Mmmmm Sarap!

Maybe it is the start of a new year and the talk of resolutions. Maybe it is the fact that I still cannot fit into my pre-pregnancy jeans yet. Maybe it is the comment I received the other week asking if I was expecting our third child. Whatever it might be, I have decided it is time to loose a few pounds. So this morning I made a protein oatmeal concoction from the Insanity Workout menu. I know Allan does not prefer oatmeal for breakfast but he’ll eat it to fill his tummy and satisfy his conscience. But when he came downstairs to eat this morning he took one look at the oatmeal I made and asked “what is that?” He knew I was making oatmeal but perhaps he didn’t recognize it because it was a shade of purple and had red chunks in it. I used frozen berries so it made the oatmeal cold. And it had a distinct taste of fake protein with no added sugar, not exactly food network worthy. After Allan forced down half his bowl I said I’d make him an egg and sausage instead. He first politely declined the offer and said that my oatmeal took his appetite away. J Then I insisted. After he finished the egg and sausage he had a content smile on his face and a twinkle in his eye.

The breakfast incident this morning made me reflect about Filipinos and their love for food. My first clue how important food is to the Filipino culture occurred while Allan and I were dating and when I first met his family. After I first met his family I asked Allan how’d he think it went? Allan said it went good and that his family liked me. I asked why? And he said because I ate their food. Because I ate their food? I thought that was a funny response. He said I made a good first impression because I ate the bagoong and enjoyed it and then asked for seconds. (Bagoong is a Philippine condiment made of partially or completely fermented fish or shrimps and salt.)

My second clue that food was important to the Filipino culture occurred because it is one of the most common topics I receive from other Filipinos when they learn we are raising support to move to the Philippines. “Have you had Filipino food? Do you like it? Which dish do you like the most?” And by the way my husband boasts about me in response. “Oh, she likes bagoong! And she can cook several dishes.”

I think it is funny the response I get from non-Filipinos who learn that I eat and enjoy Filipino cuisine. The most common conclusion I get from non-Filipinos is “oh, that means you’ll be a good missionary.” This makes me chuckle inside because I sincerely doubt that my ability to consume and enjoy bagoong and similar dishes is hardly the standard God will hold me to when He says “well done good and faithful servant.” But their comments do make me think and ask myself “why do I eat Filipino food without hesitation while others are fearful and cling to their familiar chicken dishes?” One, I conclude that there is a country where millions of people eat and love this food, so surely there must be something tasty and desirable about it. Two, I don’t ask for the American translation for the dish. I am often told the name of the dish in Tagalog, so I simply scoop it up on my plate and enjoy without trying to dissect or translate each ingredient into my American palate. And lastly probably the biggest reason I enjoy Filipino food is because of the influence of my husband. Allan has never once hyped up a dish into being some sort of fear factor experience. He has never chuckled or waited in anticipation to see “will Sandi eat it?” Instead when I see him talk about Filipino food he speaks with a smile on his face and a little twinkle in his eye. There is a sense of satisfaction and contentment he receives after eating Filipino food that he certainly doesn’t get from my oatmeal. And I believe that is because there is a sense of comfort, familiarity and memories tied into the cuisine he grew up on. So if a simply dish can bring all of that to my husband, I certainly do not want to miss out on the experience!

I will end with a funny incident that reinforces how peoples enjoyment of food can influence your own experience with that same dish. We were gathered together with Allan’s family for some holiday or birthday celebration. As usual the topic of food came up during conversation over dinner and somehow we got to talking about a specific dish called bulalo. They were explaining to me that one of the main ingredients in the soup is bone marrow. The entire bone is placed in the soup. And one of the best parts about the soup is when you pick up the bone and suck out the marrow. My first reaction when told about this ingredient was fear because this broke one of my unwritten rules, don’t translate Filipino ingredients before you try a dish. But then slowly one by one, each friend and family member sitting at the table started to get the same twinkle in their eye and smile on their face that I often recognize on Allan’s face when he speaks about Filipino food. By the end of the discussion everyone at the table was practically salivating at the comfort, pleasure and familiarity that their memories of bulalo were bringing to mind. Then the conversation turned to a Peruvian dish made of guinea pigs. The smiles faded and the twinkles vanished and in their place was disgust. The general consensus at the table was that they would not try such a disgusting dish. I was laughing inside because how could the same group of people who were salivating over bone marrow, all of a sudden be revolted at the thought of consuming a guinea pig. Perhaps what we needed was a Peruvian to join the conversation to convince us the deliciousness of the dish.

I could try almost any dish if the right person introduced me to it. That content smile and twinkle of the eye is quite persuasive to my taste buds and influential to my tummy. Although one food I have yet to try is balut (fertilized duck eggs/duck embryo), for some reason whenever I am told about balut there is a little chuckle in the air with an unspoken fear factor element. I have yet to find someone describe balut to me with the content smile on their face and twinkle in their eye.