Salad Days

Next to halo-halo, the perfect summer treat for most Filipinos who grew up in the Philippines is buko salad, especially when fresh young coconut is readily available. Here's a traditional recipe from Kulinarya, the book put together by some of the Philippines' best chefs, that shows how buko fruit salad is done in the old days. Hint: it involves heat, not just mixing stuff together. Our Happy Home Cook recipe for the week.

If you're planning a balikbayan visit, do spare the time to visit Intramuros, the best-preserved remnant of Spanish Manila. First-time contributor Renz Mae S. Ladroma shows as what you can see and enjoy in the Walled City, complete with prices and other details.

In San Francisco where the musical, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, is on stage until August 8, PF Correspondent Myles A. Garcia focus on Alysia Noelle Beltran, the Fil-Am actor who plays the lead role of Esmeralda, the gypsy.

Emerging as one of the acclaimed books of the year, Fil-Am author Elaine Castillo's first novel America Is Not the Heart is a must-read, according to reviewer Pia Cortez.

Some riveting stories that you may have missed:

The Philippines is building a green, disaster-resilient city
https://www.cnn.com/style/article/new-clark-city-philippines/index.html?utm_source=CNN%20Five%20Things&utm_campaign=59f5ebca53-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2018_07_23_07_43&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_6da287d761-59f5ebca53-91010673

In Duterte’s Philippines, Having a Beer Can Now Land You in Jail
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/07/21/world/asia/philippines-duterte-crackdown.html

'I tended to the bodies': attacked by the Philippine army
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2018/jul/21/philippines-lives-land-lost-coffee-empire-militarised-politics

Galo's Road (page 11)
http://connectionarchives.com/PDF/2018/071118/Arlington.pdf

For video of the week, CNN Philippines features the work of Dr. Josephine Bundoc and Prosthetics and Orthotics Technician Ariel Zinampan on assisting People with Disabilities (PWD).

Suicide Isn't Painless

Through these days of rage and disquiet, let's face up to some important issues.

With the recent spate of celebrity suicides, do you wonder if Filipinos are just as prone to mental health issues that drive a person to choose death over life? Contributor Isabel Taylor-Escoda, who has retired in Cebu from living for decades in Hong Kong, researches the issue in "Suicide Among Filipinos."

We got this heartwarming story from a first-time contributor, David R. Rabaja, a Florida-based surgeon, about how the Rabaja clan was able to reunite in its original hometown in Cagayan. "Coming Home in Ballesteros" begs an answer to the perennial question of expats, can we really go home again?

As the immigration issue burns in the US, another first-time contributor Elizabeth Keanini-Silva tells the interesting story of Mayo Buenafe-Ze, who was brought to the US as a child, deported with her family back to the Philippines, and returned as a Fulbright scholar.

If you missed these stories from other publications, read them here in our In The Know lineup:

Manila's Mystery Red Banners
https://www.asiasentinel.com/politics/manila-mystery-red-banners/

What Does It Mean To Call Yourself Filipino, If You Can't Speak The Language?https://www.shopcambio.co/blogs/news/what-does-it-mean-to-call-yourself-filipino-if-you-cant-speak-the-language

Erica Paredes introduces ‘kamayan’ style, boodle fight to Europeans
http://www.interaksyon.com/chef-filipino-cuisine-france-erica-paredes-kamayan-boodle-fight/

LOOK: Filipino-French footballer celebrates World Cup win
http://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/07/16/18/look-filipino-french-footballer-celebrates-world-cup-win

Our Happy Home Cook recipe this week is Vegan Nilaga from Richgail Enriquez. 

For video of the week, ABS-CBN News profiles Nella Sarabia, who continues the family legacy of optometry.

Kapampangan Mode

When it comes to food, trust Kapampangans to do a good job of creating, flavoring, cooking and presenting them. Even chocolates, as gourmet chocolatier Raul Matias proves with his innovative, high-end Manila Chocolatier and Machiavelli Chocolatier brands. PF food correspondent Elizabeth Ann Quirino reports.

Even a dish that originated elsewhere like the Ilocano pinakbet, a Kapampangan touch makes it unique and delicious, if the right ingredients are used. Contributor Rochit Tañedo, a Tarlacqueño Kapampangan, tells a childhood story about making this popular dish in "It's Not Pinakbet If There's No Himbaba-o."

Since we're on a Kapampangan mode, how's about reading again one of our most popular pieces, "10 Things You Need to Know About Kapampangans" by cultural historian and academic Robby Tantingco. 

Meanwhile, Titchie Carandang-Tiongson of the Philippines On the Potomac Project in Washington DC reports on the visit of the Hibla ng Lahing Filipino traveling exhibit of the National Museum.

Be In The Know with our informative links:

Philippines Deports American Missionary Over ‘Political Activity'
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/07/04/world/asia/philippines-us-missionary.html?smprod=nytcore-ipad&smid=nytcore-ipad-share

The Poetic Justice of Stella Abrera's Juliet
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/08/arts/dance/stella-abrera-romeo-and-juliet-american-ballet-theater.html

Le Cordon Bleu in Paris Holds First Course on Philippine Cuisine
https://dfa.gov.ph/dfa-news/news-from-our-foreign-service-postsupdate/17092-le-cordon-bleu-in-paris-holds-first-course-on-philippine-cuisine

The Comprehensive Field Guide to Filipino Bread
https://www.esquiremag.ph/culture/food-and-drink/your-basic-guide-to-local-tinapay-a1623-20170510-lfrm#utm_source=Facebook-Esquire&utm_medium=Ownshare&utm_campaign=20180709-fbnp-culture-your-basic-guide-to-local-tinapay-a1623-20170510-lfrm-fbold

Let's go vegan again with our Happy Home Cook recipe for Quinoa Lugaw from Richgail Enriquez.

For our Video of the Week, GMA Public Affairs' “I-Witness” featured a documentary of General Simeon Ola, who was the last Filipino general to surrender during the Philiippine-American War.