It was a more low key affair than the Christmas lunch with only my side of the family attending...
My parents' counter looks so sparse! But this was actually a bit of food. You can see my mom carrying that big pot of her Bola Bola Miswa soup. This is the kitchen area where we used to eat when growing up. I always had the far left corner. Being left handed, I always tend to gravitate towards the left corner of any table I'm at. That way, I don't bump into any right handers when eating. Plus, I don't feel "enclosed" by being between two other people.
My mom and dad made grilled pork spareribs (the bbq sauce was on the side) and bbq beef skewers (marinated with pineapple, soy sauce and spicy Jufran sauce, aka banana ketchup). So good!
My dad fried up some lumpia (that's La Choy sweet and sour sauce you see next to it). He cheated because these were not homemade, but rather bought from Seafood City! No worries, because everyone liked this small pork lumpias!
Shrimp cocktail:
Vegetable stew. I hesitate to call this pinakbet because it didn't have all the vegetables I normally associate with pinakbet like tomatoes and kabocha squash. It did have ampalaya (bittermelon) and 'patani' (Philippine purple lima beans, grown from their back yard). Plus my mom no longer puts any bagoong in it, so it's not quite the same. I still enjoyed the dish, especially with the striking lima beans.
Because it was New Year's Day, my mom made sure to make her Almondigas, or meatball soup with miswa noodles. The meaballs are round, like money, which is supposed to bring prosperity and good luck. I really like the feel of these silken noodles.
The return of the dessert table featuring cheese and crackers, another elaborate fruit plate, Almond Roca, kutsina, hazelnut rolled wafer, dark chocolate espresso macadamia nuts, my blueberry mochi (with the messed up top), and not seen, pistachios (much to Bert's delight).
In keeping with the "round theme", the kutsinta (steamed brown sugar rice cakes) with freshly grated coconut.
My mom's version of palitaw (with only coconut and sugar, no sesame seeds like mine). Her palitaw is much better. I don't know how she does it, but her rice disks are always so nice and soft.
My auntie (the one who makes the awesome pecan and cassava tarts) gifted us this Sans Rival cake from Goldilocks. Sans Rival ("without rival") is an elaborate Philippine dessert consisting of layers of baked merengue, French buttercream, and chopped cashew nuts!
Here is the label...it was $12!
As you saw, lots of good food and desserts. The kids had a blast playing outside while I enjoyed cradling my month old niece. It's kind of nice when they're asleep and peaceful instead of squirming and crying! But seriously, she's a doll and it'll be fun watching her grow up.
2 comments:
In my culture we have something similar...By cooking the following; Collard or Mustard Greens represents bringing good luck of Dollar Bills and Black Eyed Peas represents coins for the new year.
Hi HF - I love those greens and black eyed peas as well! Thanks for sharing the meaning behind these traditions. I love soul food!
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