Instead, what we always had were things like homemade peanut butter (enough supply for two months, ugh!), wheat bread (from her suki at Carmen), and buko salad (also homemade, frozen, and good for two months).
But there were lapses in our food restrictions that I didn't understand. For example, we always had longganisa and tocino, and all kinds of cured meats. Plus, we were never restricted on sweets.
I eventually came to the conclusion that these unhealthful breaks in our diet were actually her favorite junk food. Just like my unconditional love for Mr. Chips. I mean, I incorporate it in my lunches as the 'carbohydrate component'.
When I left home for college, I realized that my food knowledge had been limited (damn!) and so my hesitant adventure with food began.
I started with street food like isaw and balut and adidas and taho. I also took to eating vegetable dishes that I normally wouldn't eat at home like ginisang monggo and pinakbet. Then came sweetbreads like pig lung, chicken kidneys, and ox brain. Then I ate a locust (kamaru). And a frog. Tilapia. Salted egg.
But, as daring as my encounters with food had been, I must say that there are some dishes that I probably will not have an appetite for again, unless they're served at a peace treaty dinner or something.
And then there are surprising discoveries of food favorites that are now staples on my weekly menu. One of these is tofu.
From Wikipedia:
Tofu or bean curd[3] is a food made by coagulating soy milk and then pressing the resulting curds into soft white blocks. It is part of East Asian and Southeast Asian cuisine such as Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Indonesian, Vietnamese,[4] and others.[5] There are many different varieties of tofu, including fresh tofu and tofu that has been processed in some way. Tofu has a subtle flavor and can be used in savory and sweet dishes. Tofu has a low calorie count, relatively large amounts of protein, and little fat. It is high in iron and, depending on the coagulant used in manufacturing, may also be high in calcium and/or magnesium.
I think tofu is a funny-looking food. What I mean is, cube-shaped objects are so rare in nature, IF there are any at all. But it's one of the most healthful foods around and I will always have room in my stomach for a block of tofu.
Last Day 11
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| A square meal: red rice, fresh cabbage, kimchi, and soy tofu. |
