I’m having 5-day old siopao for lunch today. Leftover from the New Year’s Eve Noche Buena feast I prepared which required the customary round-shaped food items on the table — purportedly to attract luck. I bought 6 siopaos and with all the goodies lined up on the table, it wasn’t surprising that nobody touched the siopao.
Mom would have a fit if I even thought of throwing it away, so I’ve been eating it for lunch and I had another one today. (Tip on heating up siopao in the microwave: wrap it in a wet paper towel. Heating it without any moisture will cause the bread to harden. The water in the paper towel will give it its usual soft texture.)
So sitting here in front of my computer I couldn’t help but remember how it was to enjoy siopao from Chocfull O’Nuts in Greenhills or Shangri-La Mall. Yummy! Memories of how good those siopaos are happen to be one of the memories Alan and I share, although we never got to eat there together until he came home to ask for my hand in marraige in 2000. When we went home as Mr. & Mrs. Gonzalez in 2002, it was a must on our “to-do list”, and something we definitely didn’t miss out.
Next time we go home, we’ll be at it again. Siopao at Chocfull O’Nuts? Anytime!
Pinay New Yorker 