Memento - A Picture Tells A Thousand Words

Are You Eating Your Vegetables?

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Mabuhay Festival 2009
Metro Toronto Convention Center

"You Can Take the Pinoy out from the Philippines, but not the Philippines out from the Pinoy" - Anonymous

My answer to the question is (sheepishly) a "no".

I have a tendency to sift through my salad and pick and choose. I start with the beans, then the nuts, then the light green leafs come next and lastly the dark green big leafy leaves. Yes, in that order. If I can get away with it, I will leave some leaves and say I'm full.

Just like a kid.

So what did we do in our house? We made a way to ensure that we get the daily requirement of veggies and fruits. We drink a glass of fruit shake, especially during these "summer-y" days and have allotted several meals a week that is just for salads and veggies. No, we haven't announced "Martial Law" in our household. :) Not yet.

So yesterday, both of us working from home, we both decided to have pizza. Guess what the toppings are? no pepperoni, no salami, no sausage, all veggies and slabs of goat cheese - Pizza ala Marguerita.

Yum!

That reaction will not be the same 20-25 years ago.

I am transformed!

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There was a time that when you google "Bahay Kubo" lyrics, you will with 90% certainty land in Memento because of this blog entry 5 years ago. Nowadays, this page is not even on the top 3 Search result pages.

But if you research for the English version of Bahay Kubo and its lyrics, there is nothing more complete than the one hereunder: (May etymology pa yan sa baba)

Bahay kubo, kahit munti
Ang halaman doon, ay sari sari
Singkamas at talong, sigarilyas at mani
Sitaw, bataw, patani.

Kundol, patola, upo't kalabasa
At saka mayr'on pang labanos, mustasa,
Sibuyas, kamatis, bawang at luya
Sa paligid-ligid ay puno ng linga.

"Bahay Kubo" in English:

Nipa hut, even though it is small
The plants it houses are varied
Turnip and eggplant, winged beans and peanut
String beans, hyacinth beans, lima beans.

Wax gourd, loofah, white pumpkin and squash,
And there is also radish, mustard,
Onion, tomato, garlic, and ginger
And all around are sesame seeds.

If you are a nerd, here are their scientific names:

o singkamas = jicama (Mexican turnip)
o sigarilyas = winged bean (Psophocarpus tetragonolobus, from the Spanish seguidillas)
o bataw = lablab bean (Dolichos lablab)
o kundol = wax gourd (Benincasa hispida)
o patola = loofah (Luffa acutangula)
o upo = bottle gourd (Lagenaria siceraria) or white pumpkin

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My wife is apprehensive that with my pending trip to the Philippines I will be gorging on lechon kawali or crispy pata. She really knows me well. I miss Pinoy cuisine. Yung mga pambabata- ika nga. Well, I said to myself, nah....I have so much to live for and instead.....here's my challenge to myself:

I plan to eat all of these veggies when I am in the Philippines. Dare me?

***********

More pictures of Toronto's Mabuhay Festival 2009 here.

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