Chef JP and wife Louie with Arturo and Vivia del Pena, Nelson and Ina Cabaluna, and Mike and Tess Cacnio. (Hobbes)

Angel Thoughts

“In prayer, a man asked ‘Who are you, Lord?’ He answered, “I AM.’ But who is ‘I AM, the man asked again. The Lord said, ‘I am Love, I am Peace, I am Grace. I am Joy. I am the Way, the Truth and the Light. I am the Comforter, I am Strength. I am Safety, I am Shelter. I am Power. I am The Creator. I am The Beginning and The End. I am The Most High.’ The praying man was moved to tears. ‘Now I understand, Lord. But who am I?” And the Lord answered, ‘You are MINE!’

– From Chito Bertol of the Manila Seedling Bank Environmental Center

The flights to Hongkong last Monday were booked more than the usual season load. Why?

Well, of course President Gloria was attending the Clinton Global initiative conference and many others who wanted "rubbing elbows" proximity to the ex-president (who is very influential with president-elect Barack Obama) were also seen boarding the flights. Wonder who Bill bothered to be chummy with?

And who has received invitations to the historic inaugural in January among our leaders, politicians, and power brokers, I wonder?

***

Meanwhile…Serendipity last Sunday evening was a lovingly prepared authentic French meal by Jean Pierre Migne, Executive Chef of the Diamond Hotel at the Tagaytay home of my dear friends, Drs. Nelson and Lorina Cabaluna.

This turned out to be the culinary experience to top my homecoming to the ridge city and it was well worth wrenching myself away from my home, Bella Vista, which I had not been to for almost two months! And those who think they have explored the depths of my heart and soul realize how that absence deprives me emotionally!

I was happily checking on the Christmas setup my faithful Nating, Cherriemae and Dodong did during my absence (under Sandee’s supervision) when Dr. Lorina texted that I had to join them for the gustatory celebration of home-cooked food which Jean Pierre had been toiling over in their kitchen since lunch time!

I missed the lunch earlier which left Nelson and Lorina and their friends Dr. Arturo de la Pena (who is a surgeon like Nelson) and wife Vivian and their three daughters and sculptor-painter Mike Cacnio and his wife Tess happy and full. When my son AJ and I arrived, they were still drooling over the white beans Jean Pierre had cooked for lunch.

The Chef -- assisted by wife Louie who works with Avon, and Nelson -- was in the kitchen with an array of bowls into which he was carefully spooning the scallops, four kinds of fish, squid, and other ingredients (all just cooked) for his bouillabaisse a la Merseilles. The soup stock was merrily boiling away and this he scooped into the bowls. And with instructions how to eat the steaming soup (with freshly-baked crusty bread from Nelson’s oven, which was dunked in the heavenly concoction after putting in a puree of potato) we proceeded with great gusto!

Chef "JP" had two rules —"No rice, no ketchup" so we all resisted the urge to ask for rice. It would have been an insult to the chef but at the back of our minds, at least, AJ’s and mine, we silently wondered how steaming rice would go with the seafood soup! But I must agree that dunking the crusty pieces of bread into the hot soup with its seafood was a new culinary experience, especially in the cold Tagaytay clime!

Then he came out with a brouchette of lamb and sausages, and a big bowl of ratatouille which, if my readers will remember, was the "star" of the cartroon movie by Pixar with the same name. JP explained that this well-loved dish was prepared ingredient by ingredient, from the garlic, onions, zucchini, tomatoes, etc and then stewed together. The dish is then frozen to be thawed out even months later (not by microwave, heaven forbid) and savored lovingly. We did and had more crusty bread with his paté which I liked because it was "coarse" and more like meat loaf than a spreadable.

JP who has been here in the country for the past twenty-two years and is already "Filipinized" has a small farm in Lemery, Batangas where he and Louie grow organic vegetables and herbs. Most of the veggies he used in our meal were grown in his farm, so what more could we have asked for in a meal with friends?

NOTES…This Saturday is the Christmas breakfast for our First Saturday group in Lipa. Please, classmates, come and celebrate the Eucharist with us at 6 a.m. at Carmel for our fellowship afterwards!