PASKONG PINOY

Parol or Christmas lanterns

Chistmas is just around the corner but I don't seem to feel it yet. It's the 6th of December now, and if I'm back in the Philippines then everywhere you go you'd be able to hear Christmas carols blaring, at the malls, the radio, on public utility vehicles, there would be kids going from one house to the other singing the karoling medley starting with "kay sigla ng gabi ang lahat ay kay saya...." then stopping right in the middle of the song once you give them a coin or two then following up with "thank you, thank you, ambabait ninyo thank you" then scurrying over to the next house and starting all over again.

There will be parols hanging everywhere including inside jeepneys, christmas lights twinkling, and even the humblest of homes will have their own christmas tree even if it is just made of walis tingting turned upside down decorated with candies tied with thread and cotton to simulate snow. Others who could afford to buy plastic Christmas trees decorate them with pretty trinkets and christmas lights which are turned on every night as soon as dusk comes. Wrapped Christmas presents are placed beneath the tree ready for the inaanaks (godchildren) who will surely come visit on Christmas day.

typical noche buena feast 

Divisoria and Tutuban is by now packed with shoppers looking for gifts for their numerous inaanaks and pamangkins, Too many shoppers in fact that it is hard to navigate the narrow pasilios (isles) to check out the best bargains. We almost always end up buying just a few things and going home so tired that I don't think the trip was worth it. I actually hate shopping during Christmas time, too many people on the streets, too much traffic, and too many madurukots (pickpockets) everywhere. :(

Moms are now starting to buy ingredients for their noche buena fare (Christmas dinner), buying a kilo of spaghetti here, a can of Nestle cream for the salad there...and it's all for that one day, probably the most special day among Filipinos, PASKO or CHIRSTMAS. For the more fortunate ones there would surely be at least two types of salads, chicken macaroni and buko or fruit salad, there will be ham, queso de bola, lechon de leche perhaps, fruits of different kinds (at least 12 round fruits is a must  for Nanay both for Christmas and New Year), spaghetti or pancit and many others. Even those who don't have much will surely find a way to prepare something for the family to share...half a kilo of hotdog, a loaf of tasty bread, a small box of cheese, a few apples or oranges and their Noche buena is ready.

Christmas 2011

Simbang Gabi starts on the 16th of December, and for 8 consecutive days people flock to churches all over the Philippines to hear mass at 4 in the morning, then after the mass, on their way home,  they would buy Puto bumbong and bibingka. (I miss those so much!)

On the eve of the 24th  people would go to church and hear mass again, this time at night. The church will surely be jampacked with people wearing new clothes especially bought for Christmas. There will be a reenactment of the birth of Jesus too, then after the mass everyone would go home and share the Christmas dinner (Noche Buena) with the whole family.

On Christmas day kids get up early and wear their best clothes, then go visit their Ninongs and Ninangs, Tito's and Tita's (aunts and uncles), Lolo's and Lola's (grandparents),  kiss their hands (mano) and say "Meri Krismas Po!" and wait for the gift or money that  they  have prepared for them.

At the end of the day kids would count how much aguinaldo (money) they got, and boast of the new toys and clothes that their Ninongs or Ninangs gave them. There will be leftover food that will last a few days, and people complaining that they've spent too much, But then they'd go out shopping again this time for the coming New Year.

Christmas in the Philippines is something that I truly miss, it's just not the same when you're not there, sure there are grander Christmas trees here, even freshly cut ones, prettier trinkets to hang, the food you could prepare is much fancier that what you would normally prepare, but it's just not the same if you're not sharing it with your love ones  back HOME. :(

FEATURED VIDEO: GLAZED HAM

INGREDIENTS:

 INGREDIENTS:

BONE-IN HAM (I used a 6 pound ham in the video)

GLAZE: 
1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar
2/3 cup pineapple juice
3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1/2 cup honey
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1 1/2 to 2 cups water (add more as needed)

TO DECORATE THE HAM:
a few pineapple slices
halved cherries

PREHEAT OVEN TEMPERATURE TO 325 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT
ALLOW 25 MINUTES COOKING TIME PER POUND OF HAM (OR CHECK THE MANUFACTURER'S INSTRUCTIONS ON THE PACKAGING)

PROCEDURE: 
Mix the brown sugar, pineapple juice, mustard, honey and ground cloves together  in a bowl until blended.

Place the ham in a roasting rack, cut side down, baste with the glaze every 10 minutes.

15 minutes before the timer ends, remove ham from the oven, stick a few pineapple slices around it, brush with glaze for the last time, return to the oven.

When the timer runs out, remove ham from the oven, place a halved cherries in the middle of the ham, allow to rest for about 10 minutes before slicing.