BARBECUE & POSO ON THE BEACH

It was  a Saturday afternoon when my four year old son whispered to my ear  with a  giggle, "Daddy ligo ta 'BINA"  smiling as he said.

 I knew really what he meant----a next day picnic at the nearby beach in the town of TABINA, Zamboanga del Sur. With his  naughty and angelic pleading who would resist to say no...?

" Oo baby, mangaligo ta ugma human nato ug simba" I say. Basti was jumping with joy and gave me a hug, while my mind was thinking on how this trip will turn up in such a short notice.

 Basti was  already inviting all his little friends to join a "FREE-FOOD/FREE-RIDE, SWIMMING AND EATING FEAST", I called Lagring to do something for our quick preparation.

" Unsa Sir? mag puso tah para ugma? ay, kalisod ba ana himoon uy, lung-ag na lang ta para dali ra ug wa pay kapoy! " she burst out with complain. Pila na kaha ko ka tuig nga gahandom mokaon ug poso, unya balibaran pako nimo" I aswered back. 

Imo biya pod nga nasugilon nga imong inahan mamaligya-ay ug poso sa mercado niadto. Lagring coyly accepted my persuasion. "Sus noh...mo reklamo pa jud ka.....

Knowingly that , it was not a request but an order, she left the conversation and started looking at the cute coconut trees at the backyard. 'Hoy Lagrimassssss..... dili biya mga dewende mangaon anang poso, pilaha ray itukob anang imong himoong poso nga kagagmay biya ng lukay sa pilipog?"

 I retorted in disgust. Hala tawag ug habal-habal ug adto sa bukid ipalihog ingon si Dong Unyot nga anak ni Panyang nga tindera ug budbud nga isaka kag lukay. Hala niay beinte pesos o, ibayad sa iyaha. Iapil pod ug hangyo nga ganahan kog botong para sa akong merienda, was my last words.

Half hour past and my hot Star bread came from Antipuesto bakery, which after the constant crisis costs 5 pesos per piece. I can't wait for my fresh buko salad which I was planning to add condensada milk and little sugar and ice.

 Alas!!! a motor bike came roaring at our pergola , and saw Lagring with lots of palm leaves and a pitcher of "kinayod na buko". "

 Hoy pagkadaghan ba ang lukay uy....layo pa man ang PALM SUNDAY, hahahahahaha!" I laughed as I helped them out arranging the palm leaves over the "lantay".

So it was heavenly merienda of BOTONG and star bread with the family---Basti and his friends, Faming, Bering  and the rest of the neighborhood kids I love to call them the HABHAB KIDS..joining every aftrenoon's merienda. I love kids playing while I am on a nap, their  laughter were more music than noise to me as I took a little slumber.

Lagring was busy weaving the poso and asked my kumare Milay, who sells TUBA everyday to help her the entricate job of doing a poso. My Nanay  was very good in making poso. 

A poso is HANGING RICE in English, as they gave this name to  sweet and tediously hard process steam rice that looked like a religious ceremony....!!!!!

A poso has different shapes and sizes, some called them "BENAKI", for having a shape of a frog. The other one which we usually have is called "KINASING" obvoiusly looking like wooden turompo or kasing.

An expert must be hired to cook POSO, a correct rice measurement must be added inside the empty poso. Incorrect measurement - like more rice will bloat the poso and some part will be uncooked. ...while lesser rice inside will cause a "LUGAW" like poso.

The aroma from the young coconut leaves upon cooked added the exoticness of the poso, so unique and the smell is mouth watering.

It was a fantastic picnic the following day and BASTE and the HABHAB GANG enjoyed through out the day. ....AND THE POSO?..........well that would be another story.