MY PAPA’S SOURSOP TREE

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Every time I see a soursop, locally known in the Philippines as guyabano, I remember my Papa.

He had such a green thumb. 

Gardening was his passion. Our front lawn was filled with ornamental plants, while the backyard was planted with fruit trees. 

Among all the trees he grew, the soursop was my favorite.

I was told that he had wanted to study agricultural engineering in college, a career that was not considered prestigious in his time. Orphaned at a young age and lovingly raised by his grandmother, he was encouraged to follow in the footsteps of his cousins and become a lawyer or a doctor, because those were the professions most admired by society then. To please his grandmother, he eventually enrolled in law at the reputable Ateneo de Manila University.

After World War II, he brought his wife and two children to his mother’s hometown, where their clan was well established. A generous piece of prime property in the best part of town was set aside for him. There, he bought a tractor and managed the vast rice lands he had inherited from his grandmother.

The soursop tree stood in our backyard, the only one among many chico trees. From the kitchen window, it was impossible to miss. 

Beneath it, Papa built a chicken coop.

After school, when I wanted a snack before dinner, I would climb the tree and eat the ripe fruit right there among the branches. 

Then I would hear the seeds dropping onto the iron roof of the coop below. That sound has stayed with me through the years, as clear and real as it was then.

It is one of the sweetest memories of my childhood—as sweet as the soursop I used to eat from my Papa’s tree.

BLUEBERRY PANCAKES AND BACON

I decided to have Pancakes and Bacon again for breakfast. Another cloudy and rainy day seemed to call for comfort food. This time, I made Blueberry Pancakes!

I’m posting this because I lost the photos from my last pancake post. So here they are! Notice that the blueberries were chopped, unlike the traditional way of adding whole blueberries to the batter. Take a look at the photo showing the inside—you can see the little pieces of blueberry throughout the pancake.

Today I couldn’t help taking a photo of the Bacon while they were cooking. I love to watch them curl as they turn crispy. 

Now, following my last post, you may be wondering: Did Jim go out driving around or walking?

Yes! He went out for a walk but was caught in the rain after only 1,500 steps. He couldn’t help himself, even though Celine and I had decided otherwise. 😂

They say the weather is fickle, like women. But Celine and I were decisive! We knew that drizzle could turn into big drops without warning.

Back to the pancakes—oh yes, here’s also a photo of the Manuka honey from Cheska, a pasalubong from her trip Down Under. 

Another indulgent breakfast! I’ll make it up for lunch and dinner today.

DRIED DILIS FOR BREAKFAST—A HUMBLE FOOD, ELEVATED

Dried baby anchovies, locally known as dilis, are on Jim’s breakfast plate today, together with dried hasahasa and plain scrambled eggs.

Cooking dilis to perfection is something I would never delegate to my maid. Timing and focus are crucial. Cook them a minute too long and they become bitter; take them out of the skillet too early and they won’t be crispy enough.

These dilis came from Tess, one of the tasty fares from her hometown in Samar. Once, I turned them into an appetizer, inspired by what the Thais do in Bangkok—cooked until crispy, then made into a sweet, salty, and spicy snack. Many of our friends bring them home as pasalubong for family and friends.

When I was young, dilis was considered a poor man’s meal. Today, with creative chefs everywhere, this humble little fish has been elevated into something extraordinary. You can even find it served as part of the appetizer offerings in Japanese restaurants.

Btw, I am staying faithful to my regular breakfast today: oatmeal and scrambled eggs with tomatoes, onions, and malunggay leaves. No indulgence today—my health comes first. 

Our fruits remain the same: papaya and a few blueberries.

Sometimes, it’s amazing how a humble food from our childhood can find its way onto a much more sophisticated table—and still taste just as good.