Walking the streets of the The Village in the early spring of 1995 with Lola Doreen, Johnny and Ronnie Alejandro towards a new restaurant, the discussion was on when she would do an update of LASA. I agreed of course and said that I myself was looking forward to it, she looked at me and smiled then told me that I should do it. I laughed of course because I thought she was kidding then she said that I should if I wanted to and that it wouldn’t be problem. I just smiled and never brought up the subject again. That’s my most favorite memory of her - the moment when I saw in her eyes that she believed, believed in me and trusted me enough to even suggest that I continue her work. I still get a bit flushed when I remember that moment
Do I regret not taking her up on her offer? Part of me will always be. Maybe I should have because she would be there to teach me. I always wanted her to be my teacher but I decided to go to another university because of the area of studies I wanted to take. Come to think of it that’s the second food related offer I’ve declined. My Dad once offered to send me to culinary school abroad instead of finishing my studies at University. His intention was that I would cook all of his meals if I took him up on his offer. He wasn’t kidding. I cook only for the following reasons - when I’m inspired, stressed and especially when I have the urge to feed the people I love. Do I regret it? A bit because I would have loved to improve my technique. I think though that my Mom training my palate is more than enough. Skill you can teach but one’s palate is honed from childhood.
My starting this blog isn’t about continuing Lola Doreen’s work because I will never be able to match the beauty of her words. Her language is exquisite and it is meant to be savoured over and over again like a bowl of sinigang whose sour salty soup faintly sweetened by ripe tomatoes awaken ones senses and comforts the soul.
I’m prompted to write primarily as a guide for my son Jose whose palate was baptized with ginger, garlic and calamansi when he was still in the womb. They say that a fetus starts developing taste buds as early as 5 months which explains a lot since his favorite foods are arroz caldo, paksiw or sinigang na bangus and adobo. Later on, every time he reads the books of his Great Grand Aunt he will feel like he has come home.
When I was pregnant I started writing a journal I called “A Gastronomic Guide for My Unborn Child” and I was able to write a couple of entries but I failed to continue it after Popcorn (Jose’s name before we knew his gender) was born. This is a continuation of that journal now done online and it will be writings on food and everything related to it - recipes, cooking, restaurants, places, memories, movements, etc.
I’m thinking as a project it would be fun to revisit some of the restaurants featured in the last issue of LASA and see if they’ve stood the test of time. Let’s see if I can go to a couple soon.
LEAH - The Wandering Wonderer
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