Ode to Comfort Food
I always get these funny looks from people because I keep my watch set at Manila time. It was convenient for a while, since Cinci was exactly 12 hours away (without DST), it hardly made much of a difference. And with the amount of travel that I do, it just felt like a good way to keep being connected to home. Home for me is, has and always will be Manila. Like they say, home is where the heart is.But moving now to Brussels, maybe there is space for a second time zone close to my heart. I've adjusted quite well to moving here. Doesn't hurt I got salary in Euros for the first time last week. :o) And last Saturday, I discovered the best thing... a Chinese supermarket. A huuuuge one. And not just any Chinese supermarket, they have practically everything I could ever want!
I spent a couple of hundred euros stocking up my pantry... Lee Kum Kee sauces, even Mang Tomas, Philippines sardines, sago, coconut milk, kaong, Mama Sita's sauce mixes, Q bihon... So funny that I travel halfway around the world and find all this stuff. Comfort food. Le sigh.
So yesterday, after getting tired of restaurant and travel food for the last few weeks, there I am in the kitchen (and for those who know me, this rarely happens) whipping up a storm. First up, lechon kawali (deep fried pork belly). I have no idea if the meat itself tasted good since I practically drowned it in Mang Tomas sarsa (gravy) but yum yum yum, I was in heaven. My culinary skills are practically non-existent but thank God for sauces to camouflage everything else.
Of course, this was after my hands got little boils from being splashed by hot greasy oil when it started splattering everywhere (stove, walls, floor, my hands...). Doubt I will do it again soon (the pain, the pain) but it was oh so worth it...
For dinner, I had chicken with black bean sauce. And today I'm making adobo and maybe some sinigang (tamarind) or sibut (um... black chicken?) soup. Damn, I couldn't be happier. Now if only I could get the recipe for Jollibee Chicken Joy gravy. :o)
Sounds so weird that I've finally moved my watch to Belgian time because of food. But no place can ever be truly home unless I can eat the food I like, which isn't all the time (sometimes yes :o) in a nice fancy Michelin star restaurant. Like any relationship, it's in the small things...
posted by moan @ 6:50 PM
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