Xmas Lunch

Trying to get in some posts before the end of the year...

These are pix from Christmas Day lunch at my parents...

From the far left, mashed potatoes, roast beef and pineapple glazed ham, courtesy of my dad.

From my mom, "Embutido", a Filipino style pork meatloaf. Normally made with ground pork, pickles, cheese, hard boiled eggs (not included here), and raisins. This is one of my holiday favorites. My mom said she didn't want to put eggs in it because "they make your farts stinky". NO! Really now, Mom? Farts or not, I love this stuff. Tastes good with rice.

My mom made one lone vegetable dish. I don't think this is Filipino. She did a green bean stir fry with tofu. I didn't really eat this but Bert liked the beans.

Here's a "group shot" of the food. At the upper right is Pancit Bihon and to the right of that, some sort of chicken curry dish with coconut milk.

During Christmas time, the Filipino grocery store, Seafood City carries Edam Cheese, a specialty cheese from Belgium. It has a nice, mild nutty flavor. My parents call it "Bola Bola" ("bola" means "round"). My dad used the rind to make that "red cross" thing. The edam cheese is underneath the red strips. There are also precut slices of cheddar and swiss. Hiding in the back are my lemon creamcheese bars. The last dessert made during this holiday break.

My dad also had a fruit platter: mangoes, pineapples, blackberries, avocadoes and kiwis.

And more sweets: Kirkland cookie assortment, peanuts, candy (Almond Roca, kisses, mini chocolate bars), Cassava cake (kinda like bibingka but instead of rice flour, it's grated cassava),Candy Cane Jojo's, homemade banana nut bread made by the neighbor (who is also my godmother), and a tiny peak of the cheese and crackers dish.

Lots of food right? My mom is of the persuasion that it's better to have more food than not enough, otherwise, it would be embarassing for her as a hostess. It's a Filipino thing to be generous with food during parties. You don't want to look like a cheapass either. But seriously, I love the hospitality at Filipino parties with the hosts making sure you are enjoying yourself and have enough to eat. If you are lucky, you will even be given styrofoam "to go" boxes to bring home leftovers.