Childhood Delights That I Miss

1. My afternoon snack of Clubhouse Crackers dipped in Coke

2. The after-school secret snack from the sari-sari store, 3 houses from where I lived-- calamansi dipped in spicy shrimp paste

3. The Saturday midnight snack tradition of my family -- a hot burger bun and chocolate ice cream sandwich

4. Lomi and bread loaf treat from my uncle every time he's drunk

5. Palabok in a restaurant called Delecta in Iligan City after my ballet class

6. My "halang-halang" (a hot soup dish with beef fat) breakfast in my aunt's carinderia before I go to school

7. My coffee-and-pandesal breakfast ritual on weekend mornings

8. One whole 3-peso "marang" (a seasonal fruit usually grown in Mindanao) just for myself after school

9. My Aunt Jiji's special maja with buko, langka and sweet corn

10. Suman latik every time my Mama Tess brings me to the market