Lately, I have been feeling very homesick. Living in Fredonia, there is a severe lack of any good food around me. There are no excellent Filipino food options, from campus food to microwaving ramen in my dorm room.
Plus, only a handful of local restaurants serve any authentic Asian food, and I am not talking about that American version that the people of Fredonia like to call international cuisine.
Food is an integral part of my identity and who I am. It is a love language for me. I am always hungry for some good food and always hungry for attention.
Actually, my original intention was to name myself after a Filipino dish. There are a few Drag Queens out there who have inspired me to do so. Initially, Kim Chi of season 8 of RuPaul’s Drag Race inspired me. Kim Chi is a play on the international side dish of Korea. Kimchi is fermented cabbage with an assortment of spices which are then pickled.
Then there’s Lea Salonganisa, a play on the Filipino sweet sausage and the Filipina singer/actor Lea Salonga. Which is one of my idols. When I first ran into this name I was just so amazed by how clever it was and a bit jealous that I did not think of it first.
I was in between naming myself Halo-Halo after the sweet dessert that is a mixture of different elements: a base of shaved ice, condensed milk, mango, jellies, flan cake, ube ice cream, and sweet corn. It may seem like a strange combination, but after mixing it all (halo-halo roughly translates to “mix-it, mix-it”), the dessert is a carefully crafted blend of sweet and refreshing.
Another name for consideration was Jolly Bea. After my favorite Filipino fast-food chain, “Jollibee’s.” They honestly have the best fried chicken and the most delicious sweet Filipino-style spaghetti. It’s a shame there is a lack of locations here in the U.S., although there is one in Ontario, Canada… so close, yet so
far.
It’s gonna be a while until I can get authentic Filipino food, but I the day that I get it. I know I’m going to be saying MASARAP! (Translation- DELICIOUS!) Let me know what are some of your favorite Filipino dishes?