Barbecue by Trinidad Almero LEYTE, PHILIPPINES -- Barbecue. Who on Earth doesnt like one? Pork. Chicken. Innards. Blood. Wing. Foot. Dried fish. Squid. Crab. Mussels (tahong). Snake. Bird. Frog. Indian mango. Pineapple. Eggplant. Hotdog. Bacon. Sausage. Longganisa. Kikiam. Potato. Cauliflower. Onion. Chili. Bell pepper. Mallows. Etc. Ive tasted them all -- breakfast, brunch, lunch, snacks, dinner and thereafter -- arriving at the realization that the lowly barbecue, originally from Caribbean or America, will always be a part of my food list, on top of sumptuous lechon (roasted pig), pansit Malabon, caldereta, kare-kare, humba, galantina, cold cuts, pinaupong manok, tamales, relleno, boneless bangus, papaitan, etc., not only for its cheap price (P2 for innards up to P400 for buttered sirloin) and nth variations, but because of its accompanying cheap thrills and booze, add a gush of memories I will never ever forget, with mine hurtling back to the time Papa and Mama were hard-up in raising us five kids, that we have to scrimp on food, toiletries, clothes, among other essentials. We couldnt afford lechon baka, sharks fin soup, linabog, turkey, etc., but it did not deter us -- two girls and three boys of mixed Pangasinan and Waray origins -- from having fun with whatever food available – prito, sinigang, adobo, camote tops, blanched kangkong, pork and beans, pakbet, ampalaya etc. In fact, it made us more creative and resourceful, sharpening our minds in dealing for neighbors manual coco grater, biggest tongs and best charcoal suppliers; that when Papa finally got his dream job in a Dubai winery eight months after, we kids were already strong, goal driven and emotionally mature to handle everything, even the oil crisis that abruptly shrinked his pay in the westernized emirate, and the separation of my maternal aunt from his American husband. That time, we were already well fed, but it did not deter us from enriching our barbecue experiences further. First bites? Often scary (dog, no-no; cat, never mind; bird, bitin; paddy frogs, smelly; testicles in Hong Kong, Omigod!), but it is much worse if you faint live on national TV while taking part (read: fanning in flaming red tees) in Pangasinans Guinness setting Longest Barbecue Grill, with approximately 60,000 fish grilled simultaneously over 8.016 kilometers of charcoal stands in a festival marking the towns 400th anniversary. Fish only because Bayambang could not supply the tons of meats needed, and mataderos dont like it (Buddhists, Indians, go away!). Cebus La Fuente, meanwhile, is a hot cruisng area; it is advised to wine the night away in a leisurely and rowdy pace, with puso (coco strip rice), crisp liempo, and bottles of pilsen beside what else but yummy barbecues -- pork, chicken, batikolon, adidas, etc. – thousands of them sprawled over huge banana leaves or linoleum tables. And while Quezon City and Baguios pits never sleep, many others nationwide are night spillovers, raising the barbecues stock up and down social ladders. Elsewhere, kebab is only as good only as its cook (Ssshh, if he smells bad, dont buy!). Jamaican jerk spice is hot (Tongue out!); Japanese hibachi, bland; Brazilian churassco, succulent; and Argentinian asado, same as Philippine pork asado, duh? Sauce (ketchup, tomato paste, soy, onions, chili, bell pepper, garlic, oil, tokwa, parsley, oregano, oyster, etc.), definitely, is not just the secret but the other ingredients (Ssshh, no skewers and metal planes; BBQ stick and charcoal meat tastes better, never mind if it is full of dust!), marinating secrets and flavor brushes (Tsu, tsu, tsu, banana leaves perform better than paint brushes, and for thousands of grills at that!). Charcoal likewise has its mysteries (Some are poisonous!), add the distance of the meat (or whatever) from the coals, and the mix of grills that can either make or destroy ones day, so never mix Indian mango and shrimps, former and chorizo or longganisa, or latter and bean curd; they mean automatic LBM right away. Or allergies. To be safe, stick to comfy combinations; other non-barbecue mix-ups can lead to same or more volatile CR trips. If barbecue ranks high on my gastronomic list, blame it on its homey flavors, accessibility and other economies (Burp!). While flavor is subjective (Sshh, dont liken our taste with that of Arabs or Indians!), accessibility makes it possible to experiment on untried formulas and combinations. Which leads us to the other economies, and if offering grills would save us P20,000 (Read: No more lechon!), would you peddle them or not? Put more gravy and let the stomach be the judge! (Additional tip: Spaghetti and macaroons enough for kids and off they go.) And as technology advances, one wonders how this burping system will be enhanced in the future (Ssshh, I have a battalion to feed!). Cooking is by generation too; give generation Wassup ‘70s chow and they will freak out right away. Corollary, Filipino barbecue reflects the real me – simple yet tangy, brusque yet class, cannot work if not in groups, night owls and all -- ultimately leading to my romance with metrophile Gardy, and unholy alliances with Tony, Luella, Noni, Bayot and Apol, not only in business but also in other barbecues, and I mean, not just one but four up-and-down kitsch, preening in final reflections that life is like a barbecue. It could be bland and raw. Yet, once soaked in education, cultures and experiences; and thereafter brushed with the right colors, relationships, groups, flavors and what have you, everything else will change forever. And with our families and friends to cook us both in shame and in bliss, how can things go wrong? Now, tell me if this is another food story. I pause for a reply. _____ Identity of the contributing writer is with Robbie Ilagan at https://facebook/maiger.enriquez and Greg Davenport.
Posted on: Sat, 22 Nov 2014 02:43:42 +0000
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