Sari-sari store and my aunt's cooking

Part 1

There's a sari-sari store in this little city.

This morning, my brother found a small store selling Filipino goods at the market. So he went there to browse some of the goods sold there. A box of polvoron caught his attention. Upon finding that store, he immediately told me his discovery. I was at the other end of the market at that time.

"Eh, there's a Filipino shop over there!" he said.
"Did you wish the Filipinos Maligayang Bagong Taon?" I said

Excited, we rushed to the store.

A purple jar. Ube Halaya. Tang powdered fruit drinks. Datu Puti vinegar. There's even a Kaldereta seasoning there.

My brother bought a box of polvoron and a packet of Tang mango juice. The cashier wished us "Happy New Year". I reciprocate their wish with "Maligayang Bagong Taon".

In the big city, I usually buy my Filipino foods in a specialty store. That store sell imported goods from the Philippines, Singapore, UK, Australia and New Zealand.

A box of polvoron

Product of the Philippines

A packet

Polvoron

The Ingredients

Part 2

Not more than an hour later, my aunt called my mother. She having an open house. More Filipino cuisine. 

Christmas tree

In the kitchen, my aunt was cooking Pininyahang Manok. My aunt have to spell it out coz I kept on saying Pina ng Manok. My bad. It's chicken cooked with pineapple.

Sweet and sour sauce for Escabecheng Isda. It's Filipino's version of escabeche. 

Vinegar, vinegar, vinegar...

It's a must. I told my aunt that we knew a sari-sari store selling Datu Puti. Apparently, that sari-sari store owner is my aunt's friend.

This is Kaldereta. Beef stew. Til this day, I couldn't differentiate between Kaldereta and Kare-kare. Well Kare-kare uses tripe and oxtail and yard-beans.

Dinuguan. Pork in blood stew. I couldn't tell you how it tasted like because I don't eat it.

Bistek. I ate a heap of this delicious beef.... and vinegar

Pininyahang manok. This recipe calls for pineapples, chicken, cheese, milk and bell paper. Yum!

Escabecheng isda. Sweet and sour fish.

Pancit. Filipino noodle. This version is made of egg noodle. There's even a version with glass noodle.

If you grow up with a Filipino aunt, vinegar is a must. 

I'm not exaggerating. Be it Silver Swan or Datu Puti.

And here's a funny rendition of 12 days of Christmas by Mikey Bustos

Pusa and puso...

12 round fruits? Prutas

It might look simple, but believe me it's muy delicioso... 

(I have the tendency to mix Tagalog with Spanish, earlier I said arroz when referring to rice. I have no idea what it's called in Tagalog) 

My aunt's niece preparing espaghetti sauce (that's how she pronounce spaghetti) Notice how she mix sausages and minced beef. Similar to mine? Of course, it's my aunt who taught us how to cook spaghetti.

A few minutes and tomato puree later...

Sampaguita 

Another sampaguita picture. They smelled like green tea, because that where green tea comes from.

Apparently, my aunt's niece and nephew are impressed by my Tagalog. Just basic Tagalog. Well most Filipinos would be impressed if you try to speak in Tagalog.

Filipinos are Asian French. It's not easy to speak Tagalog. It's grammar is different from the rest. 

Maligayang bagong taon.