The Halo-Halo Bistro

http://www.philippinesinsider.com/philippines/filipino-cuisine/ Lechon is a Spanish word meaning “suckling pig”. In the Philippines, Lechon always means a whole roasted pig commonly known as Lechon Baboy. Beef and chicken are also popular as lechon commonly known as Lechon Baka and Lechon Manok, respectively. The method of cooking the lechon is that the whole pig is roasted slowly over live charcoal. This method is also similar to the way the Chinese Peking duck or the Balines Guling celeng is cooked. The tedious method of long-hours roasting the whole pig leaves the meat very tender inside and a crispy skin outside. The lechon is a popular dish in any of the festivities in the Philippines such as fiestas, holiday seasons, and special occasions like birthdays, weddings, and other family gatherings. It is said that celebrations are not complete without the lechon as the table’s centerpiece. It is always served with a liver-based sauce making it more tasteful and delicious. The lechon ka...

By Rodney J. Jaleco Aug 21st, 2008 MILTON, Florida = Naval Air Station Whiting Field mirrors a typical American mid-size town – homes, offices, parks and other amenities to sustain 3,800 people. But it also hosts 120 planes and 150 helicopters of the US Navy. The man charged with keeping this large community and everything in it, is Navy Capt. Enrique “Rick” Sadsad, a 51-year-old Olongapo City native, who rose from the ranks to become one the highest ranking Filipino-Americans in the US Navy. Whiting Field, about 30 minutes away from Pensacola, is the US Navy’s premier basic flight school. A sign on the entrance of a classroom building says it all – “Through these doors pass the future of naval aviation”. “At Whiting Field we train navy, air force, Coast Guard and Marine Corps to be pilots, naval aviators,” Capt. Sadsad explained. Students include those sent by America’s allies, including a few from the Philippine Navy and Air Force. “We have the fixed wing part, which are three VT (t...

By Carole Tarantino Sometimes I am so amazed when something like this crosses my path and I have had the experience. On my way back from Pohnpei this summer, we had a few days layover in Honolulu at a nice hotel to de-compress, and our hotel had many, many soldiers, men and women, in transit, just coming back, and on their way over. One morning I rode the elevator down with a tall gentlemen in fatigues, and as we stepped out of the elevator, me first, I turned to him and wished him God's blessings and safety wherever he might be. His face showed bewilderment at first, then a smile, and I swear his eyes were misty as I smiled and walked away. How many times have I passed a person in uniform and felt too awkward to express my appreciation, regardless of the political posture? Many times, for sure. And I use this expression that shows love in my heart for another when I have not been allowed to speak to the defendant. No one ever stopped me from this expression. It’s easy to ju...

By Celia White A must read for parents Dr. Arun Gandhi, grandson of Mahatma Gandhi and founder of the M.K.Gandhi Institute for Nonviolence, in his June 9 lecture at the University of Puerto Rico, shared the following story: “I was 16 years old and living with my parents at the institute my grandfather had founded 18 miles outside of Durban, South Africa, in the middle of the sugar plantations. We were deep in the country and had no neighbors, so my two sisters and I would always look forward to going to town to visit friends or go to the movies. One day, my father asked me to drive him to town for an all-day conference, and I jumped at the chance. Since I was going to town, my mother gave me a list of groceries she needed and, since I had all day in town, my father asked me to take care of several pending chores, such as getting the car serviced. When I dropped my father off that morning, he said, ‘I will meet you here at 5:00 p.m., and we will go home together.’ After hurriedly comple...