My Autobiography: David Balleza K(C)atague

Saturday, October 28, 2023

Filipino Food is Lazy and Crazy- Michael's Filipino Barong

The end of Filipino-American History Month Celebration here at THD will be in 2 days. Michael( see photo above) at the Concierge Staff informed me he have been to the Philippines and has a Barong. I told him to wear it before the end of the month so we can have a photo shoot. Today is the day. Here are the photos of Michael with his Filipino Barong and me with my Guayabera Mexican Shirt. The Guayabera is identical to the Barong except it has short sleeves. Here are the photos.

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This is my last posting celebrating Filipino-American History Month here at THD.

While looking up my previous articles on Filipino food, I found the following "non-serious take" on Filipino food, that only Filipinos will understand and enjoy. So my apology to my numerous non-filipino readers if this article does not ring a bell or tickle your funny bone. Anyway, you will learn a few names of Pinoy comfort dishes very popular to the Filipinos all over the world.

What is Filipino Food? Reprinted from www.myfilipinokitchen.com

Filipino food is not Chinese food. If it is, our Adobo (marinated meat) would be steamed chicken with soy sauce. It is neither Spanish food. If it is, we wouldn’t be eating rice like breathing air. Filipino food is not American food either. If it is, Jollibee would have bigger servings. True? If you don’t agree with me, next time you’re in NY try convincing the hotdog vendor that his dogs are not American hotdogs… in fact it is German because that’s where all the sausages come from. Then brace yourself.

Filipino food is filipino food. Adobo was just named "adobo" by the Spaniards because they can’t name the beast. Kinilaw (raw fish in vinegar and spices) has been with us for thousands of years that when the Japanese witnessed it wiggling on our native bamboo table they attacked Pearl Harbor just to get to us… a pretty smart move I tell you. And Sinigang (fish soup) is definitely a Filipino original because if you ask from what region this fish soup originated, you are definitely promoting a royal rumble, you should have brought a ring with you.

But then what is Filipino food really? I’ll give two points in the meantime.

Firstly, it is food for the crazy.

You can’t just eat the salty-sour Dinuguan (blood and guts stew) by itself, you have to eat it with the majestic – Puto (rice cake). There you go, you became beauty and the beast at the same time. You can’t just cook Kare-Kare (tripes and ox tail in peanut sauce) with enough salt to taste, you have to cook it bland and then eat it with the salty Bagoong (shrimp paste) as a condiment. You crazy, woman?

Secondly, it is food for the lazy.

Filipino food is made for Juan Tamad (Lazy)… and has a tendency to just put in any ingredient that is conveniently available. Would you believe me? No? I’ll prove my point. Adobo is a dish where you don’t do any cooking at all. You just throw them all together in a pot, put it on the fire, wait for the fruit to fall on the ground and- Voila! It’s cooked! Did you do any cooking? No. Except for putting vinegar in before the whole blob dries up. Ladies and Gents, Juan Tamad can now eat Adobo. If you are telling yourself that it is just me exaggerating, stop right now thank you very much, here’s another dish. Bulalo (beef shanks and marrow soup) is a dumper’s food like Adobo. Dump all the meat and bones in the pot and after 3 hours, dump the rest of the vegetables, cook for a little bit and Bob’s your uncle. You dumpster.

Crazy and Lazy could have been your cat and dog’s names but when it comes to cooking, those words mean cutting edge while painless. It’s crazy because it’s bursting with flavors. It’s lazy because it is chill out food. That’s me saying I want to live.

Anthony Bourdain on his recent trip to the Philippines was asking the question, ‘What is Filipino food?’ again and again and I felt so bad that no one can describe to him what we are eating! Somehow in the end, it turned out that we have a food identity crisis. And I wouldn’t even start talking about the Filipino identity. I’ll die of hunger before I can stop talking and start shoving food in my mouth. Don’t you just hate it when you’re supposed to eat and you can’t stop talking?

I’ll stop talking now. Let’s get to work and make adobo. *wink wink*.

And Now here's a more serious description of Filipino Food and Cuisine.

Filipino cuisine has developed from the different cultures that shaped its history; it is like other Southeast Asian cuisines but with heavy Spanish influence. Some ingredients of the Mexican cuisine, such as corn, tomato and chili, have also found their way to the Philippines.

Though its cuisine is not as renowned as many of its neighbours, such as that of Thailand and Vietnam, Filipino cooking is nonetheless distinct in that it is possibly the least spicy of all South East Asian cuisines.

Don't make the mistake of thinking that Filipino food is bland, though. It is just that instead of spices, Filipino food depends more on garlic, onions and ginger to add flavor to the dishes. Painstaking preparation and prolonged cooking time is also a characteristic of most Filipino dishes, and when done properly is often what brings out the flavor of the food, as opposed to a healthy dose of spices.

With over 7,500 islands, the cuisine of the Philippines is rather a mish-mash of hundreds of local, regional, and ethnic cuisines, and without any qualifiers, you would often think of ubiquitous dishes such as adobo, sinigang, lechon,and Filipino-Chinese dishes.

Filipinos prepare great-tasting food, especially on special occasions with visitors around. Filipino cuisine is a mesh between Chinese, Mexican, Malay, Spanish, Indian, and American cooking.

It usually consists of six meals per day, including breakfast, snacks, lunch, brunch, dinner, and a final reach toward snacks to end the day on a full stomach. Most Filipino dishes involve rice, which is served alongside other edibles.

Most Filipinos regularly use spoons, forks, and knives to eat their food. But, sometimes hands come into play when seafood is involved.

Some of their most popular dishes include:

Chorizo,
Lumpia,
Paksiw (pork or fish in vinegar and other spices),
Kare-kare (a stew made of ox-tail),
Sinigang (soup delicacy made of pork, prawns, or fish), and
Longanisa (sweet sausage).

On the other hand, some popular snacks are bibingka (rice cake made with margarine or butter), polvoron (powder candy), puto (rice cakes), and chocolate.

Visit this website for my favorite pinoy dishes: https://myfavoritepinoydishes.blogspot.com

Friday, October 27, 2023

The Philippines-The Call Center Capital of the World

https://chateaudumer.blogspot.com/2023/10/understanding-filipino-traits-and.html

Tuesday, October 24, 2023

High Occupancy Rate in the Fairmount Building Here at THD

https://chateaudumer.blogspot.com/2023/10/high-occupancy-rate-of-first-floor-of.html

Friday, October 20, 2023

First Impressions of Friends and Relatives of THD

https://chateaudumer.blogspot.com/2023/10/impressions-of-friends-and-relatives-of.html

Thursday, October 19, 2023

The Balance Sheet of Life- Message From My Face Book Last Month

https://chateaudumer.blogspot.com/2023/10/the-balance-sheet-of-life-message-fro.html

Monday, October 16, 2023

The Story Behind My T-Shirt, I Love Camiguin

The Carl Weinberg Family-Susan Gave Me the "I Love Camiquin T-Shirt" from her Brother Alan

The above photo was taken during 2nd Annual Corn Hole Tournament Here at THD to honor the memory of Carl Weinberg-a long time resident here at THD. It was a beautiful & Fun day celebrating and remembering beloved Heritage resident Carl Weinberg with the 2nd Annual Carl Weinberg Memorial Corn Hole Tournament

My Unexpected Gift from the Weinberg Family Presented by Susan Last Friday Happy Hour. It was a "I Love Camiguin Black T-shirt from her brother Alan, who had visited Camiquin Island in his younger years.

Previously at the recent Corn Hole Tournament in Memory of Carl Weinberg, I have a few minutes of conversations with Susan and her brothers, Kevin, Alan and David. I learned that Alan had visited the Philippines before and I confirmed my Filipino ancestral roots to the Family . I forgot all of that conversation and behold Last Friday, Susan with her Mom on a wheel Chair gave me the T_shirt. -"I love Camiquin"( see photo above).

She said it is a gift from her brother, Alan. I was so surprised of this unexpected gift that I proudly wore it during the Happy Hour Event. Thank You Weinberg Family for the Gift! A gift that is unexpected I will treasure forever.

I have never been to Camiquin Island so I did some search and here's what I learned.

Camiquin Island in Mindanao is a land of friendly people, an island blessed with natural wonders. Majestic volcanoes, lagoons, lakes, cold, hot and soda springs, pristine waterfalls, white sandy beaches at par with the finest in the country, two beautiful islets lost at sea, and a seascape teeming with colorful varieties of marine life.

Camiguin is famous for its tourist spots like White Island, Mantigue Island, Mount Hibok-Hibok, and the recently-declared National Heritage Sites; the Bonbon Church Ruins, and the Sunken Cemetery. Although a booming tourist destination, Camiguin Island maintains its rural charm. It is one of the smallest province in the Philippines.

Here's some information on Camiquin Island.

https://camiguin.redbearnet.com/philmap.html

Camiguin Island reminds me of my second Home- The Beautiful Island of Marinduque

marinduque

My Retirement Home in Boac, Marinduque, Philippines, Chateau Du Mer

About Me

David B. Katague is an online memoirist and cultural essayist whose writing has appeared on HubPages and Blogger since 2007. His work reflects a sustained interest in Filipino heritage, family history, senior living, art, community life, and the cultural meaning found in everyday experience. Through memoir, reflection, and essay, he explores the personal and historical dimensions of identity, memory, and belonging. His writing seeks to preserve lived experience while offering thoughtful commentary on the traditions, values, and social realities that shape individual and collective life. As a Filipino-American writer, he brings a distinctive cultural perspective to his work, drawing on personal experience and careful observation to create writing that is both reflective and engaging. His online essays and memoir pieces continue to document a lifelong commitment to storytelling, cultural understanding, and the written record of experience.

Highlights of My Professional Career

In my more than 40 years of professional career, I have experienced both working rank and file, as well as supervising the work of subordinates. I have worked in four private firms and the Federal Government, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), where I retired. I enjoyed the challenges and difficulties of both types of job situations. This is the highlights of my work experience story.

My first job after completing my doctorate degree was a Chemist for Chemagro Corporation in Kansas City, Missouri. It was a subsidiary of Bayer Corporation, a German conglomerate. I worked for the analytical chemistry department comprised of about fifty people; half that number was either chemists or biologists. My specific task was to develop analytical methods for the detection of pesticide residues in plant and animal tissues. I worked on my own, similar to six other bench chemists, and we all reported to the same supervisor.

The firm sponsored my visa conversion from a student to a permanent resident, and I was able to legally work and reside in the United States with my family. The company generously took care of its employees. At the end of each successful year, everyone received a 13th month salary bonus. The employees and their families celebrated wonderful annual Christmas parties in a downtown Kansas City hotel, with dancing and free drinks for the whole night.

Inasmuch as I enjoyed and loved working for Chemagro for five years, I found a new job which offered a substantially higher pay. Due to my exemplary work performance, my supervisor preferred and lobbied for me to stay with the company. I had to turn him down because they could not match the package presented by my new employer. It was also a chance for me and my family to move and live in the US west coast, where the mild winter climate is bearable compared to the Midwest.

My next job was at the agricultural research division of Shell Development Company in Modesto, California. I was a Research Chemist, and again I worked individually, same as five other chemists who all reported to a supervisor. My specific duty was similar to my previous job. I worked for them for five years, until the company decided to get out of the pesticide business. They closed their research facility affecting the jobs of more than 200 employees.

My third industrial job was with the agricultural research division of Stauffer chemical company, located in Richmond, California. I was a Senior Research Chemist doing the same project as my two previous jobs. I worked for twelve continuous years for the company, with outstanding annual job performance. I became a Principal Research Chemist, the highest attainable non-supervisory position.

One day in 1986, my supervisor informed me that my job had been eliminated, and I had one day to vacate the facility. It was the most dreadful lay off experience in my life. I felt anger, sadness and humiliation to be dismissed from work with one day notice, after all the years of hard work invested for the company. This was an unforgettable incident and was the gloomiest point in my professional career.
The company terminated sixty research employees, who were upset of the bad news.

One of the chemists was distressed and expressed his outrageous anger by threatening the company and its workers. He told his supervisor of his intention to bomb and burn down the laboratory. He was immediately escorted by the security staff out of the building and into his car. He was informed to leave behind his personal belongings; they will be mailed to his residence. He was warned never to show up again near the company premises or risk getting arrested.

My supervisor was kind and allowed me to take my time to pack up my belongings. It took me two days to clear up my workplace, after toiling for a long period in the same jobsite. We were provided clerical help and office space, in preparation to look for another job, such as updating our resumes, and using the computer and copy machine. We were given six weeks of separation pay plus benefits.

Fortunately, with the help of a friend who is a Church parishioner, I found another job thirty days after leaving Stauffer chemical company. He hired me as a senior research chemist and as a group leader with two technicians to supervise. It was in the same field as my expertise in my previous three jobs spanning the last twenty one years. My new employer was Chevron Chemical Company, and which was located in the same area as my former employer.

This job gave me the introduction and basic knowledge of managing the work of subordinates. I worked for Chevron Company for four and a half years. The company decided to consolidate their research facilities in Texas, and lay off all its research employees. This time I had enough distress and agony from working, and eventually getting laid off from several private companies. To avoid going through any more miserable layoffs, I made a vow that I would never again work for a private company.

In my work experiences, there were noticeable and unavoidable jobsite occurrences. One can never miss the office romantic relationships between co-workers, both illicit and permitted. Though it was frowned upon, there was a boss and staff relationship, which was used as a ploy to get ahead in the company. Some relationships had chemistry, no pun intended, but some never worked out. Oftentimes, there was a sense of distrust among bench chemists for some workers who unjustly obtained preferred work assignments.

Some employees resorted to bribing superiors to get special privileges, such as being able to attend choice conferences and meetings in exciting venues or locations. Likewise, politics was always present at the worksites. It was during an era when various forms of harassment, equal opportunity and discrimination laws were not yet enforced in the workplace. Occasionally, an unexpected chemical explosion happens in a laboratory setting, where luckily no one got seriously hurt.

In the three private companies I worked for, I was able to publish scientific journals for some of the research studies and analytical methods which I developed for the respective companies of Chemagro, Shell Development and Stauffer.

After deciding and making a vow to avoid working in the private sector, I made my new goal which was either to work for the state of California, or the Federal government in Washington, D.C. Four months after I lost my job in Chevron, I was lucky and joyful to be hired by the Food and Drug Administration as a review chemist in the fall of 1990.

In 1994 I was promoted as an Expert Research Chemist with a GS-14 rating. My expertise was on Anti-malarial and Anti-parasitic drug products. In 1997, I was again deservingly promoted to Chemistry team leader, supervising the work of six Chemistry reviewers including five with doctorate degrees.

As team leader, I was responsible for prioritizing, assigning, and assuring the technical accuracy of all chemistry, manufacturing and control issues for all new drug applications submitted to the Division of Anti-Infective Drug Products, Center of New Drugs.

It was part of my responsibility to give advice, instruct and promote high morale and teamwork in my group. My work in the FDA is confidential, until the drug patent on the products I worked on has expired. There are manufacturing supplements that I have approved that are now open for the public in the Internet.

In 1998, I won the Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Award. The citation reads, “For outstanding accomplishments in fostering the objectives of the EEO Program by hiring minorities and encouraging their professional growth while providing excellent leadership.” I have received numerous certificates of appreciation, awards in leadership and communications, commendation for teamwork and excellence in the accomplishment of the FDA mission. I have also received several letters of appreciation from private industry for my review work.

There are many good things working as rank and file while enjoying doing one’s job individually. It is a humbling, satisfying and productive experience, if one can work in harmony with one’s immediate supervisor. Working individually develops one’s skills in goal setting and scheduling. But in general, the financial rewards are less than a person who has supervisory responsibilities.

Managing the work of others has its challenges. Moreover, it develops one’s skill in handling and developing people, and the compensation rewards and benefits are better. Due to additional duties, responsibilities and leadership, supervisory work can be more stressful than working as a subordinate. However, supervisory jobs give one more personal growth and satisfaction, based on my personal experience. My work in FDA as a team leader managing the work of six scientists had been the happiest and rewarding work experience in my career in Chemistry. You might also like: