Fact is: I survived the holidays and the New Year without any glitches. Yes, Ambo, believe when I say I celebrated the New Year without getting overly sentimental. Well, okay, I felt somewhat homesick but upon hearing my family’s voices thru the phone expunged any traceable longing to go back home. I never thought I could muster months without seeing my family, especially my grandmother who just celebrated her 79th birthday. I have survived the old year’s passing without hearing the cracking of fireworks at our neighbor’s house. This form of survival is beyond critical mass, it is a joyous triumph, after all I’ve survived the post-Thanksgiving Day sales event here in America (imagine getting in line outside a mall at 3 a.m. to be able to grab a real sales treat).
Mr. David Smith was convivial (as he always is) on New Year’s Eve. We were invited to dine with his friends at Biaggi’s (www.biaggis.com), an Italian restaurant. At the restaurant Mr. Smith and I had the difficulty of choosing between two meals - Ziti Al Forno (shrimp and chicken baked in lobster cream sauce with Italian cured ham, red onion and Italian cheese blend) and Veal Parmesan (breaded veal cutlets, fried and then baked with tomato sauce and mozzarella cheese, served with spaghetti with house garlic Alfredo sauce). We chose the former; and what a delectable meal. It is comparable to tasting the wine in Cana. Their Pork Chops Al Forno (marinated pork chops, grilled and topped with mild parmesan and gorgonzola butter. Served with sautéed vegetables and garlic mashed potatoes) which our friend ordered is lip-smacking good, too. Food has been my indulgence since I arrived here. Well, it was; even when I was still in Bacolod, gaining a few pounds because of Grace – that little eatery by the corner of Locsin and Lacson streets which Ambo and I frequented by midnight after work as they serve good fish/pork sinigang, and also there’s Manang Dedeng’s unequaled pork inasal. Whenever my friends tell me I have put on weight, I just sigh and say, “Salamat kay Grace!” Here in America, I am indebted to Mr. Smith for keeping me culturally immersed not only by treating me to the finest performances and festivals in town but also in the matter of fine dining. Our Friday fish fry in a restaurant at Holiday Inn is always something to look forward to.
Mr. Smith hosted a fabulous party a few days after Christmas at his home. A great number of guests came “armed” with their majestic dishes. It’s a pot-luck party. The wines and champagne overflowed as did the gleeful chit-chat. The company was a good distribution, primarily because it was a seemingly international affair as most of the guests have their own roots beyond being an American. But nobody matched the presence of Mr. Smith’s “girls” – one is 102 years old and another is 80-something. The 102-year-old is a jolly lady who still walks unattended and is living alone in her apartment. She’s not the oldest one in the complex though, another lady has just celebrated her 103rd birthday (five centenarians in the complex were honored lately and featured in the news). Records show that United States currently has the largest number of centenarians in the world. Numbers have reached over 55,000 in 2005. Anyway, the party was a success; and, of course, my adobo was such a hit that some of the attendees were asking for the recipe.
I survived the holidays without feeling bloated. The cold weather has kept me from wandering around and food has become a welcome company while I am at home. I have become the king of the microwave oven. And while you are chopping off the ingredients there’s nothing more delightful than watching Bravotv’s Top Chef, a reality-based cooking competition. The stakes are still up for Season Two and I am counting on Elia L. Aboumrad, Marcel Vigneron (with his trademark Son Goku-like hair) and Sam Talbot who was voted as one of the sexiest chefs in NY to make it to the final round. On the other hand, I am a little bit concerned about the mayor. His life is might be in jeopardy. Thanks to YouTube, a plot against the mayor has been exposed. Since “discovering” this site I have unearthed several valuable information or even segments of Philippine shows and movies which I dearly miss. Okay, okay. What about the mayor? If his aide-de-camp has not known about this, then there is a probability that the plot will succeed. I am talking about “Ispageti ni Mayor”. Yes, the threat is the spaghetti: the Filipinos’ favorite food ladies and gentleman. You have to watch it to prove that my claim is sensible enough. Though we don’t know as to which city or town does this mayor belongs to. Nevertheless, it is worth to watch the clip. Enjoy it while it is still HOT!
(I have submitted this article for my column early in January however it has been sitting on the editor's table for weeks without seeing the light. Inquiries about its status remains unanswered. Ha! That made me think something's not right at this time)
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