Lolo Inggo

My lolo died one April, a few days short of my grandparents" 50th wedding anniversary. It was so sudden it took us all by surprise. Though many years have passed, the pain of losing him still hurts...

I dreamt of my Lolo Inggo last night. In my dream, he was his robust old self and just rarin' to see his latest apo (supposedly my newborn daughter). I woke up very happy because that's the only way I get to see him now -- in my dreams.


Inggo was my first grandparent to pass away and it hit me really bad. He was the one closest to me in proximity (we were next-door neighbors) but he was the one farthest from me emotionally. A little on the strict side, he was not very showy in his affections. Still, I knew he loved me in his gruff kind of way.


When he died, I couldn't get over the fact that he was no longer there, that my lolo just ceased to exist. That he wouldn't be there waiting for me at the kanto or by his window when I came home late at night. That I would no longer hear the kalampag of the sandok as he fried rice for my Lola Maria. That he would no longer exchange giggles or tease her unmercifully. And belatedly, I realized I also never told him how much he meant to me.


Until that day, I just assumed that my grandparents would be there forever. Boy, was I in for a rude awakening. When I anaylze things now, however, it seemed that my grandparents waited for major events -- graduation, wedding, the birthdays of their apo sa tuhod-- in my life and shared them with me before they left me. It was as if they were creating positive memories and I reveled in them and made sure they realized how I treasured their love and presence.


But no matter how fond the memories are, there will always be regrets -- that you cannot hold or touch or hug them ever again.


So while we go out and contemplate how Christ died for us, remember also our dear departed ones and don't forget the ones who are still alive and a part of your lives. Spare them a hug, shower them with kisses. Better still, tell them you love them a lot. Good memories start this way...

of childhood memories and kimchi

SOME of my fondest childhood memories were spent watching my Lola Maria make buro (fermented sauces).
       I remember slumping on the table as she would take a clean and empty large bottle and alternately place bangus (which she had rolled into salt) and boiled rice in it. Fascinated, I would watch her patiently arranging the fish and rice. Back then I didn't like burong isda and would liken it to kaning baboy whenever she would saute it in garlic,
onion and plenty of tomatoes. Well, times change and now, I could just about kick myself for not asking her for the exact recipe.
       While I hated burong isda then, I just loved taba ng talangka and the adventure  it presented when my lola prepared it. My lola would choose those that were literally still alive and kicking and then place them in a pail. She would then take them out one by one to squeeze the fat out. Later, she'd add vinegar and cook it on low fire. You can be sure
that I'd have more than a plateful of rice come dinner time.
       I think watching my lola make sauces was the start of my love affair with them. Nowadays I can't seem to eat fried anything without the requisite sauce.
       And then there's kimchi. While many have raved about it to me, my parents included, I still can't find the guts to quite eat it yet. A Korean couple friend prepared some in our house the other week and it did look mighty delicious. Maybe one of these days, I will find the courage to eat it.  Meantime, I'll just share with you courtesy of Choi Eun Young and  her husband, Rev. Park Sun Ho how to make kimchi.

      

KIMCHI 


Ingredients:

 10 pieces (5 kg) of Chinese cabbage or Baguio pechay,

 2 kg Salt, 

100 ml of kimchi sauce (juj kal)

 400 gm. ground dried red chili, 

12 cloves of garlic, 

3 onions, 

medium ginger

2 cups of ground rice, cooked.

       Cut the Chinese cabbage/Baguio pechay into 4 laterally (pahaba, then

into about 2 inches long. Sprinkle some salt on strips. Wash the cut

strips. Arrange strips into layers in a basin and sprinkle salt on

every layer.  Keep for one hour or two.

Cut finely the onion, garlic,

ginger and ground cooked rice. Mix these thoroughly, use blender mixer

if available.  Rinse the salt-soaked strips of Chinese cabbage/Baguio

pechay. Feel the texture if tender, not hard or soggy. Squeeze strips

and taste. If salty, do another rinse and squeeze. Spread strips and

sprinkle red chili. Add according to taste preference. If you like it

hotter, put more chili. The red color is natural. Add mixture of

onion, garlic, ginger and ground rice. Add kimchi sauce juj kal (patis

for Pinoy) to taste. Add 2 tbsp. Sugar.
Taste to suit your

preference. Put in bottle or plastic container.

You may keep in room

temperature for one day and refrigerate after that. Can keep for a

month or two but after a few days the Kimchi will be ready to eat.