I turned another year older a few weeks ago and as I do every year, it's a good excuse to over feed everyone in the office.
Some things never change -- gorgeous flower arrangements from clients and friends brighten up my room -- and my mood!
This little pig gave up its life so that the people in the office could over indulge in cholesterol, not that they need another drop. But lechon is standard fare for celebrations so even if I have stopped eating meat -- for ethical, humane and health reasons, it's not an acceptable reason (at least to my officemates) not to have a whole roast pig for lunch.
We get our lechon from Ping Ping's in La Loma -- quite possibly one of the best lechon places in the city.
Boo hoo hoo -- how can you look at that face and still eat pork? Does that crisp, crackly skin merit this kind of treatment? Hmm, maybe the jury is still out on that one!
A good friend from Malabon (where I grew up) sent this bilao of my favorite -- the best pancit malabon in the entire planet -- only from Rosy's!
More cholesterol and oily, fatty goodness! CPA or chicken pork adobo is another crowd favorite. Our caterer of many years, Mang Julio and his wife Aling Lumen, make a really mean adobo -- so tender, it literally disintegrates into shreds when you pick up a piece.
What's a birthday lunch without something for the birthday girl to eat? Fish kebabs are juicy chunks of blue marlin skewered with bell peppers, onions and tomatoes. These are so well seasoned and grilled, there's no need for any kind of sauce at all!
It's almost the end of lunch and the poor pig has been decimated to his bare bones.
The head has been carefully removed, the remainders will be chopped and someone will bring the carcass and left over sauce home to turn it into paksiw na lechon or lechon stew.
Nothing goes to waste! Perhaps you can say that this pig did not die in vain.
For dessert, I ordered a large cake from Estrel's -- they make the best caramel cakes in town!
The icing and the flowers are all made with delicate butter cream -- smooth and with just the right hint of sweetness.
This light and refined cake is the perfect ending to such a heavy meal.
Until next year's birthday lunch ... everyone has 365 days to recover from the porcine excess!
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