Pink Valentine

“I’m always thinking about food ,” so said Julia Child channeled by Meryl Streep in the movie “Julie/Julia,” my flavorite of the year. Food has been foremost, too, in my life since a round of reunions with various friends started last month.

I remember a subtle aperitif served at the weekend getaway home of Rina and Pie David in Cavite: Rina Darling. It was a husband’s tribute to a foodie wife—folded pita bread with cheese, ham/salami, tomatoes and not-so-secret herbs. We know Rina to be a diabetic, but at that potluck lunch of our media women’s group advocating health, Pie came up to her quietly and served her a small slice of a Red Ribbon cake brought by one of the “gurlz.” Rina acknowledged him with barely a nod and continued her animated peroration about sex education for children and the youth.

Last Tuesday over supper at Happy Homes, Baguio, with another gal pal, Toottee Chanco Pacis, she told me of one instance when her husband Oscar, who leads our Saturday Bible fellowship, reprimanded her. He spotted her eating leche flan, a no-no for her, also a diabetic. He said, “You’re killing yourself, Babes!” She smiled at him, continued daintily bringing teaspoonfuls of the Philippine jello into her mouth and said, “Babes, I might be actually prolonging my life by eating this. Think of the pleasure it gives me, the joy of its taste.” He let her be.

Yesterday my three-day retreat ended with lunch with two ICM nuns. We shared a healthy meal of dinengdeng and steamed fish. An hour later, my partner picked me up. Back at his office, he asked me to edit a news feature, to trim it down by a thousand characters. After the task/favor was done, he told me he’d treat me to dinner—anywhere I liked. I said, “Mann Hann,” since it was close to the lunar New Year and I had a sudden craving for Chinese food. My wish was granted, including a request for a dessert of frozen yogurt. Fat-free but not entirely sugar-free.

Indulgent spouses—couldn’t dream of a better Valentine.

Photo of a butter flower plucked from Rina Jimenez David’s garden by ANNA LEAH SARABIA