not just another meal

"A bouquet of fresh fruits" photo by Gina Matchinsky.

January 19, 2014 question is: "List 3 foods you ate today."

It has always been a bouquet of fresh flowers and I have heard of a bouquet of newly-sharpened pencils. In an email from NY152 to Shopgirl, he typed: "Don't you just love New York in the fall? It makes me want to buy school supplies. I would send you a bouquet of newly-sharpened pencils if I knew your name and address" from the movie, You've Got Mail. Being an artist, I'd love to receive a bouquet of newly-sharpened pencils instead of flowers for a change. I think it is something cool, creative and thoughtful, too, especially if it is being sent to a writer or an artist.

And that's not where the bouquet things stop. When I went to Hyvee, I saw a bouquet of chocolates they sell as a Valentine gift. You can find some really expensive chocolate brands there, too, and getting a bunch of them - so sinfully good! But what I tried at a friend's potluck party, I liked a lot, also! It was a bouquet of fresh fruits - delectable minus the guilt. I think it was me who finished most of the strawberries there. So that was one of the food I had.

"Shrimp" photo by Gina Matchinsky

Another of the food I had today was lots and lots of shrimp.

When I was in Philippines, I don't eat shrimp much. I take it for granted because I know I can always buy them when I want one. It just took a trip to Coastal Road and buy at the Bulungan and I got really fresh seafood just right after they were caught. And having lived around these areas most of my life, I just know I will never run out of supply. Had I known that that status quo will not remain the way it was, I would have enjoyed all the fresh shrimps, crabs, squids and oysters, especially oysters, that my tummy could take.

"Dinuguan" photo by Gina Matchinsky

The third food I had at the potluck  was the "dinuguan". It is a Filipino dish made of pork meat (usually innards like the small intestines and the big intestines), pork blood, vinegar and green finger peppers. It is a little tricky to cook especially if you use the innards because it has to be cleaned thoroughly. It will not taste right, otherwise. Then you have to get the right consistency for the blood because it could have that gamy after-taste if you don't. Another tricky part was just how much vinegar you are going to put so it will be a tinge sour but not too sour.

So here's my dinuguan version. For me, I prefer to use pork meat instead of innards because that is one less difficulty. The pork should not be too lean for added flavor. I first cut the pork into small cubes including the fatty portions and have it really fried and crispy. After that I saute minced garlic and onions, then I add beef cubes. After the cube is dissolved and mixed well with all the other ingredients, then comes the pork blood.

The pork blood, by the way, has to be strained first. The jellied blood needs to be broken with the hand in a 1/4 to 1/2 cup of water. It has to be poured in first. I then let it simmer for a minute or so. After that I pour the rest of the pork blood and add about 5 to 6 green finger peppers, stirring as I do. After it simmer for about 7 minutes, I then add around 3/4 cup of vinegar. I cover it and then let simmer for another 7 minutes. Last but not least, I season it to taste with fish sauce, monosodium glutamate or msg and a little brown sugar. I stir it again and after a minute of low heat, then it's done!

It is really a good tasting food when done right and I think most Filipinos love it except of course those whose religion do not permit them to eat something that has got blood on it. It can be eaten with rice for lunch or supper. When eaten with "puto", some kind of rice cake, it is treated as just a "merienda" or a snack.

I'd say all the food I've eaten today were some kind of novelty considering where I am now. I enjoyed them and I hope people from different cultures will learn to enjoy them, too, especially the "dinuguan".  Cooked just right, everything was good! Bon appetit!