Post-Thanksgiving, I am very glad to welcome Genevieve, my friend from way back. She is today’s guest blogger from North America.

In all my years in the United States, despite having become a naturalised citizen not too long ago, I have never felt solidarity with, the need for or the desire to celebrate ‘American’ feast holidays. These would be Memorial Day, Fourth of July, and more noteably, Thanksgiving Day. These holidays symbolised events which hold no sentimental value to me whatsoever. In all the years past, whenever these days came, the only highlight for me would be that they spelled major discounts and some serious shopping, specially on the day after Thanksgiving.

This year was different. We had family from the Philippines who recently immigrated and wanted to experience what holidays were like in their adoptive country. They chose the wrong company to witness this American tradition.

So what do four people of no American-ness in their bones make of a Thanksgiving celebration as American as Apple Pie? We do it the Filipino way!

We managed to score some banana leaves, those that were not ripped and torn by the previous night’s strong winds. Washed and cleaned the leaves a bit and ran it across the hot stove to make it more pliable.

On the menu were:

Garlic sinangag
Daing na bangus
Inihaw na Talong
Adobong Baboy (not in the picture)
Ginisang Togue
Omelette
Bagoong
Buttered Gulay
Sawsawang Suka’t Toyo with Garlic

Did you think utensils were involved in this feast? Only for the sauces! We ate with our bare hands, almost folded our legs on our chests and waxed sentimental of days back home gone by…

Before:

After:

Happy Thanksgiving!