Watermelon

new year tradition

Every year on the 31st of December prices of all kinds of fruits hike up to almost unreasonable price tags. This is because of the new year's tradition that a home should have 13 kinds of "round" fruits on their table as the family welcomes the coming new year.

This year like before we did not have the complete number of fruits. We only had a couple of apples from my sister, then a pear, two ponkans, three dalandans and a dozen or more brown chico. Now that I am writing it, I realized that unintentionally it sounds like the song!!! hahaha!!

There were some things I learned this year like putting cotton on a plate at the dinner table so that the coming year will be "magaan ang pasok" (light and easy for the family they say). Then from a friend's house I noticed that she put in a small creme-brulee-like-container a handful of rice and they said about 16 pieces of coins to bring in luck and prosperity in the coming year.

These are just some of the things that people do here in my country while welcoming in the new year. Although I do not practice all of these traditions, it is very interesting to see all the preparation that goes into collecting all of the "round" fruits for the new year.

Kalamansi

Kalamansi is one of my favorite local "lemon". It is widely used in the Filipino kitchen. Regular fare on the table as part of side sauce together with soy sauce or fish sauce.

They are very good sources of vitamin C because my Lola used to prepare warm kalamansi juice if I have colds and coughs. But still it can be enjoyed chilled and iced like any fruit juices.

Mango Bravo

New year feast! Conti's Mango Bravo! it is huge. My friend and her daughter lined up early morning to be able to buy this great dessert for the new year's eve dinner!

It is not too sweet. Light because it is layers meringue with lots of cashew nuts in between and a good layer of chocolate mousse. It was the electric fan that did it though. When you eat this it has to be far from the fan or it might just collapse. It was a good treat!

I've been so blessed with good food this holiday season and I didn't have to prepare and cook the whole day like years past.