Food, glorious Filipino food
A mouthwatering issue this one, no doubt. When we conceived this anniversary special for our 49th year, we thought it was simply to chill, forget the worries of the day, and have fun with our writing assignments. The economic recession is after all so depressing, the death of Cory Aquino so upsetting, and the excesses of the Arroyo government so infuriating.
If you’re Filipino, a way to chill is to eat out, have some drinks, or invite friends over for some “salu-salo” or gathering usually over a food- and drinks-laden table. If you’re Filipino, but I guess turning to food in times of stressful living and political crises is universal.
The “adobo” is no longer the stewed chicken with vinegar and soy our mothers used to make. In New York, the “adobo” has a distinct coconut flavor and seasoned with a medley of Caribbean spices. The initial reaction to compare and then to reject is quite common. I like my lola’s adobo better. But over time, we FilAms learn to surrender the “adobo” to other cultures, confident that the original will always stay in our hearts, and the fusion will enrich culinary experiences the world over.
In San Francisco, where Filipino restaurateurs are not afraid to explore and experiment, they discovered the “longganisa” pizza, “bangus” belly sushi, and the green “tinola” whose recipe remains a best-kept secret.
In many other locations, traditional food keep body and soul together. Which is not a bad thing if food is to remain our lifeline to the country of old, just as our experiences and in America will revolve around food: the pizza dinner on your first Broadway date, the beach party in Jersey with the best cannoli, or walking the BrooklynBridge with a bag of salted pretzels.
Let there be peace on earth -- and food, glorious food, in our lives.
