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shinmiyovvi · 5 months
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「Call of Duty Black Ops Zombies Oc Trivia: Primis Valena」
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Note: This trivia will be updated when another tidbit is added on the list.
POSITIVE:
Lena is a kind-hearted soul like her mother Lumina. She was considered an angel by anyone around her and she got the nickname "Anghel".
She learned how to play the guitar from Tulio and they would try to sing as many songs as they wanted during their time.
Lena and her uncle Felipe had a strained relationship together when her parents were still alive. Felipe would get scolded by his wife Rosalina if he ever tries to make her cry since Felipe hates hearing Lena whimper or even begging him to buy her sorbetes (an ice cream that is made from water buffalo/carabao's milk)
Regarding types of men, she likes a guy who would help her out in the house rather than being a couch potato. Lena adopted her mother's death stare at some point so she may use it as an advantage to threaten their partner if they ever try to be lazy. She loves getting affection so expect to see her very clingy when sleeping with her partner or even just sitting on a couch while looking at the sky through the window. Lena is a sucker for getting smooches on her face or even returning the favor to her loved one. If her loved one confesses their feelings to her or gives her a kiss on the cheek/lips, she will freeze and turn into a cute tomato.
Lena keeps her hair in a ponytail or in a bun. There is only a rare moment where Lena cuts her hair short when she recalls it, she ends up feeling like she looks like Licia if she ends up giving herself a boy cut.
The pendant she is wearing is a birthday gift from her late lover Sgt. George Huxley.
She has a slight crush on Dempsey during Origins but she shakes off that feeling and ends up slowly falling in love with Nikolai due to how his personality resembles a lot of her late lover.
Lena loves to collect flowers, mostly sampaguitas which she would make into a necklace (Which is very popular in small businesses in the country), roses, tulips, dandelions, and lavender.
Since Lena resembles a bit of her mother, there is no doubt that she has the same smile as Lumina does. Every man would find her beautiful and angelic as her smile can instantly melt their hearts.
Like her Ultimis counterpart, she usually draws on her journal to pass the time. If you ever have the chance to look at her journal, you will see some portraits of herself, the crew, and her family and friends.
Her uncle taught her how to fight and use a rifle while her aunt taught her how to speak Russian, German, Japanese, and English.
Lena considered Felipe and Rosalina as her own parents while Marcelo and Dolores were considered as her siblings since she was the only child of her family.
Lena has the most cutest giggles. Whether is just a small chuckle or a sudden burst of laughter, you can imagine how she could make a man go head over heels for her.
Pouting is one of her habits whenever she tries to disagree with something.
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NEGATIVE:
Lena tends to overthink a lot which causes her to stare into the abyss and stay silent.
She doubts herself if she begins to feel pressured by someone, especially if the situation is crucial and needs her full attention.
She got a graze under her right eye from Ji Eun which she accidentally mentioned about her father as she observed that Ji Eun has a grudge against her father. Nikolai got angry at Ji Eun for grazing her face which she scoffed and left the two alone.
Lena tends to blame herself if something wrong happens, even if she didn't do it.
She is the type of person who keeps apologizing for the simplest thing in existence as people keep telling her to stop apologizing but she doesn't.
Lena constantly gets nightmares about her parents' deaths which weighed her shoulders a lot. She would often tell the others how lucky they are to have their own parents seeing them grow up and achieve their dreams to make them proud.
There is a time when Lena loses her temper and shouts at Nikolai during the events of BoTD where she also hits his face out of anger but later apologizes and the two make up with each other.
Lena mostly bottles up her emotions but during the events of Revelations, she breaks down in tears after Dr. Monty mentions her parents which he told everyone how much they loved Licia and cherished her.
After the death of her parents, Lena goes through the 5 stages of Grief which she starts to lose hope in her life until she slowly accepts it and moves on to be happy. It happens again as she begins to sulk and mourn George's death. She then continues to accept the reality, trying to fulfill George's wish by letting her move on and find someone who would love her better than him.
Lena considers herself a personification of Death to her loved ones as she often tries to distance herself from them for their own safety.
Lena would sometimes act like she's not being herself which concerns the others. She reassures the crew that she is fine and feels tired on their journey but in reality, she is NOT fine and needs someone's comfort.
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discoidal · 7 months
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hi zoe adrien!!!!! i hope ur having a good day. my ask is what's your favorite fruit :0)
hiii!! i like ur name oleander can i use it? my fav fruit is the beautiful carabao mango my beloveddd
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in fact i am currently finishing a carabao mango + evaporated milk + sugar shake :)) what's yours :0
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asknarashikari · 14 days
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In watching Geats, the only one who was able to guess Michinaga’s animal motif was Sara. She often calls him Buffalo-san.
Ace goads Michinaga by calling him a bull while others have called him a cow, which isn’t wrong, but I’m more used to the cows that are being milked than Michinaga’s animal.
Which is both interesting and funny at the same time.
Well, to be fair, Buffa doesn't really look much like a buffalo... or what people think is a buffalo, but is actually a bison
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Meanwhile, real buffalo look more like this
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(Philippine water buffalo, aka carabao)
There are other species/varieties that don't look like this, but that looks kinda like Buffa's helmet, no? Though you could mistake it for a cow, if you don't know what the difference is.
And yes, these things can be domesticated- carabaos are used to plow fields and are also reared for milk and meat in my country. My favorite ice cream is actually made from their milk lmao
Funnily enough, they're the Philippines' national animal because they're seen as hardworking and strong... neither of which I'd really use to describe Azuma, who pretty much had to cheat his way into defeating Ace (via Berobitch rigging the JGP in his favor)
Ironically, bison and domestic cattle/cows are more closely related to each other than to the buffalo...
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dan6085 · 1 year
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Pampanga, a province in Central Luzon, Philippines, is known for its rich culinary tradition. Here are 20 popular Pampanga foods:
Sisig - a dish made from chopped pig's head and liver, seasoned with calamansi juice and chili peppers
Tocino - sweet cured pork slices that are usually served for breakfast
Biringhe - a rice dish that is cooked with coconut milk, turmeric, and various vegetables and meats
Betute - stuffed frogs with ground pork, onions, and other ingredients
Kare-kare - a stew made with oxtail, peanut sauce, and vegetables
Pastillas de leche - sweet milk candies that are made from carabao milk and sugar
Adobo - a popular Filipino dish made with chicken, pork, or beef that is marinated in vinegar, soy sauce, and garlic
Kakanin - a variety of traditional Filipino rice cakes, such as bibingka, puto, and sapin-sapin
Bringhe - a type of paella that is cooked with glutinous rice, turmeric, and chicken or seafood
Tamales - a steamed rice cake that is stuffed with meat, vegetables, and spices
Pinakbet - a vegetable dish made with eggplant, okra, tomatoes, and bitter melon, sautéed with garlic, onions, and shrimp paste
Lechon - a whole roasted pig that is seasoned with salt, garlic, and other spices
Pancit luglug - a dish made with thick rice noodles, shrimp, and a rich sauce made from ground rice and coconut milk
Chicharon - a crispy pork rind that is often served as a snack or appetizer
Sinigang - a sour soup that is made with tamarind or other sour fruits, vegetables, and meat or fish
Ensaymada - a soft, sweet bread that is topped with butter and sugar
Buro - a fermented rice dish that is often served with grilled or fried fish
Mamon - a soft, fluffy sponge cake that is often served as a dessert
Kaldereta - a stew made with goat or beef, potatoes, and a tomato-based sauce
Bulanglang - a vegetable soup that is similar to pinakbet, but is usually made without shrimp paste and has a milder flavor.
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robbielewis · 1 year
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Magpies and The Reds To Go At It.
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0 Newcastle United
V
2 Liverpool FC
Live on Sky Sports from St. James Park 18 February at 1730
FINAL
First Half +4
(27) Darwin Nunez Strikes (18) Cody Gakpo Strikes
(22) Nick Pope Red Card
Second Half +3
Both times that NUFC lost a Premier League match this season were against Liverpool. Nick Pope has been struck off from Carabao Cup. NUFC remains at fourth on tables, just two points above Hotspur who play West Ham 19 February.
Our pre-match chores:
We took delivery of five pallets of haylage and two of the Bedmax for the stables. The haylage has been working well for them in digestive activities. It will be nice when spring arrives so they can get out and forage on the pasture. Cheaper too.
Cedric and I attached the post-hole digger to the compact tractor and gave it a try. It worked well. We want to be sure in case we decide to install the half-mesh gate in the front.
Henry, in the meantime is surveying the stables to decide if he can run new electrics throughout. We both think the current set-up is outdated and needs to be more weather proof.
Yesterday's wind gusts blew a couple of tin panels off an out-building but RobbieLewis moved his creaky old bones and reset them more securely.
The chicken shed held up and the ladies are back to normal. The cockerel however keeps waking me up an hour earlier than usual. Bloody thing thinks he's on the continent.
Cedric and Coffeepot will do their milk run tomorrow. A neighbour delivered some jam and fruit preserves earlier.
RobbieLewis took Daphne Braun on a walk-about to inspect once again the rills, fencing and foliage around the north perimeter. Other than a few bits here and there it looks like it did well after yesterday.
What the bookmakers are saying
The Magpies will be looking to get one back on Liverpool who are the only team to beat Eddie Howe's men so far in this Premier League season. That result came all the way back in August when it took a super late stoppage time Fábio Carvalho goal for the Merseyside club to get the better of proceedings on the evening.
Since then, this Newcastle team has only gone from strength to strength with no losses in the league and a spot in the EFL Cup final at Wembley later this month to look forward to.
Liverpool on the other hand have been struggling to date in the Premier League this season. They find themselves ninth in the table with only four points picked up out of a possible fifteen over the last five league games. With that said, they are coming into the game this Saturday off the back of a big 2-0 win in the Merseyside derby on Monday.
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By Lee Ryder Chief Newcastle United Writer, Ciaran Kelly Newcastle United writer and Aaron Stokes
On Saturday evening, Newcastle United are set to face the only team that has got the better of them in the Premier League this season with Liverpool the visitors to St. James' Park (5:30pm kick-off).
Fabio Carvalho's stoppage time winner handed the Reds a 2-1 win at Anfield back in August in United's fifth outing of the campaign.
And no other side has managed to topple the Magpies in the league since, with Howe's men remaining the only side in the top flight to have suffered just a solitary defeat.
The United head coach was busy on the training pitch on Wednesday as he prepared his side for the weekend clash with Jurgen Klopp's men, which falls on what would have been former Newcastle manager Sir Bobby Robson's 90th birthday.
Eddie on pre-game matters - Scroll down a bit
The Lads working out this week
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Eddie Howe vows he will 'always protect' Newcastle after Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp's dig
Newcastle United will face Liverpool for the first time since Eddie Howe warned Jurgen Klopp to be careful after the Reds' boss commented on the Magpies' spending power
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Christian Atsu found dead 12 days after devastating earthquake in Turkey
Christian Atsu has passed away aged 31, as reported by his agent and manager.
The former Newcastle United star, who also played for Chelsea went missing after the tragic earthquakes February 6, which hit Turkey and Syria.
His body has since been discovered, and the footballing legend was confirmed deceased this morning.
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masongrizchel · 18 days
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Filipino Scientists 🌐🔬
I have asked this question before to younger audiences during a career advice talk (which happened years ago). The audience was composed of STEM students. 🎓
I started with a game show type of logic: "I will give 50 PHP to those who will answer correctly the four questions. First come, first served. Then the last question is worth 500 PHP." 💰
Question 1: What is the title of this song? (I played the song Shape of You by Ed Sheeran.) Gladly, the audience knew the song. But we only have one winner per question. 🎶
Question 2: Who is the father of taxonomy? Still, someone was able to answer the question. 🤔
Question 3: Who is the father of modern chemistry? Surprisingly, someone was able to answer the question. 🧪
But the catch here is that the engagement of the audience drops when posed with a question related to science and some of its famous founders. ❓
Question 4: Name a famous Filipino scientist...
No one was raising their hands. One attempt was made, but I added a fragment of thought to my initial sentence. ❌
Question 4 (revised): Name a famous Filipino scientist whose title of his work is El Hematozoario del Paludismo” (“On Malarial Pathology”).
No one dared to answer the fourth question. I pointed out two main concerns.
It is alarming that only a few STEM students knew some local scientists. And second, this is exactly a problem. We don't know. And we are not aware of it.
So I asked the kids again if they were ready to find the answer to the fourth question. I revealed the answer using the image. And this is the image that I used: 🌐
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The one that I am referring to in the fourth question is none other than General Antonio Luna. And the crowd was surprised that Luna was a scientist. YES, HE IS A SCIENTIST. HE IS ONE OF OUR LOCAL SCIENTISTS. 🇵🇭🔬
From this point forward, I will be highlighting Luna's work as a scientist.
"El Hematozoario del Paludismo” (“On Malarial Pathology”) is his doctorate thesis. He attempted to match the parasite's forms with the symptoms that they can actually cause, including the ideal time to give 'quina quina' tree bark to patients as part of the treatment procedures, and this is the only anti-malarial remedy that medicine practitioners knew about. His attempt to culture malaria parasites in vitro failed due to the technological limitations of his time. 📚🦠
Luna focused beyond malaria as a research interest. There are also records where he performed histological and bacteriological research. Yes, we can consider him one of the first microbiologists of their time. He performed this bacterial research at the Institut Pasteur in Paris, which was founded by none other than Louis Pasteur. Below is a list of his works:
Performed studies about the carabao milk's composition. 🥛
He was also able to study the portability of Pasig River's water, which proved that Pasig River's water is no longer fit for consumption. 🚰
He also studied the therapeutic properties of water from Sibul Spring in Bulacan. 💧
He is also one of the notable people to study Philippine forensic science, which examines the use of human blood in judicial proceedings. 🩸⚖️
And what Luna did remains remarkable. What limits his pursuit of science is (1) technology during his time and (2) his love for the country, where he fought for our freedom and independence. 🙌
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scruzjournal · 26 days
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eJournal 1
the dimensions of my own personal wellness
Back in 2020, the year of lockdowns and quarantines, the University of Maryland defined wellness as "more than health. It is a lifestyle and an approach to living fully". As far as I can remember, I've always been introspective. It's always felt like if I could analyze my own little quirks and depth then it meant that there was depth to dive into. It existed and I existed and there were things in my life that I could control as long as I had the power to articulate it into language. I was eyewitness, and whatever I said goes. As I grew older though, I did find out that being a witness to your own life is much different to living in wellness.
I think that when people are young, we get fed this idea that happiness is a singular goal that is achievable and once we obtain it, that is it. We're set. People don't often recognize that the life well-lived already exists in the small pockets of the everyday life. That wellness may be a parallel universe but only in the way that a molecule lives in this dimension naked to the human eye but in truth, makes up everything we love like the humming of last night's karaoke song or the taste of carabao's milk in tea. There are dimensions to my own wellness that I haven't paid much attention to but perhaps it's precisely that reason why I have to start.
Breaking down my life into its dimensions, I find that the areas I value most significantly are health, intellect, community, and creation.
Under health I would have my physical and emotional wellness. Unlike others' expression of the dimensions of wellness, I don't feel like there needs to be a distinction between the physical and emotional. Being such a sensitive person with proclivity for intense emotions, there's no separation between my feelings and my somatizations. To take care of my body is to take care of my mind and vice versa. As my first dimension of wellness, I'd like that to be reflected.
Under intellect I would have curiosity and skills development. I love to learn and expanding my horizons when it comes to knowledge and my physical capabilities. Under here is also where I'd place things like the development of my career, financial adeptness as a means to live well in the society I was born into, and the exchange of information as a means to connect.
Under community are the elements that I believe others label as the "social" dimension but I prefer the term "community" because I personally understand it to also automatically mean a sense of connection rather than a neutral interaction. Whatever the amount of closeness I may feel with others, it does not take away the difference and significance their presence in my life may have caused.
Creation as a dimension I believe may be subversive. What does it exactly mean to have creation as a dimension of wellness? For me it means so much. It means creativity, it means expression, it means building systems and rebuilding systems—creation as a dimension of wellness means growth and service, and given that no one ever really stops growing and expanding, I want that movement in itself be a dimension.
Reflecting on this past module serves a reminder that the things I learn in the classroom, despite a temporary anxious disposition to complete assignments and seem smart, are really here to serve me and mold me into a citizen capable of making a life instead of just stumbling into one. There is power in the intention to live well. I hope to use that power wisely.
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ainews · 2 months
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Carabao, also known as water buffalo, have long been used as a source of protein and labor in many parts of the world. These large animals are not only valued for their strength and ability to work in the fields, but also for their meat and milk which are important sources of food for many cultures.
One lesser-known fact about carabao is that their meat is considered to be gonadotropic, meaning that it has properties that stimulate the production of gonads, or reproductive organs, in animals that consume it. This has made carabao meat a popular ingredient in traditional dishes, such as pilaf, in some countries.
So why are carabao gonadotropic for pilaf? It all comes down to the nutrients and hormones present in their meat. Carabao meat is rich in amino acids, specifically arginine and carnitine, which have been found to boost libido and improve reproductive health in animals. These nutrients also stimulate the production of testosterone, the primary male sex hormone, which is responsible for the development of male reproductive organs and sperm.
In addition to these amino acids, carabao meat also contains zinc, an essential mineral for reproductive health. Zinc helps with the production of sperm and is crucial for maintaining healthy testicular function in males. It has also been found to increase sperm count and improve overall fertility in animals.
The high protein content of carabao meat is also a contributing factor to its gonadotropic properties. Protein is essential for building and repairing tissues, including reproductive organs. A diet rich in protein can improve fertility and reproductive health in animals, making carabao meat a beneficial addition to traditional dishes like pilaf.
But how does this relate to coelacanths, a type of ancient fish? While carabao may not be a part of the coelacanth's natural diet, the fish also has a high demand for proteins and essential nutrients for reproduction. With the scarcity of food sources in the deep sea, coelacanths have been known to travel long distances in search of food. In some cases, this may include fish carcasses that have sunk to the ocean floor, which could potentially include carabao meat.
In conclusion, carabao are considered gonadotropic for pilaf due to the rich nutrient profile of their meat. The amino acids, zinc, and protein found in carabao meat can stimulate reproductive health and improve fertility in animals that consume it. While carabao may not be a traditional food source for coelacanths, their high nutritional value and potential for providing essential reproductive nutrients make it a valuable addition to their diet.
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mellowfaye · 3 months
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A Feat for the Senses
As we embark on a virtual journey to the heart of Pampanga. From the bustling markets to hidden gems, we'll immerse ourselves in the rich tapestry of flavors that define this culinary wonderland. A sensory explosion as we explore the savory wonders of Tibok-Tibok and indulge in the sweet symphony of this dessert.
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Tibok-tibok is Pampanga's regional version of maja blanca. But while the latter is made of coconut milk, corn, and cornstarch, this Kapampangan delicacy is made of fresh carabao's milk, rice flour, and latik topping.
The milk pudding has a smooth, creamy flavor and texture with a delicious hint of coconut aroma. Like most kakanin, it's enjoyed as a dessert or snack.
Ingredients:
- 1 cup coconut cream
- 4 cups of fresh carabao's milk ( or cow's milk )
- 1 cup rice flour
- 1 cup sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt ( if using cow's milk )
Equipment:
- 7x5 in pan
Instructions:
- In a pan over medium heat, add coconut cream and bring to a boil. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until liquid starts to thicken.
- Lower heat and simmer. As oil starts to separate and solids begin to form, regularly stir and scrape sides and bottom of the pan to prevent from burning. Continue to cook and stir until curds turn golden brown.
- Using a fine mesh sieve or colander, drain latik. Reserve oil.
- Generously brush bottom and sides of 7 x 5-inch pan with coconut oil and set aside.
- In a heavy-bottomed pot, combine milk, rice flour, and sugar. Add salt if using cow's milk. Whisk together until smooth and well-blended.
- Over medium-low heat, bring to a simmer, whisking regularly. Continue to cook, whisking regularly, for about 10 to 15 minutes or until mixture thickens to a smooth thick paste.
- Gently transfer milk mixture to prepared pan. Smooth and evenly distribute using a spatula.
- Allow to slightly cool and set. Generously brush with coconut oil and garnish with latik. Cut into serving slices.
Notes:
- Simmer the milk on low heat and do not bring to a rapid boil to keep from curdling or separating.
- Tibok-tibok is traditionally thickened with rice flour. You can use cornstarch but the texture will be firmer and less silky
- To evenly distribute pudding mixture and to smoothen the top, gently tap the pan a few times on the counter.
- When storing for future use, cover and lightly press a plastic film on the surface of the pudding to keep the top from drying out.
As we conclude this chapter of Culinary Chronicles, I invite you to savor this, try out the recipes, and embark on your own culinary adventures. The world of food is a vast canvas waiting to be explored, and I'm thrilled to be your guide. So, let the journey begin, and may your culinary explorations be as delightful as they are delicious. Stay hungry for new experiences, stay curious, and most importantly, stay inspired by the magic of food.
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pilalaguna · 4 months
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Foods of a Childhood Breakfast in Pila
Garlic Fried Rice called Sinangag
Pandesal ("salt bread" roll made of flour, yeast, sugar, oil, and salt). served with Filipino Brand Star Margarine and Kesong Puti (white cheese made from Carabao milk)
Farm fresh milk and chocolate milk from Los Baños, Laguna
Longanisa (smoked sausage with brown sugar and vinegar
Crispy Fried Bacon
Scrambled and Fried Eggs
Suman (glutinous rice cake) and Sugar
Champorado (Filipino version consisting of gluntinous rice porridge, cocoa powder, evaporated milk, and sugar) often served with Tuyo (salted herring) and Daing (dried milkfish)
Tapa (pan-fried or grilled slices of beef marinated in soy sauce, vinegar, garlic, and sugar)
Corned Beef (the canned version)
Pork and Beans (The canned version)
Fried Vienna Sausage (Often fried whole until the skin is slightly crispy)
Dinuguan (Filipino stew made of pork, blood, liver and vinegar)
Bibingka (a cake made of sweet rice flour, coconut milk, water, and sugar)
Puto (Steamed Rice Cake)
Coffee (Nescafé Freeze-Dried/Instant), with evaporated milk and sugar, or butter (a favorite preference by former Judge Ramiro Relova)
Lugaw (rice porridge with salted egg, dried fish, calamansi or Filipino lime, and fish sauce called patis)
Suka't bawang (vinegar with garlic, and a spicier version with sili or Filipino peppers)
Salted duck eggs (Itlog na maalat) and tomatoes
These foods were often served on a large dining room table all at once!
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marialiwanag137 · 6 months
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The Moon, The Sun, and the Star
“It’s sad that people from big cities do not get to see this much wonder,” sighed Maya as she shook her head in a disappointed manner. Tala tilted her head and looked at the eldest. “Why do they not see the stars like we do?” “They are too busy building things,” Hana grumbled. “The city lights are the only lights they see at night. That is all they see because cities pollute the sky. So much, that not a single speck of white can be seen up above.” “Do these city lights tell stories like the stars do?” Tala innocently asked. “No, they do not, ading,” Maya replied while shaking her head. “Those lights do not last forever. The stars do. They were all there before everything and everyone was born. As they watched us live, love, and learn, these stars changed and made shapes. Constellations are what they are called. Each one tells a story, a sign, anything really. And they will always be there, so that we will always remember.” “Even when we don’t see them in a big city?” “Even when we don’t see them in a big city,” repeated Hana in a reassuring voice. Tala looked at each of her older sisters and in a hushed voice, she asked, “And what do they remind us of?” Maya thought for a moment before responding with, “Many things, like honoring the past, or that love goes on and on.”
Tala grinned as she hooked her arms with Maya and Hana’s arms, pulling them closer to her. “Well then, my love for you two will definitely go on and on, even when we reach three hundred and thirty-three years old!” “Will I still be taller than both of you by then?” Hana asked with a deadpan face and tone. “Hana,” Maya spoke in a way like how a mother is trying not to scold her child. “When will you let that joke go? We are triplets! We were born at the same time, and we all have the same height!” “Not unless I eat more rice and drink more milk,” Hana countered with a smirk. “Speaking of milk,” Tala then stood up, tugging her sisters’ arms to do the same. “I want to hear Papa’s story time, and I don’t want my warm carabao milk to get cold before bed!” Upon seeing Tala sprinting off into the field, Maya worriedly exclaimed, “Tala, be careful or you might trip!” And just like that, the three sisters laughed merrily and raced back home as the moon and her fellow stars from above flickered with farewells and wishes of sweet dreams.
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On the 10th of October, at exactly 10:10 PM, three daughters were born. Based on a story told by their father, each of them were named after a heavenly body.
The youngest was named after the brightest evening star.
The middle was named after the rising and waking sun.
And the eldest was named after the mystical yet comforting moon.
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A/N: HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY OC MAYA MASALANTA, AND TO HER DEAR SISTERS!
Yup, I forgot to mention that Maya has two younger sisters, Hana and Tala. I'm pretty sure you may be wondering: why had I not mentioned them before, or at least show them in my posts? They're triplets, right? So, why did I not put them together as a whole in my posts? Well, you'll just have to wait and see why. ;)
All I can say is that today marks the night that I have completely conceived the concept of the Masalanta sisters. Let's all wish them a happy birthday!
As always, keep up the good vibes, everyone! Goodnight, and I hope your dreams are filled with lights like the night sky! ^^
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speechless-stuff · 9 months
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Nature is not a place to visit. It is home.
Nueva Ecija is a landlocked province in the Philippines located in the Central Luzon region. Its capital is the city of Palayan. Nueva Ecija borders, from the south clockwise, Bulacan, Pampanga, Tarlac, Pangasinan, Nueva Vizcaya and Aurora. Nueva Ecija is one of the top producers of agricultural products in Central Luzon. In fact, the province’s name comes from the mainland Spanish town of Ecija in Spain. Geographically, Nueva Ecija shares borders with the provinces of Bulacan, Pampanga, Tarlac, Pangasinan, Nueva Vizcaya and Aurora. Furthermore, the province is nationally recognized as the Rice Granary of the Philippines. That is because Nueva Ecija is home to a broad plantation of rice and beautiful landscapes. These and the variety of cuisine, traditions, and culture create Nueva Ecija’s diverse fine cooking. In addition, there are many historical landmarks to visit and attractions to explore. This makes the province of Nueva Ecija one of the best places to visit in Central Luzon. Nueva Ecija has a lot of things to offer. If you are after the scenery, history, or whatever that you are looking for, Nueva Ecija has wonderful places to explore. One Town One Product (OTOP) all over the province patronizes and sells numerous arts and crafts made by local producers and craftsmen.
Nueva Ecija is home to some of the country's best-preserved Spanish colonial architecture, as well as beautiful mountains, rivers, and beaches: Minalungao National Park, Gabaldon Falls, Dupinga River, Gapan Church, Mount Kemalugong (Paasa Peak), Dingalan Beach The province is also known for its delicious food, ranging from Carabao milk products, rice cakes, to popular traditional dishes like sisig and longanisa. Nueva Ecija is endowed with rich cultural heritage. The expansion of Christianity and the influx of migrants from Ilocos region and Pampanga influenced the foundation of the unique culture of Nueva Ecija. The province served as a melting pot of different cultures that molded the way of life of Novo Ecijanos. Besides being the rice granary of the Philippines, Nueva Ecija is also a land of unique natural wonders that have continued to amaze visitors through the years.  As the people have strived to be at harmony with nature, the province has continued to be a haven for those who wish to go on an adventure or just a place where the casual tourist can sit back and relax and take in the refreshing scenery.
Every municipality has a spectacular fiesta to honor their patron saints and demonstrate the people’s humility and devotion to them. in fact, with five cities and 27 municipalities, Nueva Ecija province has a wide cultural heritage that has become an important element of Novo Ecijanos culture and history. That said, Nueva Ecija is a historic province with vibrant and memorable festivals located in Central Luzon. 
Pantabangan, Nueva Ecija hosts Pandawan celebration every last week of April. Furthermore, Pantabangan is one of Asia’s largest fish-producing cities, and it plays an important role in Novo Ecija’s culture and heritage.  Pagibang Damara is a festival in San Jose City, Nueva Ecija, to praise Christ for a healthy crop, which aligns with the city’s annual fiesta, which takes time in the second or third week of April. Meanwhile, Taong Putik is from a unique ritual among Saint John the Baptist worshippers in Bibiclat, Aliaga, and Nueva Ecija. On June 24, the ceremony will begin.
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Richness and Beauty; A glimpse of Reality
by: Kimberly Palenzuela
Riding beyond the waves of the blue crystal waters filled with the abundance of the sea, dotted islets and magnificent rock formations, the scorching sun and the humid air welcome the person as they set foot on the island of Masbate.
Geographically located in the heart of the Philippines, this gun-shaped island is famed for being the Rodeo Capital of the country. But there's way more than meets the eye. It was composed of three Major Island Masbate, Ticao and Burias. Each has unique features and attractions, rich in history and natural wonders.
The majority of the population of Masbate lives on the coastline, which makes it a large fishing province. All 270 Barangays are located on 968 Kilometers of natural coastline. The rolling hills, virgin islands and white sand beaches are a gem to seek.
Looking at the progress it is experiencing these past few years, the thriving tourism industry overcoming its reputation as one of the most dangerous provinces to visit is a good sign for the future. The fishing industry thrives with various sea species; these top commodities are Squid, Threadfin, Shrimp, Mangrove crab, Scallop Shell, Sillago, Grouper, Milkfish, Sardines, Belt Fish and Blue Swimming Crab. This is exported to major cities like Manila and Cebu.
How can one imagine managing such islands filled with beauty and riches? What does it take to fulfill the needs and reach the full potential of sustainability and abundance? Or does it still face a challenge yet to be overcome? Let's start in the coastal municipality of Milagros.
Traveling by land, welcomed by the green pasture areas and arable lands. Milagros is a first-class municipality of the 2nd district of Masbate. Aside from the "carmelado" from cow/carabao's milk, it is also known for the bounty of seafood it produces. Located within the Asid Gulf facing the Visayan seas, no wonder people's main source of income is fishing.
Because of the location, the gulf is vulnerable to frequent Red tide due to a lot of water intrusion to the inflow and outflow passage. There's remaining eroded surface subsoil during heavy rains and flooding, and even during summertime. That's why the problem stems from the highlands. Red tide is highly likely to trigger dinoflagellates and algae to bloom in municipal waters. Due to the nutrients accumulated, feeding the harmful algae to bloom, the shellfish consumed this because they just stayed in one place, unlike fishes, which are transient.
"I am unsure if it stays negative or positive (red tide warning) because it is on and off. We just sent our samples to the region, but there is no result yet." Mr. Zacajustifernan Cabarles , MBFAR stated. There are no available testing areas in the province. That's why they only rely on the test result from the Bicol Region, waiting for days to confirm the results; the lack of facilities also added up to the challenge. "We publish shellfish bulletin on conspicuous spaces on the public market and the Brgy. Captains and officials disseminate this information mitigation to tell the constituents not to consume shellfish." He added.
When asked about the long-term solution to this problem, he answered, "I think there's none because it's not man-made, it's a natural occurrence, and the chemicals don't trigger the algae; there's no long-term solution, just mitigation and public awareness, we are not the only one who has this (red tide) there are other places as well, and they don't have long term solution to the red tide as well."
To further inquire about that matter, Mr. Geralph Andrade of BFAR Masbate supported the statement, "Yes, it is a natural occurrence, and it happens from time to time, mainly because of climate change and the improper management of the water circulation; it's up to the management of the locality to remove the structures that destruct the outflow of water, the garbage and wastes to reduce the occurrence(red tide)."Even if there are red tide occurrences, it does not directly affect the fisherman, for there are options only for consumption.
When it comes to fishing, there have been disappointing experiences our local fishermen are facing in recent years. " Before, we enjoyed a lot of species of fish like tanigue and different types of fish, and also a lot of crabs and all. but now we only catch small fishes; we are enduring this small catch, and that's because of the illegal fisher lurking in our sea." Rogelio Plaza, 64 years old, a fisherman for 42 years. He raises his family on the coast with their Laya (fishing boat with lights)
"Those big steel boats dragging the sea floor they are the ones who are getting all of our fish; they are also using cyanide and then catching it with their fishnets; even the small fishes are floating; that's why we are going far just to catch some fish, these boats they are not from Milagros they came from Estancia and Roxas they are coming with their fish finder and GPS, they are just destroying whatever goes in their path." Roselyn Plaza 58 years old Laya fisherwoman for 13 years. " we are not reporting it because we are the only ones who are going to be in danger, all we hope for is the bounty of our Laya, whatever we will get we are grateful for it, these people already have cases filed on courts, but still they are doing the illegal fishing despite of it, they are getting a lot of income for this. She added. They hope that the government will stop these unlawful operations; together with the climate change that constantly affects the sea and its creatures, this prevailing problem continually adds to the agony of our fisherfolks.
"Sometimes we experience, sometimes abundance, but most of the time, we are short because of many consumers; we persevere through hardship even if there is no catch." Elizarde Beljica, 49 years old, 15 years fisherman. It is evident in his eyes the humility and the simple way of living he was used to. Marites De Jesus, 39 years old Dried Pusit maker, stated, " Just persevere and do not rely on the government help if they will give something, be grateful. If none continue to persist for your family, for the government, I hope you will help us poor by giving us even small assistance to add to our livelihood."
There are a lot of challenges that need to be addressed, and that is only in the Municipality of Milagros. "LGUs think that the job is only for BFAR, but we must work hand in hand. It was really hard for us to manage the whole island; having only three permanent employees, thankfully, we have the diligent staff that help us manage the task the National office mandates to us. We are hoping more local government units will put some policies aiming to protect our municipal water because they have autonomy on that; my message is my call for more people here in BFAR Masbate to help us fulfill our role in protecting and preserving the marine industry here in our province." Geralph Andrade was the Spokesperson of BFAR Masbate.
All in all, Masbate still needs a lot of help and improvement in order to unlock the true potential of its rich waters; with the collaboration of National and Local government units, the future is not bleak, and the fisherfolks will have protection and bounty that they seek.
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anumanangmeron · 1 year
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Balut to Barbecue: Philippine Streetfood by Doreen Fernandez
Balut to Barbecue: Philippine Streetfood by Doreen Fernandez
Street food in the Philippines is not only a convenience for those without time to cook, or an economic phenomenon that flourishes during hard times. It is a lifestyle. Nineteenth century prints, paintings and accounts of the Spanish era by foreign travellers, pay notice to the wayside vendors of carabao's milk, ricecakes, and fruits. Karuth (1858) painted a woman steaming puto bumbong right on the road, and her customer eating the product on a low table in front of her. Chinese vendors are shown selling and serving noodles at roadside, or carrying their pastries and pan de sal in baskets balanced on a shoulder pole, or on a horse.
The vending continued into the American colonial period, and into the era called "peacetime" -  before World War II -  when in the districts of Manila, one could find meals and snacks on the sidewalk: puto and bibingka just cooked; Chinese bicho-bicho, gur­ gurya, and buchi a-frying; Japanese halo-h41o or mongo con hielo mixed to order. During the Japanese occupation economic stress brought out such imaginative solutions to privation as "castanyogH
- a piece of coconut meat roasted on live charcoal, aspiring to the flavor and texture of chestnuts (castafias) - and binatog - com kernels boiled till puffed, eaten with grated coconut - both sold on the street.
Today in the 90s, the abundance and variety are so vast that I can luxuriously limit my field, and choose to discuss only food sold on streets, at roadsides, in the open, and meant to be eaten on the spot (not to take home, although one could); and only that sold by vendors without fixed stalls or stores. Even though some wheel-less street food stalls have the customers' benches or stools right on the street, with their backs. fanned (and dusted) by the
Fooo NO FLAYORS
passing traffic, these are not included, since they have fixed (albeit nµnshackle) structures, and might be said to be a step toward the permanent eating place. For this exploration, ambulance, imperma­ nence, and transience are primary criteria.
Since food types and selling times intersect and overlap, let us examine Philippine street food of the 90s from the points of view of place and manner of vending.
--Walking" Street Food. The direct heirs of the Cllinese ven­ dors whocarried paired baskets balanced on shoulder poles are those who sell green mangoes as a snack. They travel the quieter roads, those without too much traffic, and will occasionally rest their baskets, sit on a curb or outside a building (like the U.P.
Shopping Center), and peel the mangoes like flowers, then slip them into plastic bags (with salt or bagoong) for the customer. In traffic, of course, they use single baskets, with the mangoes already
peeled and.packaged.
Sharing the busier thoroughfares and dodging traffic with them are the sellers. of other fruit (santol, mangosteen, lanzones, boiled bananas) and peanuts. The peanut vendors have progressed from pre-packaged nuts (in brown paper, in plastic) to tubfuls kept hot (fire beneath) on wheels. Even in a traffic jam, even between traffic light changes, they measure, package, receive payment for, and make change for hot boiled peanuts in the shell.
Also in this category is the taho vendor, who plies quiet residential areas. He gets his soy bean curd from a factory, slices
it and adds syrup and flavoring, and carries this from house to house in aluminum containers, spooning it into the customers' bowls. Since he usually plies the same neighborhood for years, his regular <:ustomers (suki)becomefriends, as do their children, whom he can watch growing up into customers.
A recent escalation of this type is the vendoron a bicycle. One parked at thedomestic airport hashot peanuts in the shell as a main product, and beside it peeled green mangoes skewered on sticks, and kept fresh in jars of water, with the bagoong-to-go ready in
plastic jars. The most recent development is the bicycle equipped with a compartmented,glass-fronted,showcase with 18-24 fruits or nuts preserved Chinese-style. The bicycle man weaves through the streets of Manila and Tadoban, then parks at a school or streetcomer and unfurls its built-in umbrella.
BAWT TO Wlll!CU£: l'HU'PINE mr£TFOOO
The Si gVendon. Outside homes in residential areas some­ times sit solitary vendors - housewives, household help, or dill­ dren - offering baskets or trays of home products: rice cakes, skewered syrup-<:aated bananas or sweet potatoes (banana-cue; amwte-cue), even chicken or pork barbecue browningonsmall char­ coal grills, and halo-halo makings. These are by-products of the household, and are offered to neighbors, passersby, dilldren com­ ing home from school. Sales are not actively pressed, since what­ ever is left over can be <:<>mumed by the household.
In residential areas farther from urban activity, especially those in the provinces (e.g. Davao City), these tables may hold one or two covered pots (caldera) and thus be mini-carindtriasor restau­ rants. 'The carinderia is usually found in markets and at bus or jeepney stops, and is marked by a row of calderas (two to twelve or more). 'The customer peers into the pots, chooses, and is served; he sits at and eats on the area beside the pots. 'The mini-carinderias sell home cooking, the day's menu, or the housewife's specialties, and thus earn enough to subsidize the household food bill.
Alsositting, but more active, and sometimes actually hawking their wares, are the women who sit outside moviehouses beside baskets of peanuts (boiled in the shell; fried with garlic), com-nips (kernels fried with garlic and/or chili), green mangoes sometimes on skewers, fruits in season. Still others set up tables on sidewalks outside stores, restaurants, drugstores, etc. and offer sunum, fruits, barbecue, btuut.
Market and Ouarcbyard Food. Although markets have food stalls inside and on the periphery, with the sellers and buyers as their customers, there is as well a proliferation of food in the streets surrounding -  in carts,on tables, in baskets and boxes, aluminum and plastic cans and basins. F.arly in the morning, these are usually filled with breakfast food: hot cakes and fritters fryingon hot plates or in woks on wheeled carts; doughnuts, rolls, bread, cakes;sur,uan, bibingka, kutsinta, puto,ta'1ulles - rice cakes of many persuasions -
and other less common regional specialties like lnulbod kabug (millet cakes), ube cakes, and puto maya, sweetened rice cooked with co­ conut milk and spooned out of the basket, wrapped in banana leaf
for each customer.
'The churchyard before and after Sunday masses, or on days
when there are special devotions, is also crowded with vendors,
Fooo AM> FLAVORS
although in Jess variety than in the markets. A large part of the Chrisbnas expectation and nostalgia is based on the fragrant steam­ ing bibingka and hot salabot (ginger tea) awaiting those who attend the dawn masses. Churchyards and markets are the places in which to find provincial delicacies remembered, those no longer
made in one's own or in modem kitchens, or requiring ingredients
and methods now foWld only in the provinces.
The market foods progress with the day,since breakfast goods (including coffee, tea or chocolate) are replaced by snacks (fruits, fritters, crackling, pizza, peanuts, ice cream, cold drinks, etc.), then lunchtime fare (noodles, porridge/gruel,fish and meat dishes with and without broth), and more snacks until the market closes: The market is truly a center for food: raw and cooked, carinderia and street.
After the eruption of Mt. Pinatubo Oune 1991), rehabilitation was first measurable in the markets. 1n San Marcelino, Zambales, three weeks after, only one table was in business, offering soft drinks, biscuits and cigarettes. 1n Subic (where the U.S. Naval Base was located) the market, deep involcanic ash, had a few stalls open, and some snacks were being sold from baskets in the streets. The Olongapo Public market, on the other hand, had re­ opened and was doing business as usual in spite of the ash-mud­
died roads, with most customers wearing masks and handkerchiefs
over their noses.
It is almost impossible to enumerate all the foods one can find in markets -  to eat right there, or to take home. ft provides an inventory of the major types of Filipino fare - especially the more portable kinds. At the provincial tabu or tiangge - the tran­ sient early morning markets at which farmers and fishermen seU produce and catch, and buy household necessities, one can see the range and richness of regional and indigenous food. At the large city markets, one finds the food that has long disappeared from households (too difficult to get; too long to cook) and has never made it to restaurant menus (too "ordinary" or commonplace; too much like home cooking). All markets are indexes of both street and household cuisine.
School Street Food. Outsideevery elementary and highschool, vendors cluster, purveying food children like to buyat recess time and afterschool, pushing carts ingeniously designed for their goods.
Fooo All> FLAYOIIS
· fruits. There are even vans or kombis from which one can buy rice, soup, various lunch dishes -  all in plastic bags. This street food is not, however, eaten on the busy Makati streets, but taken up the building to one's desk.
The Transportation Center. The transportation hub, where hungry travellers come and go, is one of the prime centers for street food. At every stop bus passengers do not need to get off to get something to eat, since vendors push their baskets and wares into the windows, or get on the bus nimbly (avoiding the bus conduc­ tors who would shoo them out) to offer sweet rolls, hard-boiled eggs, packaged chips and such - and the specialties of the town. Thus one could do a survey of regional specialties from a bus window, e.g.: ensaimada at Malolos, Bulacan; puto at Bii\an, Laguna; tupig in the Docos provinces; bukayo in the Pangasinan towns; pill candies in Biko!; chicharron at Baliwag, etc., on through Luzon, the
Visayas, and Mindanao.
At the large urban centers like Cebu City, Davao City, and in Manila, Quiapo and Cubao, there is street food round the clock. At Cubao, for example, bus, jeepney, tricycle and pedestrian traffic converge and criss-cross, and a plethora of street food keeps eve­ ryone fed at any time of the day.
From about 4 to 10 p.m., the merienda and going-home crowd are the customers. Right on EDSA, a principal highway, at the Farmer's Market, where buses disgorge and load passengers, ven­ dors stand on thestreet, near rows of edibles on the sidewalk: vari• colored iced drinks faintly flavored with pineapple, coconut and strawberry; green mangoes fresh-peeled per customer, to dip in salt or bagoong; peanuts boiled or fried; whole peeled, or sliced fresh
pineapple in plastic bags; and especially balut and  barbecue, which
deserve and will be given special attention.
As one turns the comer into Aurora Boulevard, the main artery of Cubao, the barbecue stands parade and proliferate, along with fruit (apples, oranges, native fruit in season) and snack stalls. One turns a comer into a side street where buses load up, and finds large wheeled carts serving as mini-restaurants.
Couples preside over large pots of chicken or tripe porridge (arroz
caldo; goto); and three or four people sit on the bench facing, with the cart as table. Dishes are washed in pails and basins on the sidewalk.
IIAU1I' TO WIECUE: ffll!Et1'()()()
1be sellers of boiled com have baskets lined with cloth and plastic (to keep the com wann) mounted on carts, with containers for the husks, hangers for the forks with which to show the customer how good the ear is, and comparbnents for plastic bags.
Those who sell "ice-drops" (fruit-flavored popsides) and ice cream have carts with insulated wells for the popsides or the different ice cream flavors, and containers for cones and bread (for "ice cream sandwiches"). Playfu], with folk colors and designs are those that sell "dirty" ice-o-eam - so called by generations of children whose mothers told them: "Don't buy ice cream from those carts; it'sdirty" -  and whobought it anyway, because of the
· W\usual flavors (com, ubt, cheese) and the minimal prices. Less colorful, but safer and more pleasing to mothers are the "establish­ ment" ice-creams like Magnolia, made by the largest Philippine food corporation.
1be vendors of "ice-scramble" install ice-graters cranked by hand, containers for shaved ice, and for the colored syrups. 1he fishball carts have woks sitting on gas burners, stands for the fishballs on skewers, and a special compartment holding bottles of dipping sauces - with and without chili. Some have roofs, others have umbrellas. 'The vendors fry, or skewer-and-fry as one orders, and one dips into the sawsauMln while standing aroW\d, or before
walking away. Although many vendors make their own goods (ricecakes, ice cream), the fishballsare madewholesale in Chinatown
or in markets (with shark meat, it is rumored), and the vendor's creativity is limited to the creation of his sawsawan.
Food at Office, Factory and Con.atruction Sites. As soon as ground is broken for a building, food vendors appear. Someset up semi-permanent stalls that serve meals to workers Wltil the con­ struction is completed. Others appear at meal and snack times, as they do at break and going-home times at factories.
A special variant of street food has appeared in urban Makati. 'The office buildings that face Ayala Avenue, the prime location, constitute what has been called Manila's Wall Street. 'lbeir glass, steel and concrete facades remind one of any big city in the world. Behind many of them, however, at lunchtime, gather food vendors
- motorized this time. There are jeepneys or small vans, from the back of which one can buy sandwiches, Chinese dumplings (sionuii), steamed filled Chinese bread (siopaol, noodles, cookies,
8Al.l1T TO IIAAIIEOJE: MJl'l'IE STllfETFOOO
There used to be as well pushcart restaurants that would roll up, and unload on the sidewalk tables, benches, plates, giis stove, washing paraphernalia, and small display stand for noodles, adobo, fried fish, rice, and other dishes. For a few hours they would be sidewalk restaurants, then would load up and roll away into the night. Although the practice has passed in Cubao, they still exist elsewhere.
Tili.s operation goes on till 10 or 11, at which time "dining" ends, and the carts are supposed to be wheeled home. Actually, they are pushed a block or two away, where they "park" away from the eyes of the police, to return the next day. These carts
have permits from City Hall, or, in the provinces, what are called "tickets," signifying payment made to ma.rket, barangay, or police authorities, but they are often harassed for bribe money (as all vendorsare). Regulations require that they have wheels, to indicate· that they are not to stay, but some do stay, some make only token
moves, and others have stayed on so long that their wheels have rotted and are no longer usable.
From 10 or 11 to 4 a.m. omes the midnight shift, and from 4 to about 11 the breakfast shift - other carts, serving perhaps porridge, but also boiled eggs, perhaps fried soy bean curd, coffee, sometimes noodles. "We have to have wheels; we have to leave to give way to others," said a vendor. ''We also get harassed by the police, even taken to City Hall. But we pay up and return; this is the only way we know to earn a living."
The daytime shift sells mostly snacks; at 4 the heavy selling begins all over again.
Barbecue. Skewered chicken and pork barbecue are a special feature of the afternoon-to-eveningshifts. In the 1950sonly chicken legs, thighs and breasts, and pork chunks used to be barbecued. In the economic crisis of the 70s, however, almost every part of the pig and chicken came to be used: pigs' ears and intestines; chicken wings, necks, feet, heads, tails, combs, even intestines, meticulously cleaned and looped on thin skewers.
These came to have "pop" names spontaneously given by buyers and sellers, which journalists and their readers (especially those who never ate in the streets) found intensely amusing: Adidas (the shoe brand) for chicken feet; PAL (Philippine Air Lines) for wings; Walkman (the audiocassette recorder with earphones) for
Fooo Altl FLAvORs
pigs' ears; helmet for cocks' combs; IUD for the chicken intestines (because that is what they looked like).
The stands in rows, each with piles of ready, half-cooked, skewered parts, a grill with live coal on which to roast them when purchased, and a row of bottles of dipping sauces (sour, sweet­ sour, hot), are each manned (or womanned) by one person who cooks (heats and browns), fans the coals to keep them alive, sells, and makes change - all in a haze of smoke that wafts the flavors along the street and entices customers. This community, barbecue country indeed, is echoed in miniature on smaller streets, in res­ idential areas, alongside markets, etc.
The Balut Vendor. This deserves a separate category, al­ though balut is sold all the time and everywhere - on streets, at stalls, outside movie houses, outside nightclubs and discos, in markets; by vendors walking, sitting, or squatting; at midnight and early dawn, at breakfast, lunch, merienda and dinner time. My first introduction to thesoundsof Manila as a student, wasbeingwakened by the early morning vendor calling "Baluu-u-u-ut" along MayhaHgue Street in Sta. Cruz.
Balut is a fertilized duck's egg, boiled, and eaten by cracking the wide end, making a hole, sprinkHng in a little salt, sipping the broth, and then cracking the whole open to savor the red yolk and the tiny chick inside. The perfect balut, to the Filipino, is 17 days old, at which stage the chick is still wrapped in white (balut sa puti), and does not show beak or feathers (Vietnamese and Chinese like their balut older, the chick larger). A Pateros balut-maker explains that the best specimens are sold to his special customers, who become coMoisseurs and will have nothing older or younger than perfection. (In the U.S. it is usually sold at 16 days, so as to be less threatening to those unused to this cultural experience.) Older specimens (the balut continue to grow until boiled) are sold to ambulant night-time vendors, whose customers are not so partic­ ular or steady, and the 19-day holdovers (chicks almost ready to hatch) are sold only by bus terminal vendors, who will never see their customers again, will not hear recriminations, or form friend­ ships with them.
Balut ls popularly believed to be an aphrodisiac, or at least to have invigorating powers, and so is sold even in the late eve­ nings and early mornings. It is always carried around in padded
8AU1T TO 8ARBECll£: flHU'l'INE sntfETFOOO
baskets, so that the eggs are kept wa.rm, and the seller supplies as well rock salt in little twists of paper, and chili-flavored vinegar, if desired.
Some years back one vendor in Cubao started to sell fried balut. 1hese were cracked eggs, which couldn't be sold as balut, since the broth had seeped out. She peeled them, rolled them in flour, fried them in her cart, and served them in bowls with a little salt, vinegar and chili. Now the fried balut or penoy (the unfertilized egg) are the current fad: rolled in orange-colored batter, fried, and sold all over Cubao; eaten from the little bowls, while standing up and fine-tuning the flavor to one's taste by adding condiments.
Somewhat related to balut is the day-old chick. Poultries only keep female chicks to grow into fryers; male chicks used to be dumped into the sea -  until someone fried them whole, into what is sometimes called "super-chicks" or "Day-0." 'These too are sold in streets and carts -  and at beer places, as pulutan.
Balut is, as poet Tom Agulto says, deeply imbedded in Phil­ ippine food culture. It is practical, inexpensive, nutritious, and available in all seasons. Prices change only slightly according to place and time. "One can call it," he believes, "the national street food of the Philippines."
Reasons for Street Food. It obviously fills a need. ln a coun­ try where the restaurant tradition is young, and the economic conditions are poor, publiceating isdone on thestreets. Street food is for workers or passersby who cannot afford restaurants, or to go home to eat. It is for the traveller, the wanderer, the worker who keeps odd hoursor hasno food waiting at home; for schoolchildren who haveonly 15-minute class breaks; for the husband or wife who does not want to go home empty-handed, or has no time to create home-cooked meals.
The Economic Factor. Of the factors that make street food a lifestyle in the Philippines, the most visible one is economic. A street food operation is a small, fast, cash operation. A rice-cake seller in Hagonoy, Bulacan, for example, invests P250-P300 in the materials for a day's sale, and makes it all back by the afternoon, with about PlOO profit, and with the family fed with some of his/ her wares. A two-caldero carinderia in front of a Davao home
BAUIT TO BARBf<llE: PHIJl'PIE Sf1IEl'OOO
basic agricultural and riverine communities in which Philippine culture developed, there was a dependence among members of a community - for the plowing and planting of fields, for the mend­ ing or setting of nets, for harvesting and winnowing. The family groupings became communities; the communities felt lilce families. The homes extended to the streets, where couJd be found the space in which to sit and chat with neighbors, to play games, to dry pallly, to mend fishnets, to work on pots and baskets, to eat and celebrate. At some fiestas even today, tables are set up in the streets for everyone. Celebrations in small houses without backyards, extend frontward, to the street Urban congestion and traffic may have eliminated this in cities, but the spirit often remains, and there is a congeniality among the vendors and consumers of street food that suggests rootedness in earlier times.
The process of producing and selling food seems to have begun in the tabu, the transient, evanescent early morning market on streets and at crossings, to which one brought what one grew, caught, made, or cooked. The sellers were all ambulant, without permanent stalls, and brought their goods in baskets and pots, on foot or in carts or on horseback. Chinese traders brought their "imported" goods, or their cooking, which rapidly became indigenized. This seems to be where street food began - and continued (and continues, in the provinces), thus filling the spaces consecrated by the culture as communal.
Street food in the Philippines is thus not only a convenience for busy working people with no time to cook, or an economic phenomenon for hard times in a developing country. It is also and especially a communal gathering rooted in a sense of the street as communal space, in an understanding of meals as movable in time, as flexible feasts that make their own spaces and shape their own meanings - in home or village or street.
Fooo AIC> FLAVORS
supplies the day's meals for the family, enough cash profit for the next day's capital, and a little extra.
No credit is needed; no credit is given. Manpower needs are minimal and family-contained; the only skills required are those of cooking and selling (although the designing and building of carts demonstrates considerable skill and flair), and these are acquired without formal education. It is a day-to-day, cash-to-cash, person­ to-person, small enterprise suitable for developing countries like the Philippines, in which a large portion of the population is below the poverty line, and constitutes the potential sellers and buyers of street food.
The Cultural Factors. One cultural factor operating in the street food phenomenon is the Filipino idea of a meal. The Filipino meal is named according to the time of the day in which it is taken: agahan for umaga,morning; tanghalian for tanghali, noontime; hapunan for hap<m, afternoon/evening. Each meal has considerable leeway of time, and also of space - home, in which there was no special room for dining; field or forest, to which one carried food -  and of character. (Adobo or pancit are breakfast, lunch, dinner, and meriemla food; few dishes are bound to particular meals.)
This makes food out in the open, in the market or street or field, not unusual or strange, not at odds with the meal indoors or at home. And if the home meal can be extended to the street, so certainly can the restaurant meal. (One of the more popular restau­ rants for taxi drivers in Quezon City is under a tree, from which hang bunches of bananas for dessert.) Most Filipinos are therefore quite comfortable with street food - except perhaps those who have been brought up with strict Western ideas about propriety of place and strictness of sanitation.
There is, of course, a concept of meals as stopping points, as landmarks of the day. Major meals are necessary to ease or to prevent hunger, but between them one may eat to "tide over" hunger: pantawid gutom, literally to "cross over" between hungers, to bridge them. The snacks on the street fill this function, and perhaps that is why they are not considered "serious" meals and are given "unserious" names like Adidas, helmet and Walkman.
The Filipino idea of community may also explain why meals outdoors, in the streets, among strangers, are comfortable.  In the
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pplrwrd · 1 year
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PASTILLAS DE LECHE
The other day, I found myself craving for something sweet. Being lazy didn't really help considering most desserts required a lot of work to make. That's when I realized that there was one fool-proof dessert that i knew how to make. A relatively easy but delicious dessert called pastillas. Of course being a dessert, this caters to the people who have a sweet tooth.
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Besides this delicacy being able to appease the cravings of your sweet tooth, plus its relatively cheap ingredients, it is quite easy to turn it into a business opportunity.
It is known to have originated in San Miguel, Bulacan. Originally made by farmers who had tended to cows. It was once called "pastillas de leche" which in English is translated to "milk pills" or "milk tablets". Despite its noticeably Spanish name, the dessert is said to still have originated within the Philippines. Within the province of San Miguel, a pastillas festival is held every single year where they wrap these candies in colorful and decorative wrapping paper called "pabalat" which is Tagalog for "wrapper".
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Traditionally made with carabao milk, it is safe to say that creating authentic pastillas de leche candies would be hard and fairly more time consuming. However, Filipinos have a recipe that does not require using carabao milk that is hard to find in most stores. The recipe requires only 3 ingredients which are milk powder, condensed milk and white sugar.
The recipe used with make about twenty 2-inch tablets. It calls for the following:
1 cup of powdered milk
⅓ cup of condensed milk
⅕ cup of white sugar
The first step to making this delicacy is to add 1 cup of milk powder into a large bowl to prevent spilling.
Next is to pour your ⅓ cup of condensed milk gradually while mixing it together with your milk powder.
Mix it for a while preferably with a fork, whisk or any utensil that doesn't restrict too much movement until the mixture begins to resemble a shaggy dough.
When it resembles a dough like texture, kneed it with your hands until it becomes smooth. Next, shape your candies, you can do it traditionally like tablets or you can make them into small spheres.
Lastly, prepare your sugar in a deep container as to prevent spilling and roll your freshly made pastillas into your white sugar.
That's it! You just made pastillas!
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robbielewis · 1 year
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EFL Carabao Cup
Final - Southhampton 0 Newcastle 1
Joelinton (03) strikes!
+5 Stoppage time
Magpies show their gratitude to the visiting fans at St. Mary's.
HUZZAH!
With a seldom used cart Cedric put Coffeepot to work today delivering milk churns to some of our neighbours. We do a lot of trading/bartering with many of the properties around the district.
Coffeepot did well! He needed the exercise too!
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