I have no idea what’s in season.

But this is Chicago in the middle of winter. There’s fucking nothing in season. Without modern highways, air freight, railroads, canning and other industrialized food processing techniques, refridgeration and chemical preservatives, no one could live here between September and May. I paid a little visit today to the Fulton Market, Chicago’s meatpacking district of old – from Upton Sinclair days – till now. Continue reading I have no idea what’s in season.

How to Make Lugaw, a Filipino Rice Porridge

Hypothetical situation: You’re a Filipino American, in your 20s or 30s, and you live on your own. You are sick, can’t seem to keep anything down other than Saltines and need some comfort food. You are hankering for your mom’s cooking, naturally. You’re probably wishing she were there to take care of you, poor baby, but she’s a few states away. It’s likely you haven’t gone to the grocery store recently, between your gallivanting and getting sick, so you have to rely on pantry items or what is still stomach-viable in your refrigerator to conjure up something that resembles nutritious food. Besides that, you don’t have a lot of energy so whatever you cook needs to be relatively easy. Put that package of ramen down – we’re not desperate.

I present: Lugaw.  Continue reading “How to Make Lugaw, a Filipino Rice Porridge”