Eto, magpe-Pebrero na tayo at hindi ko pa nalimbag ang roundup nitong Lasang Pinoy 4.5! Inabot na ng Lasang Pinoy 6. Nakakahiya ah! Kaya nga Tinagalog ko na — este, Taglish pala, kasi hindi rin naman perpekto ang Tagalog ko…. pero para na rin hindi maintindihan ng mga kanong pinakamalaking porsyento ng bisita ko dito, hehehe….. at ayoko rin naman kasing parang nagpapahangin ng maruming labada (haha, tama bang pagsasalin ‘yun?).

Pero hindi lang ‘yan ang dahilan kaya naging Tagalog ‘tong post na ‘to. Nitong ilang linggong nakaraan, marami akong napasyalang food blog na sa katutubong wika nakasulat, at naisip ko, bakit iisa lang yata ang food blog na Pinoy ang salita? ‘Yung kay Manong Roy (okey, so hindi purong food ‘yon, pero masarap pa rin!). Hindi naman masama na Ingles ang mga food blog natin. Tama rin naman kasi nga global ang mambabasa natin, kaya maganda global din ‘yung lengguwahe. Lalo pa ‘ala namang pagsasaling-Tagalog ang Gugel. Pero siguro lalong mas maganda kung paminsan-minsan sa katutubong wika tayo magsulat, ano sa tingin n’yo? Ako matutuwang magbasa ng mga katha sa Panggalatok, Chabacano, atbp. kahit hindi ko naiintindihan. Iniisip n’yo na siguro, ano bang kinalaman nitong pinagsasasatsat ko dito sa Lasang Pinoy 4.5? Kasi sama-sama na siguro lahat ng naramdaman ko tungkol sa isyung ‘to n’ong lumabas ‘yang pangongopyang ‘yan. Ang isa pang naka-kalabit nitong pagdidili-dili ko eh ‘yung e-mail na nakailang ikot na sa buong mundo at natanggap ko — na naman — n’ong isang araw…. (susunod na ‘yung link)…

Pagpasens’yahan n’yo na ‘ko dahil Sikolohiya ang natapos ko. Madalas kong nai-u-ugnay ang mga gawain natin sa pag-iisip at pagkatao natin. Kaya sana naman ay mapagbigyan n’yo ang pagmumuni-muni ko dito….

Bakit nga ba kailangan nating mangopya? Hindi ba sangkatutak ang Pilipinong mahuhusay sa pagkatha, pagguhit, atbp.? (Pag nagbabasa nga ako ng mga sinulat ng ibang Pinoy nanliliit ako sa hiya eh.) ‘Yan lang ‘yung mga kilala. Napakarami ng mga hindi nababanggit sa d’yaryo o sa telebisyon pero hindi ibig sabihin n’on na walang halaga ang kanilang ginawa. Bakit sa dinami-dami ng likas na talino at kahusayan ng Pinoy, hindi pa rin maiwasan ang pangongopya? Hindi kaya dahil kulang tayo sa kumpiyansa sa ating sarili at sa kaya nating gawin? O baka naman simpleng katamaran lang talaga? Ang mahirap kasi hindi lang likas na ‘yan sa ugali ng ibang tao, kundi kinukunsinti pa ng mga taong nasa katayuan para labanan at pigilin ‘yang ganyang gawain. Sige, korni ngang pakinggan ang “Pinoy pride”, pero anong mangyayari sa mga kabataang Pinoy kung ganyan ang nakikita nilang halimbawa ng mga nasa paligid nila? Magsisilaki na lang ba sila na kung ano ang madaling paraan ay ‘yun ang pipiliin? ‘Yung hindi kailangang magbanat ng buto? Hindi kailangang mahirapan? Hindi kailangang gamitin ang kukote at mga kamay? At paano ba namang mapupukaw ‘yang ganyang hangarin sa kabataan kung ang panggagaya at pangongopya ay bahagi na ng araw-araw na pamumuhay? Kailangan bang pekeng Gucci ang suot natin para tayo mapansin? Kailangan bang napanood natin ang pinakabagong pelikula at nakakain tayo sa pinakabagong kainan? Ilang halimbawa lang ‘yan.

Hindi lang pangongopya. ‘Yun ding palagay ng ilan sa atin na maaari nating pagsamantalahan ang isa’t-isa at okey lang dahil maliit naman, kung meron man, ang parusa. Oo nga, hindi ito nangyayari sa Pinoy lamang, pero dahilan ba ‘yan para pabayaan natin at kunsintihin? Kung hindi matuturuan ang kabataan ngayon na hindi ganito ang tamang pakikisama sa kapuwa, ano sa palagay natin ang mangyayari sa kinabukasan? Marami sa atin ang umaasa na mababago pa ang Pilipinas. Pero sino bang niloloko natin? Ang malaking pagbabago ay nagsisimula muna sa maliit.

Kung sakaling hindi n’yo pa nalalaman, ang blogging event na Lasang Pinoy ay hindi lang tungkol sa pagkain. Kalakip na nito ang pagmamahal sa ating kasaysayan. Kasunod na rin d’yan na kung mahal natin ang sarili natin at ang ating kapuwa, hindi tayo kailangang magsamantala sa isa’t isa. Maaari tayong magtulungan. Kung baga kay Stephen Covey eh ‘yung tinatawag na “win-win”. Bago tayo makaimpluwens’ya ng maganda sa mundo, kailangang mag-umpisa sa sarili, sa pamilya, sa lipunan, sa bansa. Maliit lang itong Lasang Pinoy kung iisipin ang libu-libong problema ng Pilipinas. Pero kahit man lang dito sa food blogosphere ay may maidulot tayong kabutihan.

Kung may nakikita tayong pagkain na nakapahayag sa paborito nating Pinoy food blogger, hindi ba ang pinakamabulaklak na pagpuri ay ang paghahanda ng lutuing ito, at pagsasabi sa kinauukulan na nagustuhan natin ang resetang ibinigay n’ya? Hindi rin tayo kailangang mambola. ‘Yung hindi lang tayo mang-agrabyado ng kapuwa, kadalasan, ay sapat nang pasasalamat.

Marami tayong lutong Pinoy na hindi kilala ng kapuwa Pinoy. Marami tayong pagkain na hindi alam ihanda at lutuin ng kabataan ngayon. Naniniwala ako na ang pagkain ay isa sa unang-unang paraan para makilala ng isang tao ang kanyang lahi at kultura. Naiintindihan ko ang kagustuhang sumubok at tumikim at magluto ng pagkaing banyaga, ganyan din ako. Huwag lang nating kalilimutan ang pagkaing Pinoy. Hindi na natin kailangang i-kumpara pa sa luto ng mga Thai o ng mga Pranses, atbp. Ang lutong Pinoy ay Lasang Pinoy, masarap at maipagmamalaki. At kung inyong mapapansin, ang salita at pagkain, magkahawak-kamay din.

Ginawa ni Celia (English Patis) ang kalaway-laway na Chestnut Squares ni Stel (Baby Rambutan).

Niluto naman ni Sha (WanderlustSha) ang Paksiw na Pata ni Lani (Lei Orchid).

Halu-halo ang napiling ihanda ni JMom (In Our Kitchen) — hindi ang halu-halong panghimagas at pang-minindal, kundi halu-halong luto ng iba’t-ibang Pinoy food blogger! Mala-piyesta! Basahing mabuti ang kuwento ng bawa’t putahe.

Naiibang Chico Lassi naman ang inihanda ni Kai (Bucaio), galing kay Boo (Masak Masak) na taga-Malaysia.

Matingkad na lila ang Puto Bungbong ni Kayli (Ang Sarap Talaga/Pinay in Singapore) na kuha ng mahusay na litratistang si Jeff (Dubai Chronicles).

At katakam-takam ang Pansit ni Scanns na luto ni Mang Mike.

Hayan! Makikita n’yo naman na hindi ganoon kahirap ang humingi ng pahintulot bago humiram o gumamit ng pinaghirapan ng iba. Mababait naman kaming food bloggers, sa maniwala kayo’t hindi:D!

Maraming salamat sa mga nakiramay sumali. Kahit na nagkalat tayo sa daigdig, sama-sama pa rin sa blogosphere, o di ba? S’ya, sabi ni Miss Ting magluto na kayo ng pulutan at kumain na tayo!

Hanggang sa susunod na kabanata ng Lasang Pinoy….

It was supposed to be a labor-intensive dish to celebrate St. Honorat’s feastday. St. Honorat(us) founded a monastery in France — the place is now called Ile St. Honorat — and the dish associated with him that Ernst Schuegraf (Cooking with the Saints) describes sounds decadent and luscious. But after hubby bought the lobster I just couldn’t see myself pushing through with a multi-stepped lobster creation. Homard St. Honorat is basically lobster with a cream-and-brandy sauce — the lobster is cooked, taken out of its shell, and sauced. Buttered rice is spooned into the lobster shell, the lobster pieces put back on top and fried oysters go on the lobster (yeah, my mouth watered just typing that). Couldn’t handle this amidst all the housecleaning and packing. [Incidentally, I tried to find out more information about the recipe and the saint, but there wasn't much. If you have any info about the dish and why its connection to St. Honorat, I'd be very grateful for your help!]

So…. I made instead this simple dish that takes but minutes to prepare.

Boil some water in a pot large enough to accommodate a lobster (or two).
Take your lobsters and plunge them head down into the water. Cook for 3 minutes.
Take it/them out of the water and drain.
Let cool for a few minutes, then take a sharp knife and halve the lobster(s) down the middle.
Lay the halves on a baking sheet/roasting pan.
Drizzle with heavy cream and season with salt and pepper.
Broil for 5 minutes or until cream is bubbly and lobster is *just* cooked through.

Now, wouldn’t you agree that’s marvelously stress-free?

Today, my kids and I are reading about Martin Luther King, Jr., so we’ve cooked up some African-American dishes to go with our studies: greens and beans! There are LOTS of African-American dishes that we love, esp. pickled shrimp, crab boil, and ham biscuits, but we are also moving in a few weeks so I’ve limited myself to what can be prepared using up things in my stash.

My recipe is a modernized version of boiled greens, and it’s simple and quick! Chop up some kale, or collards, or mustard greens, and let soak for a few minutes in a pot or other large container of cold water. Agitate the water every once in a while to get rid of any grit that may be clinging to the leaves. While the greens are soaking, fry up a bit of chopped bacon (I used some natural bacon here, no nitrites, etc.), until nice and crisp. Remove bacon from skillet using a slotted spoon and let drain on paper towels. Discard the fat except for a tablespoon or so. Lift the greens out of their soaking water, carefully so you don’t disturb the sand and grit that has sunk to the bottom of the pot. Cook in the bacon fat, just until cooked through but still vibrantly green. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Serve hot, with the crisp bacon sprinkled on top.

The beans are easy to prepare as well. I don’t know what the connections are between the famous Boston baked beans and Southern beans but I do know this — the combination of tomato-molasses-mustard is brilliant. My hubby could have this for breakfast every single day! Take some beans. If they’re dried, then you’ll have to pre-cook them; soak them first so they soften a bit, then boil/simmer in water for a couple of hours — some cooks like doing it overnight in a crockpot/slow cooker, until they’re tender. Drain, then return to the pot, adding molasses, brown sugar, some ketchup, a bunch of chopped onions, more tomatoes in some form or other like tomato sauce or pureed tomatoes, ground mustard, salt and freshly ground black pepper, some hot sauce if you like. I prefer a touch of red wine vinegar as well, to cut the sweetness. Some cooks use corn syrup as an additional sweetener but I’ll leave that up to you. Cook on the stovetop, or in the oven in a casserole or crock made for this purpose — I *love* bean pots. Of course, the not-so-secret ingredient is bacon or salt pork, which you’ve pre-cooked so the fat renders — you add this to the pot along with the other flavorings, where it adds richness to the dish.

I have two favorite African-American cookbooks, one is the famous Abby Fisher’s, and the other is The Welcome Table by Jessica Harris, wherein she writes:

Food is so much a part of our lives that at times it seems as though a Supreme Being created all African-Americans from a favorite recipe. There was a cupful of cornmeal to link us with Native Americans, a rounded tablespoon of biscuit dough for Southern gentility, a mess of greens and a dozen okra pods for our African roots, and a good measure of molasses to recall the tribulations of slavery. [snip] In short, we’ve created a culinary universe: one where an ample grandmother presides over a kitchen in which the pungent aroma of greens mixes with the molasses perfume of pralines and the bubbling from a big iron gumbo pot punctuates her soft humming. This is a universe where Aunt Jemima takes off her kerchief and sits down at the table; Uncle Ben bow his head and blesses the food; and Rastus, the Cream of Wheat man, tells tall tales over a taste of whiskey. Here the warmth of the kitchen is tempered by both the formality of the dining room and the love of a family that spans generations and crosses bloodlines. With the improvisational genius that gave the world jazz, we have cooked our way into the hearts, minds, and stomachs of a country.

No, MLK Jr’s dream may not have been fully realized yet, but our pots of greens and beans are tangible reminders of the work that he, along with Rosa Parks, Harriet Tubman and many others, began. My personal hope is that they will continue to inspire us in our journey too.

Our homeschooling group has chosen Mozart as Composer of the Month, so I’ve been doing some sleuthing.

Interesting tidbit: Bruno Nettl (professor of music and anthropology emeritus at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and a founder and past president of the Society for Ethnomusicology) muses about Mozart being the “sweet” composer. He talks about how there are sweets (Mozartkugeln, Mozartkrapfen) and sweetshops named after Mozart, but not other composers, except for Schubert who has his own Krapfen.

Mozart is the sweet composer, there are sweets, sweet liqueurs, sweet wines, at least four sweetshops in North America, desserts in Viennese cookbooks, all named for him. None for Beethoven; all I could find was a meat-and-potatoes restaurant on the coast, and a piano moving company in New York. (snip) The idea of the composer who writes easily, doesn’t have to try, for whom problems are solved, as it were, by divine inspiration, in whose music each phrase seems the only logical successor to the one you’ve just heard, all this correlates with the idea of sweets, which go down easily and represent for us a certain seamlessness. For Mozart we are sometimes inclined to think, composing was easy as pie, or a piece of cake. – from Aesthetics: The Big Questions

Why is Mozart a composer of “sweet” music? It is sweets, and particularly chocolate, that “go down easily”, provide no obstacles. Perhaps most among the music of the great masters, Mozart’s gives the impression of ease, flowing naturally, moving without obstacle. – from Disciplining Music: Musicology and Its Canons

Here’s a company that sells Mozart chocolates:

Reber Chocolates at mostlychocolate.com