A Simple Feast Made Special by Family and Love

 We had a big family gathering together with our churchmates because it was my uncle’s birthday, and it perfectly coincided with our Wednesday fellowship. Many of my relatives—uncles and cousins—came over to help prepare the food and decorations. My uncle, who is married to my father’s sister, is also a pastor in our church along with my aunt. That day was truly joyful because, even with just a simple celebration, almost all of our family was able to attend. It reminded me how special it is when family and church come together to celebrate life and God’s goodness.  This is my mom, preparing the ingredients for her bam-i—some would call it bihon, but hers is extra special because she adds so many ingredients. She was the one chosen to cook the bam-i since, among all the dishes, hers always stands out. There’s just something different when she cooks, like she has a secret ingredient that we can’t figure out, almost like magic in every bite.  These are some of the other ingredients my mom added to her dish—sliced pork liver, spices like onion and garlic, and more. What makes her cooking truly special is not just the ingredients, but the love she puts into every meal. You can always tell that her dishes are delicious because she’s so passionate about cooking. Almost everyone looks forward to her food, and once it’s served, it’s always the first to run out. Honestly, I’m always the first one to have a taste whenever she cooks. It has become my little privilege and joy—being her first taster, hahaha!  This is the bihon, the thin white noodles that need to be soaked in water first to soften before cooking. My mom placed them in a big green container, almost like a wide basin, because there was quite a large amount of bihon to prepare. She also made sure all the other ingredients and tools were ready before starting to cook. While she was busy with the bihon, the others were also preparing different dishes. It was a wonderful sight seeing everyone working together in the kitchen, each contributing to make the celebration more special and memorable.  The one in the red short polo is my uncle, Nicanor Canillo, the husband of my father’s sister. He is seated on the white chair, watching our relatives as they prepare food for his birthday. At the same time, he was busy grilling pork and fish over charcoal, making sure everything was cooked perfectly. What makes it fun to watch is that he also acted as the taste tester, checking if the flavor was complete or if something was missing. My uncle is also skilled in the kitchen, so his opinion always matters when it comes to food.  This is shrimp, and here’s something funny about me—did you know I actually prefer raw shrimp over cooked ones? Of course, cooked shrimp is delicious, but since I really enjoy “kilaw” (a type of ceviche), I guess it runs in our family that we love it that way. For me, shrimp prepared as kilaw is simply the best, and it’s always my first choice. That’s just my personal preference though, since we all have different tastes and opinions. Still, whether raw or cooked, shrimp will always be one of my favorite parts of any celebration or family gathering.  Since we were all gathered in the compound, everyone found a way to help out. My cousin Quenie took charge of slicing ingredients, while Kuya Ramir focused on preparing the humba, a special Filipino dish. For those who may not know, humba is already a well-known delicacy in the Philippines, often served at special occasions and family gatherings. It’s savory, flavorful, and something almost everyone enjoys. Watching them both work together in the kitchen reminded me how food not only brings out creativity and skill, but also teamwork and the joy of preparing something delicious for everyone to share.  As for me, I also had my own part to do. I had a scheduled appointment that lasted until 1:00 PM, but since I was assigned to help with the decorations, I made sure to catch up by 3:00 PM. Honestly, it was quite a challenge because the weather was so hot, the air outside felt polluted, and the jeepney ride took longer than expected. Still, I pushed myself to arrive on time, and thankfully, I was able to join the team in preparing the designs. It felt good knowing I could still contribute despite the busy schedule.  This was the design we chose, with the colors gold, black, and white. We wanted it to look more masculine and mature, since the celebrant is already an adult, not a child anymore. While I was waiting for the jeep earlier, I kept thinking if I could still make it in time, but thankfully I arrived just as the decoration work began. The plan was to keep the design a surprise, but since we had no choice but to decorate outside, there was a chance he could see it. In the end, we just focused on finishing everything beautifully.