Brunch at my Home-- "Kain Tayo!"

Since I am a full-time working mom, I try to make up among other things, by making meal times special for my family. I cook Saturday and Sunday dinners and Sunday Brunch. On Sundays, we tend to linger longer at the table before heading for worship service at midday.

It has been such a habit that my youngest, now 15 years old would wake me up in the morning, less I forget to cook! They look forward to that. I'm glad.

I cook depending on what's in the pantry. Or when I happen to be in the grocery on a Saturday, I start buying for my brunch menu. Pinoy breakfast is hearty. And while I add things of my own, revise bits here and there-- you will find my family heritage at our table.

The latest pinoy theme included chicken tocino, crispy boneless dilis, spanish sardines, sunny side-up, puting keso ng calabao (carabao white cheese) pan fried in butter and tsokolate eh (spanish chocolate). with the pre-requisite sinangag (fried rice) and bread. For toasted bread, it's a toss-up for me between pandesal, french bread, whole wheat or rye.

Both my parents hail from Batangas, so I grew up with native white cheese, although then it was saltier and wrapped in banana leaves...

tocino, although then it was with fatty pork...

The rest especially the spanish chocolate is still the same--dark and thick. The way I imagine the Spanish Friars had them in the olden days. Tablea is basically roasted cacao seeds ground and placed in small tin molds till dry.

• 6-9 unsweetened chocolate tablets
• 3 cups water
• 1/2 c sugar
  

Simmer the chocolate tablets in water till it dissolves. The traditional way is to beat it until frothy with a batirol. In the meantime, a wire wisk will do. Add sugar. This istill quite bitter. Just offer milk and sugar or condensed milk at the table. Let them add according to taste. We enjoy ours bittersweet.

I cherish this time with my children and I hope that they will remember these sunday brunches with fondness. That they too, will make it a point to keep the weekly tradition alive where their own families are able to bond and make up for the hectic week that had just passed.