Posted by Liberty on Oct 29, '07 6:50 PM for everyone
It is one of those sleeping giants, dormant the past twenty years, and suddenly they are waking up one by one since I got pregnant. My husband is away traveling so I know it is almost next to impossible for me to satisfy this crazy craving I want to have for breakfast! I am not encouraged to drive these days but this phantom is getting bigger and more real with every passing second and every letter I type this early, breezy morning.
Maybe pregnancy wakes up some of our most primal sense of comfort, or early pleasures experienced way back from childhood. For since my baby has made its nest in my womb, it has been bringing up consistent cravings for unusual foods, which I have personally not remembered or desired for in years and years, many of them really difficult to find where I live, causing me to unravel like a maniac sometimes. One of them is what I am craving for right now.
My vision was still a bit cloudy when I opened my eyes right before seven this morning, but in my mind, what I wanted to eat was as clear as a bright noontime on a very sunny day. I wanted to have taho for breakfast! Taho is a favorite food/snack sold almost everywhere in the streets of Manila where I grew up as a kid. As early as six in the morning, one can hear the taho vendors yelling, "taho, taho-oooo".
They have a particular way of calling out this word they almost sound like they are singing. To most kids, I think this word sounds melodious waking you up to a full attention to run towards the sound where it's coming from.
Grabbing our glasses or plastic tumblers, we all rush to our doorsteps, beckoning the taho vendor to come to us or yell back "taho" to him. He promptly answers your summons and lay down on the ground the two big tin pails he is carrying, suspended at the two ends of the bamboo pole that holds them together.
While we were trying to shove to him all our plastic tumblers, each one eager to receive the first serving of this most desired concoction, he quickly opens the top of the pail and you see the three partitions of this functional container, holding the three delectable but very simple ingredients of this heavenly morning treat.The main one holds the main ingredient, the taho itself. Taho is a creamy, soft custard like concoction made out of soya beans. Without the other two ingredients, I don't think it has any flavor at all.
He then delicately scoops out the taho with a special kind of a big spoon that has a knife like edge on one side, slicing slivers from what looks like mounds of slippery clouds to me. But never escaping from the masterful scooping of the taho vendor, they all land inside my tumbler. Then he pours a spoonful or two of the caramelized, sweet sugary syrup we call arnibal. Some may find it too sweet.But for me, it's perfect. Almost.
Then for the finale, he tops it with the pearly, clear balls of tapioca we call sago.He hands the almost full tumbler over to me, but before I accept I always say, "more arnibal please". And as expected each time I buy from him, he would always look at me, shakes his head and pour out an extra dose of that much desired nectar of the gods. Then I give him a smile as he hands it to me, also with a smile.
Then it's time to gulp down, I mean enjoy, this warm, delicious and nutritious special morning treat. The only culprit may be that sugary syrup. Now I know why we were always hyper as kids! And it is so cheap. Delicious, nutritious, and cheap. Only ten pesos per serving. Exchange rate now is 45 pesos to a US dollar!Now you do the math. No wonder it is such a popular treat.
Taho vendors are well-liked everywhere. Kids and adults wait for them everyday. They do their rounds from morning till dusk. I was a city girl so I only saw them plying the streets all day long. But the picture below shows a taho vendor selling his fare even on the beach somewhere. That must be a sight to see.
But where I live now, there is no way in heaven or hell I will likely hear the song of my favorite taho vendor. I think I better do something to distract my crazed mind from this early morning obsession. I will venture down the block, around the neighborhood and visit a local favorite breakfast place, by the waters, and order some "sinful foods" for breakfast. The mouse will play while the cat is away. Hmmmm, I wonder what kind of damage I can do there?
Have a heavenly and sweet day everyone
No comments:
Post a Comment