” Do not be afraid to be called stupid by the foolish because we are on the side of the right and decent, of that which is charitable and moral, that which is sensitive to the feelings of others. It is Mr. Cruz right to make his art or whatever he does for that matter but it is/was not prudent on the part of the CCP to host it or give it a place there in what we call the home of the Filipino soul.

To begin with, we might not be too sure if Mr. Cruz’ supporters (or the man himself) believe in the idea of soul. Let us stand up against that installation! We cannot allow any institution to so callously treat our sensibilities and still have the gall to call itself our country’s cultural center!

*An article by Mr. Lito Zulueta on the same topic is worth the read. Follow the link: http://lifestyle.inquirer.net/8837/shock-for-shock%E2%80%99s-sake

It has been more than a week now since I started work in a Danish shipping company, and I must say, blogging is now proving to be a luxury. However, I must admit that cooking, regardless of my busy work schedule (not to mention graveyard shift!), still proves to be an all-too-irresistible activity. Yesterday, while reading “El Comedor: The Recipes of Lourdes P. del Rosario” upon waking up at 6 in the morning, I decided to make Paella de Mariscos for lunch.

I literally hopped off from bed and headed to Cubao’s expansive Farmers’ Market and Shopwise Grocery. The wet market was teeming with people in spite of the light drizzle. The fresh live shrimps were jumping from basins while the veggies and fruits section was fragrant and paradise-like, the kiosks filled with lush, colorful produce.

As soon as I got home, I immediately made the stalk. While making the stalk, I began chopping all the spices and vegetables needed as well as the tedious process of opening cans, jars and sachets. Yes, it’s best to do all of these before the cooking process to lessen the stresses that come with cooking.

One thing, however, that I would greatly emphasize here is the undeniable importance (and benefits!) of cooking paella in nothing else but in a paellera, a round, shallow two-handled pan that is often cast-iron. In fact, the paellera does not take its name from the paella; it’s the other way around.

Unfortunately, there was no paellera in sight yesterday at home and with all the ingredients already chopped up and prepared, what else can I do but cook them? “But where?” I asked myself. Sadly, I made the wrong decision of cooking the dish not in a pan (kawali) but in a caldero, a non-stick pot. Although the dish was highly-successful, cooking it was a painstaking and energy-draining process because of the constant stirring. It also caused me great anxiety and nervousness because it was so difficult (next to impossible actually) cooking the rice evenly.

But, all’s well that end’s well. It was a scrumptious dish that the entire family enjoyed yesterday for lunch and dinner. Enjoy this recipe hecho ayer!

INGREDIENTS:
1 kilo of Jasmine Rice (55 Pesos in Farmer’s Market per kilo)
1/2 kilo of Prawns
1 kilo of Halaan or Clams
1/2 kilo of Squid
1 Chorizo
4 slices of Bacon
5 Chicken Parts (I prefer wings)
5 tomatoes, sliced
1 whole green bell pepper, diced
2 whole red onion, sliced
5 cloves of garlic coarsely chopped
Olive Oil
Paprika
Salt and Pepper
Saffron (comes in the paella mix I bought)

PROCEDURE:

First make the the sofrito. You must caramelize the onions in generous servings of olive oil for a considerable amount of time. Make sure the stove (or the fire) is on low heat. While doing this long caramelizing process, I began making my equally time-consuming broth. First, I boiled the clams and some prawn heads and shells in a cup of water. When the shells were cooked, I took these out and added a half a litter of water and also the chicken parts. I also added sea salt, pepper corns, some olive oil and rosemary into the broth. I let it boil for a good hour.

Then, I added the garlic, tomatoes and bell peppers until these were wilted in the pot where the onions were caramelized. I added more olive oil, and at one point, butter as well. I then added the prawns and sauteed it there, letting all its flavors and juices combine with the mixture in the pot. Next, I seared my meats (chorizo, left-over pork adobo fats, bacon and boiled chicken) in olive oil and added all of these into the pot (oils included!). Next were the clams and the squid. I then added a cup of tomato sauce, some paprika and 4 cups of the rice. Since I used 4 cups, I had to add in 8 cups of the broth. Finally, I added the paella mix with saffron (first diluted in hot water), olives and capers.

Constantly stirring and making sure nothing was burnt at the bottom, it took me, if my memory serves me well, almost an hour making the dish. I served it with traditional lemon wedges.

The finished product was a rice, decadent and almost creamy rice dish that was packed with flavors that were savory and exciting. As one ate a spoonful of my paella yesterday, one would make the occasional “yum” or “mmmm” sound/remark as a sign of its simple but frank approach to the palette. The nuttiness of the Spanish Parika, the sea-like flavor of the saffron and the enjoyable taste of the broth, seafood and other herbs gloriously lifted my paellera-less paella into gastronomical heights.

It is important, again, not only to make a good sofrito but to cook the paella in a paellera. I just got lucky that 2nd time cooking paella not in paellera (the very first time I cooked paella was in a friend’s house and we used a kawali), but again, as I mentioned earlier, it is not advisable.

Try cooking this marvelous, flavorful and decadent dish for your your family and friends for you to appreciate not only the different wonders offered by multiply ingredients and flavors but ultimately, life. How beautiful it is that we humans have a dish that tries to combine all the wonders of the earth (meats, seafood, grain, herbs, vegetables, earth, fire, water, etc.) in one pan! It may be a tad expensive and laborious but it’s surely full of meaning and packed with flavor.

Last 19 June 2011, the Filipino people (well, some of the population) celebrated the 150th birth anniversary of the so-called “First Filipino”, Dr. José Rizal. Many activities were lined up by different organizations across the country for meaningful memorials and festivities to praise and highlight the life and works of Pepe.

I didn’t shy away from such activities. I proudly and happily participated in some of the activities in Metro Manila and one in Calamba, Laguna – the very town where Rizal was born and raised.

Last 10 June, I gave a talk and read my speech in an SM Calamba affair. It was an event celebrating the city’s most distinguished citizen’s 150th birthday and that was none other than Pepe Rizal. The point of the celebration, which was of course, a marketing strategy, was to remind residents of Calamba that Rizal, their fellow kababayan, was a globe-trotter and future hero who took pride in the place where he was born and raised. It was a commendable act on the part of SM City Laguna to boost the morale of its Calambenyo shoppers. With the event’s “Rizal, the Calamba-boy in Europe”, many distinguished guests from the local government and elite as well as the diplomatic corps and academe were invited. Also present were members of the local chapter of the Order of the Knights of Rizal and various town historians. Luckily, I was also given the chance to mingle with these people.

Then on the eve of the sesquicentennial, I went to Instituto Cervantes with my favorite Spanish teacher in Ateneo, Sra. Chita, to join the 150-member chorus that read Rizal’s “Mi Ultimo Adios” and also to celebrate the international Dia del Español, a providential celebration commemorated in all the Spanish-speaking countries around the globe. Although the Philippines has sadly waned in terms of Spanish-speaking citizens, it was only timely and meaningful that the birthday of the country’s foremost writer and speaker (and lover) of the Spanish language falls a day after.

Finally, last 19 June 2011, I along with my good friend Mika, who studies in Spain, joined the family and descendants of José Rizal for a by-invitation-only dinner at the Fort Santiago grounds. Ms. Lisa Bayot and Ma’am Peachy Avanceña sent me an invitation days before the event and I was both ecstatic and delighted.

In the same area, the My Rizal Movement with the cooperation and support of the Intramuros Administration and the Heroes Square Foundation held various activities for the general public in celebrating the 150th birthday of the national hero. Despite the non-stop drizzling and some rain showers, it was heart-warming seeing entire families sharing meals and watching the performances. The evening was capped off by a beautiful fireworks display. The food, which was divine, was catered by Via Mare. Their paella, I must say, was impressive and sinfully delicious.

Food and wine flowed generously that evening, and I must say, it was all worth it. For celebrating the First Filipino’s 150th birthday is indeed a homage and act of remembrance worthy of nothing but the finest and noblest of acts.

Feliz Cumpleaños Pepe!