Sayang ang pagod...

...at gasolina. The newspaper supplement projected it like a big event in Santa Rosa, Laguna, the city. A city? That’s what the mayor wants it to be and it is, if you look at the area where all the industrial companies are and where the high-end housing conclaves are also located. We went to the other side, the town proper where the event, the Santa Rosa Expo ’06, was going on. Apparently the city officials have dreams, but it takes more than good intentions to transform them to reality.

Coming from Alabang as we did, going to the town proper via the South Luzon Expressway must be avoided. From the toll exit, we went around the now deteriorating Sta. Rosa central market where hardly any activity was going on. The shorter way, although heavy with tricycle and jeepney traffic, is the old national highway, passing San Pedro and Biñan. But it was too late for us, so there we were on narrow Rizal Avenue in Barangay Malusak (what a name!). We started asking where the Expo was, but nobody knew, not even the traffic policemen. One young man could not even point us to the Municipal hall. Imagine a resident not knowing where the City Hall is? Incredible!

Anyway, we saw the banners and billboards with the face of the mayor, Joey Catindig, and followed them until we got to the National (Technology) high school’s dusty grounds, venue of the pathetic Expo. Students were eating at makeshift carinderias where a row of plant growers were huddled, among them a young man who had no idea what he was selling and a woman fast asleep on a bamboo bed where woodcarvings were. No other items were on sale. We were looking forward to discovering at least some typical kakanin and local food. Nothing. Catindig and his group need some education on how to mount an Expo. Maybe they should go and talk to the people of the very organized Cavite Chamber of Commerce. They might learn a thing or two.

Somewhat irritated, we started to make our way back home through the old national highway called Tagapo. We regretted wasting half a day and much gasoline, until we spotted Robinson’s Place along the highway. This actually saved our day. The complex is in the process of renovation, no doubt in preparation for stiff competition, considering a massive SM is soon opening a few meters away. We headed for the Supercenter after a light but substantial lunch at Frio Mixx for P99. The first things that caught our attention were the wood products, from serving trays to knife caddies. They are done very well, specially those under the label Ypao and Super. The Kitchen Spoon set is tagged at P120 and the serving trays start from P449. For personal use or as gifts, they are ideal.

The meat section is well organized and neat. It has the usual brands including Monterey from where we got sirloin steak at P357 a kilo (rather tough when we cooked it for dinner). As it was early afternoon, the seafood was not that enticing. They’ve got green and ripe mangoes, the former at P84 a kilo and the latter at P73. We found a new line of canned meat products, under the Meiming brand, including chopped pork with ham for P45 a small can . New to us is Del Monte Steak Sauce which unfortunately did not have any price tag, either on the bottle or on the rack. Oh, the staff are helpful.

So that was one day that turned out to be okay, inspite of some frustration.

There have been times when we could not find jumbo eggs. What are tagged in some supermarkets as large or extra large are actually medium-large. Well, we recently discovered a consistent supplier who sells the real jumbos: Carrie at the BF wet market has not disappointed us since we turned to her for our supply. She sells them for P49 a dozen. She is also a rice dealer. Her Jasmine fragrant rice is at P996 a sack.

Caimitos (green) are now in season and they are rather big. We got some from our suki Vilma’s mother, whose vegetable stall is now right next to her daughter’s. We got good Zambales mangoes from her. This time the skin did not develop those unsightly black spots. Sad to say that in a Filinvest supermarket we unluckily bought a bunch of señorita bananas that were so difficult to detach from the bunch, were tarty in taste and developed black spots after a day. Graciously the store’s supervisors offered to replace them. Service is seemingly getting better.

Here’s an easy-to-prepare Oriental inspired dressing for salads: Mix olive oil, honey vinegar, finely chopped ginger, salt and pepper, and a few drops of sesame oil.

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