30 x 25 cm, acrylic on canvas (2016)
for sale
Although an only child, I grew up as part of a huge extended family who lived in a close cluster of houses. Each year, during our parish “fiesta”, my mom and my aunties would prepare their best dishes to share with family and guests. My cousins and I would wake up to the curious smells and sounds coming from our kitchens, reminding us to get ready to attend mass at church in the morning.
Hands down, my mom’s specialty is “kare kare” – an oxtail stew in thick, savoury peanut sauce served with a side of shrimp paste. In the 70s, without the luxury of store-bought pre-mixes/sauces and pressure cooker, this is a labor of love best done with the help of the entire family. My mom and dad would get up early to get the oxtail, tripe and vegetables from the market so they can begin to boil and simmer the meat for at about 3 hours and have it ready to serve by lunch time along with other dishes. I would help prepare the vegetables, cook the rice and clean our house. With church and chores done, my cousins and I would happily hop from one house to another to savor each family’s spread and eat to our hearts’ content for the rest of the day.
altered state by arlyn 