Tita – Auntie, includes friends of parents
Tito – Uncle, includes friends of parents
Da-Jie – eldest sister, Chinese
Food Terms
Bagoong – a Philippine condiment made of partially or completely fermented fish or shrimp and salt
Bangus – milkfish, national fish of the Philippines
Balut - a developing duck embryo that is boiled alive and eaten in the shell.
Batchoy – a noodle soup made with pork organs, crushed pork cracklings, chicken stock, beef loin and round noodles
Binagoongan – a pork dish flavored with bagoong (shrimp paste)
Buko – young, green coconut. The meat is still soft and translucent and the juice is clear and sweet. Buko pandan is a dessert.
Calamansi – a citrus fruit, Philippine lime
Crispy Pata – dish consisting of deep fried pig trotters or knuckles served with a soy-vinegar dip.
Champorado – a sweet chocolate rice porridge made with sticky glutinous rice and cocoa powder.
Chicharon Bulaklak – a snack made up of fried pig mesentery, the fatty tissue that hold together the pig’s small intestines.
Dinuguan – a savory stew of meat and/or offal simmered in a rich, spicy dark gravy of pig blood, garlic, chili, and vinegar.
Halo-halo – dessert that is a mixture of shaved ice and evaporated milk to which are added various gelatins, boiled sweet beans, fruits, and sometimes topped with ube ice cream
Kare-kare – a meat stew, sometimes based on oxtails and tripe, with a peanut base
Kinilaw – a raw fish salad made of fresh tuna mixed with vinegar, garlic, onion, ginger, calamansi juice, salt and pepper.
Leche Flan - a custard dessert with a layer of soft caramel on top
Lechón – pork dish derived from suckling pig, spit roasted over charcoal. Lechón kawali is a crispy, pan-fried version. Lechón baboy is the whole pig.
Longanisa – garlic and vinegar rich pork sausage
Lumpia – crispy fried roll consisting of meat and vegetable filling. Each family has their own special version. Derived from Chinese spring rolls.
Matcha – finely milled or powdered green tea.
Pancit – saucy noodles introduced to the Philippines by Chinese. Pancit bihon is made with transparent thin rice noodles.
Sinigang – soup or stew characterized by its sour and savory flavor most often associated with tamarind
Sisig – a snack, usually marinated in a sour liquid, for example, pork sisig is made from parts of pig’s head and liver, usually seasoned with calamansi and chili peppers
Turon - sweet, deep-fried spring roll made from saba bananas and may be eaten as a snack or dessert.
Ube – purple yam
Acknowledgments
Many thanks to my critique partners and beta readers: Lori D., Jessica Cassidy, Chantel Rhondeau, Amelia Waters, Debbie Rosa, Say Medina, Ruth Davis, Vera Neves, Joanna Daniel, Stefanie J. Pristavu, Lyssa Layne, and Orlanda Machado.
Thanks also to my friends and fellow authors in the Romance In A Month writing group for their daily encouragement and support as we cheered each other on our first drafts.
As always, my gratitude goes to readers. You are the answer to the question, “If a book is written and no one is around to read it, does it exist?”
Thank You and Happy Reading!
About the Author
Rachelle Ayala is the author of dramatic fiction featuring strong but flawed characters. She loves romance and mystery with happy endings.
Visit her at: Website: http://rachelleayala.me
Blog: http://www.rachelleayala.com
Subscribe to mailing list for upcoming books and giveaways. http://bit.ly/RachAyala
Reader’s Guide: http://rachelleayala.me/reading-guide/
Other Books by Rachelle
Michal’s Window
Roaring Hot!
A Father for Christmas
Christmas Flirt
Christmas Stray
Chance for Love
Broken Build
Hidden Under Her Heart
Knowing Vera
Sánchez Sisters
Taming Romeo
Claiming Carlos
Jewells in Love
Whole Latte Love
Sports Romances
Played by Love
Playing the Rookie
Playing Without Rules
Intercepted by Love
Non-Fiction
Romance In A Month
366 Ways to Know Your Character
Reader’s Guide: http://rachelleayala.me/reading-guide/
Claiming Carlos Page 32