Games We Used To Play

Whenever we go out with our son, James, he always brings with him a favorite gadget. One day it's a PSP. The next day, it's a Nintendo DS. If he had his way, he would probably be lugging an iTouch, or the new Ipod Nano with video and FM radio. And on long trips, he makes sure we bring along a laptop.

As I look around, I noticed that my son isn't the only one. Other kids around his age do basically the same thing.

They're hunched in one corner, focused on the task at hand, unmindful of the chaos and noise that surrounds them. They see nothing but the play of lights and colors on a glaring screen no bigger than a business card, nor do they hear anyone except the irritating sounds of car crashes, firing spaceships, and karate kicks. For a moment, they're alone in their own world of cyber make believe.

What did I do when I was his age?

Well, for one, we didn't have all these gizmos and contraptions. We had to make do with what we had and what we could find. The games back then were ingenious and creative. And one thing's for sure, we didn't do things alone. We always had someone to play with. Let's stroll down memory lane and see how much of these games do you still remember. I am not even going to attempt to describe the games in detail because some are so convoluted that you'll need a book to talk about it.

Studying in an all-boys school, we played a lot of different games. There was TEX -- a comic card, that was smaller than a credit card, with a number on the bottom right corner. The object was to get as many cards from your opponent as you can, by "betting" a stack of cards (yours) using the numbers on the comic card or by tossing 3 cards in the air. HOLEN (marbles; also called JOLENS) was another popular game. It tested ones finger dexterity and aim, which involved rolling marbles on holes bored on the ground, or by striking

marbles off a circle drawn on the ground.

TURUMPO (top) showed flexibility of the wrist in spinning the wooden top with a long string, while SIPA (meaning "to kick"), made of metal screw washers and shredded plastic strings (called straw) resembling a badminton's shuttlecock, exhibited ones

balance and foot control. Then, there was SIYATO (pronounced as SHATO). This game involved hitting a small stick, about 7-8 inches long, with another stick trice as long, replicating someone pitching a slow softball and while the other batted, minus the diamond, and at a much, much smaller scale.

Growing up, me and my neighbors looked forward to playing street games on weekends. Some of these games are still being played today, not just in the Philippines, but in other parts of the world as well. KICK BALL, an adaptation of baseball, was probably one of the most popular ones, played by both boys and girls. PIKO (hopscotch) and LALANG BALL (dodge ball) are 2 other universal games that we all grew up with. Of course, who can forget TAGUAN (hide and seek).

PATINTERO tested ones speed (and strategy) by not allowing the opponent from crossing the line being guarded. Combining accuracy and speed, TUMBANG PRESO's goal was to knock off

an empty can using a player's slippers, and retrieve the same

slippers without getting caught by the "it." LUKSONG TINIK ("thorn" hurdles) displayed a player's jumping ability, as 2 other kids use their hands and feet to create the hurdle.

Then, there were table games, like DAMA (checkers), using tansan (bottle caps) as game pieces, and SUNGKA (Philippine mancala game). And the favorite games of the girls -- JACKSTONE (both regular and Chinese versions), PICK-UP STICKS, and CHINESE GARTER, to name a few more.

These were the game we used to play. There were others we played growing up, far too many to even mention. These games of my generation were all interactive. Simple and inexpensive as they were, we surely had a great time playing them.

Will our kids ever get a chance to play these games? Maybe. But only if they're available in Wii or Play Station 3.

What American Sisig?

To the quintessential drinker, an ice cold beer is best enjoyed with a good, savory

"pulutan" (appetizer). And the "pulutan" of choice is SISIG. There are a hundred and one variations of this dish, and it has gained popularity in the last 20 or so years (maybe more). Some say, it has even surpassed the adobo as the Philippines' national dish.

Sisig is native to the province of Pampanga. Actually, sisig is a Kapampangan term which means "to snack on something sour." Early recording of the dish date back to the 1700s, by an Augustinian friar. Back then, sisig was a salad, with a dressing of salt, pepper, garlic, and vinegar. Over the years, the dish has evolved from being a salad to a main dish, with the introduction of meat, particularly pig's ears and cheeks.

Aling Lucing is probably THE name most associated with this famous dish. She revolutionized sisig by grilling (or broiling) the pork meat and pig's parts after boiling them, then sauteing them with onions, peppers, and chiles, before serving it on a sizzling plate. This innovation has become the standard by which sisig is served.

In the early 1990s, I had a chance to taste this delectable dish, as prepared by Aling Lucing. With my adventurous ham radio friends, we drove about 45 minutes north of Quezon City to Angleles City, Pampanga to explore what this town is known for. We didn't exactly know where we were going. All we were told was to look for eateries along a railroad track and we'll find Aling Lucing's place. True enough, there it was, with a big red sign bearing her name, standing next to an active railroad track.

Aling Lucing's had the biggest stall. She had tables and benches literally on the street (adjacent to the railroad tracks). Patrons would park on any spot they could find, and walk up to a vacant table to be served. No reservations were taken, and there was absolutely no special treatment. You can find yourself eating next to a group of tricycle drivers having a few beers, or a bunch of teenagers enjoying a hearty meal. The night we were there, the local police had a spot inspection for loose firearms. They frisked all the male patrons in each table along the railroad track, except for us. I guess they figured out that we weren't locals and all we had with us were a few Tupperwares to take home some sisig back to Manila.

That Friday night was busy and Aling Lucing's servers could be seen crossing the relatively busy street, carrying sizzling plates of sisig to eager patrons. For P50.00 (a steal back then), one could enjoy a heaping plate of sizzling goodness. And what's enjoyable about it is hearing the crackling of the pork fat and pig's parts on the hot platter it is served on. With a sprinkling of calamansi and a dash of Knorr Seasoning, you're is cholesterol heaven.

Earlier on, you can only find sisig served in beer gardens and ihaw-ihaw joints in and around Metro Manila. As it grew in popularity, this beer lover's dish slowly found itself being served in airconditioned jazz bars, music lounges, and videoke houses. Filipino restaurants took note and started serving the dish as well. It was no longer an appetizer. It was now a main dish. Each of these places had its own version. Each one unique. Each one distinct.

I've tried many versions of sisig. Aside from the traditional base ingredients, variations include topping it with fresh eggs. When mixed, the heat from the sizzling plate slightly cooks the eggs to a creamy, rich consistency. In a small "ihaw-ihaw" along Esteban Abada (and Xavierville), I had a sisig topped with mayonaise. It surely was an unusual mix that I never ever craved for. And at another joint along Katipunan Extension in Blue Ridge, their sisig was topped with pork cracklings (or chicharon). But the most flavorful I've tried is one mixed with chicken liver and cow's brain. The taste is sooooo divine. A definite artery-clogger.

In America, sisig has found its way to the Fil-Am palette. However, it isn't exactly the same sisig Aling Lucing made popular. The "American" sisig that I've tried is basically marinated grilled lean pork, finely chopped. It is served on the side with chopped onions and jalapenos, and a sweet soy-based sauce. Most are not served on sizzling plates because the meat burns easily. Variations are limited, which include sauteing the pork with onions and jalapenos (and even fresh ginger), and some pork skin for that crunchy texture. Like in Manila, the Filipino restaurants in California have introduced sisig as a main dish, next to the equally popular adobo and crispy pata. A creative restauranteur has even coined the term, California Sisig, to describe this version of the famous dish.

Which is better? You don't have to ask.

Well, I'm a purist. Nothing beats the real, authentic sizzling pork sisig, espcially that of Aling Lucing. Her version has been my barometer for determining what a really good sisig should taste like. Alot have tried. Unfortunately, very (very) few have come close. In the last few years, other meats have been used to replicate the dish in order to cater to non-pork lovers. These include chicken, bangus (milk fish), tuna, and even tofu, to name a few. Of course, it's not the same.

The chicken variety is basically diced dark meat that's dry and bland. The bangus sisig is fish meat picked from the bone, which looks more like rellenong bangus, while the trying-to-be-exotic tuna sisig is similar to the Hawaiian Poki, that's bathe in mayonaise, minus the sambal, chiles, and sesame seeds. And the tofu sisig, well, it's more like dry tokwa, minus the baboy, on a sizzling plate, gone bad.

No matter how much you envision the taste in your mind, a bangus or tuna sisig just doesn't make the cut. Nothing beats the gelatinous pig's cheeks, crunchy cartilages of pig's ears, and crackling of pork skin and fat on a hot sizzling plate.

American sisig??? What are you talking about?!?