One dish she likely learned from Inang and passed down to my eldest brother Jim is a unique variant of the traditional Tagalog adobo, known as adobong tuyo or "dry adobo." To my mother, however, it was called adobong halo-halo, a name referring to the mixture of organ meats used in the preparation.

These fish date back to the early Cretaceous Period, around 145-65 million years ago, when giant prehistoric creatures roamed the seas. Milkfish (Chanos chanos) is the last surviving member of the Chanidae family from that era, and we still enjoy them today. My daughter, who shares my love for milkfish, tells her four-year-old son, a dinosaur enthusiast, that the fish she eats once swam alongside the colossal Mosasaurus.

The calamansi tree offers not only convenience but also a reassuring sense of familiarity, like that of a dear friend. It adds a touch of joy to our morning coffee or lazy afternoon tea. In, out, and around it, chirping finches, scurrying squirrels, flitting hummingbirds, and buzzing yellow jackets transfixes us in the moment.