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out of stock!
Making bone broth is a painstakingly tedious process. There are no shortcuts to achieving high-quality stock. You let it simmer. Skim. Strain. Clarify. This cycle is repeated until you're left with only the purest of flavors.
As I watched these golden blobs float idly in the pot, I thought of my friends and how the list of people I can invite to dinner inevitably becomes shorter each year. Many upsetting realizations were also bubbling on the surface. Some connections turn sour, or bitter, or straight-up rancid. We season to taste and still question the palatability of our own concoctions.
In short: hindi matimpla. I’ve asked myself multiple times, kaya pa bang remedyohan? Maybe if I sprinkle more of this? or add less of that? Is this even worth saving? Did I fuck up? Should I start over from scratch? Pano na yung oras at pagmamahal na ginugol ko? Ulam na nga napunta pa sa wala.
It may help to know that stock is NEVER boiled. It is gently simmered. Anything made with careless haste is a recipe for disaster. Just like a hearty bowl of soup, friendships are a labor of love. IMHO all relationships require the same ingredients: compassion, patience, boundaries, respect, childlike wonder; not to be greedily consumed but willingly replenished by each other.
2024 was a big year for friends, both in making and losing them. Severing ties with people I love is always painful but this time there is no nagging feeling of lack. I look at those empty seats overcome by a wave of reassurance that they will be occupied again. Very soon. By people who actually care to sit with me.
Echoing some sentiments about wellness that I previously shared: How I care for myself is how I care for others. The safety that I create within is the same safety that I allot for (and expect from) those I share it with. I cannot serve from a pot that has been emptied, the best I can do is to leave the stove on for those in need of warmth. ✦
Postscript ~ my 2024 favorite food ganaps:
Regenerative Cooking with Good Food Community
Mabi shared personal stories and practices as part of their Food as Medicine series, followed by heartwarming conversations about how our identity is anchored in the food customs we grew up with (made extra emotional by Ugnayan prompts).
Nakakain ba ‘to? with Binhi Mindful Market
I led an intimate community discussion about the lifecycle of common kitchen vegetables (more on this soon when I’ve processed my big Palawan feelings), followed by a planting workshop by our organic produce partner, Farm Bihira.
Acts of Nourishing and Nurturing with 98B Collaboratory
I joined a roundtable panel that explored the intersection of farming, food, politics, and business. Quite a powerhouse of ideas and learnings brought together by Gulay Lang!, SAKA, and Escolta Coffee Co.
These small circles saved my sanity. May we all aspire to be each other’s saving grace.
Patricia ♡
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