JOEL'S JOURNAL
At lunch over my packed food, I get a glimpse of the values that shaped me, the culture I grew up with, and the nostalgia of my childhood in one tiny container.
A spoonful of halo-halo, a bite of banana cue, or a whiff of grilled liempo transports me to the past, as if they are time capsules carrying memories of my childhood summers.
As December arrives, Filipinos eagerly count down to Christmas day with Simbang Gabi, puto bumbong, and bibingka. Originally served to fuel the working folk, these treats now symbolize warmth, tradition, and nostalgia—making Christmas special and memorable, year after year.
From gracing tables celebrating important milestones, to being a well-deserved treat and a comforting pick-me-up, cake is more than just cake.
Today, in my own kitchen—in a city far from my lola’s house—you’d find a piece of paper scribbled with her recipe tucked in the shelf of staple seasonings and fancy salts. I haven’t tried cooking it, but it gives me a lot of comfort knowing it’s there—that I can access her recipe, that I can access my family.
