Bonding in Bohol, pasta in paradise

A summer of flavors, lessons, and love shared between mother and daughter

- TIMPLA'T TIKIM SOL VANZI

In 1960, Nanay Salud and I took a trip that changed our lives and our relationship. We took a trip to Bohol to spend a summer with her sister and brother-in-law, both doctors who were serving several years among the poorest communities before migrating to the United States.

Our mission was to help my aunt's family as they settled down in Anda, a small town at the end of the road in Bohol.

We were to report back to Lolo Andoy and Lola Tina, who were worried about the doctors and their four young children, uprooted from the city to live in a place where they knew nobody and did not speak the language.

Inter-island menu

Packed for our voyage were jars of adobo and sautéed bagoong alamang to supplement the ship's boring complimentary meals of dried fish and vegetables. When the ship docked in Cebu to refuel and take on more passengers, we took advantage of the break to eat at the Carbon public market.

We ordered fish tinola and longganisa. The plump red sausages were sweet. Syrupy juices caramelized and toasted the natural casing, providing perfect contrast to the dip of tuba vinegar spiced with siling labuyo.

The tinola was a surprise. Instead of the familiar dish with ginger and green papaya, the fresh fish was cooked in broth with onions, tomatoes, and tanglad (lemongrass). When we complained, the cook explained that in Cebu, tinola means cooked in broth and not necessarily seasoned following the Tagalog recipe. That was our first lesson in Visayan cuisine.