Food

Pass the Vegetables, Please
Pass the Vegetables, Please
If you sum up the number of years the three members of my small family have been vegetarian, there would be a septuagenarian chewing vegetables at our dining table. I... Read more...
Lessons from Watermelons
Lessons from Watermelons
My first encounter with a watermelon was not at all ideal. It was on the kitchen counter. I wasn’t tall enough to see the top of the counter itself, so... Read more...
A Feast of Fish on Fridays*
A Feast of Fish on Fridays*
Dear Demoñito,These have been easy days for you in January, as your ward is still recovering from the gluttony of the Christmas holidays. You should know you’re lucky that your... Read more...
Eating Our Way Home
Eating Our Way Home
Many childhood memories revolve around summer vacations. For my large, extended family and me, the last day of school signalled that it was time to take the Grand Trip from... Read more...
The Mighty Matzo Ball
The Mighty Matzo Ball
After some years in Manila, I returned to the Homeland—New York City—looking forward to my first day in Manhattan and a visit to the deli of my dreams. Worried that... Read more...
Halo-Halo Hullabaloo
Halo-Halo Hullabaloo
The magic begins with a crunch that, in the blistering afternoon heat, sounds like salvation. When it infiltrates the house, my cousins and I know it is time to be... Read more...
Simple Joys
Simple Joys
Tokyo. A shopper’s wonderland. My friends are green with envy at my good luck. Sadly, I am not a typical woman. I loathe shopping. Basement food halls, malls, and department... Read more...
Burnt Offering
Burnt Offering
A recent short story I read by a Filipino writer amused me with its description of the barbecue as if it were some solemn religious rite. It rang bells. Certainly,... Read more...
Pistang Pinoy
Pistang Pinoy
The word “fiesta” is Spanish for party, and has been localized as “pista.” One word sums it up—extravagance. The mention of the word alone prompts a physical reaction in any... Read more...
Food Alarm Clocks
Food Alarm Clocks
Since global 24-hour activity has screwed up our circadian rhythms, we are ever more dependent on external stimuli to tell us when it’s time to do something. We might entertain... Read more...
The Sulô Coffee Shop: A Spark in History
The Sulô Coffee Shop: A Spark in History
The essay that follows is an excerpt from a chapter in a book-in-progress by Erlinda Enriquez Panlilio on the Sulo Restaurant, a stand-alone restaurant that was the first to be... Read more...
The Devil’s Invention
The Devil’s Invention
Where would the world be without spice? That pinch of fairy dust that transforms the simplest dish into something other, heightening our senses with their exotic aromas, and adding a... Read more...