"Kabayan ako..," my husband, Yohann proudly exclaims. 

"Oh yeah? Have you tried balut?" I answered back.  

"Hmmm..."

Balut or boiled duck embryo is a popular Filipino snack that most find strange, sometimes disgusting or even terrifying. According to CNN, "it's a Filipino delicacy that makes the world squirm." I ate lots of those when I was a kid. We have a saying back home, they're good for strengthening the knees. Each country from every part of the world has something exotic to offer anyway, so it's not that bad. This reminds me of the time we ate tarantulas in Phnom Penh.

Immersing oneself in the culinary scene of every place we visit is a good way to experience and understand one's culture. With that, my sister and I convinced our partners to finally try this challenge together. Though it's Fergus', my brother-in-law's second attempt to enjoy this popular Filipino snack, it ended up to be a memorable experience, especially when you have San Miguel Pale Pilsen next to you. 

Dare to try?

Bon Appetit!

Love & light,

Arni

Summer Citrus Salad from The Urban Farm

Let's toast, celebrate and be thankful for the gifts 2015 surprised us with.  The sudden crave for a glass of wine after last minute grocery shopping madness hits me. I glance at my active toddler watching Peppa Pig sitting next to my husband, who's seriously playing Candy Crush.  These are peaceful moments  I'm thankful for. 

Expats and Re-pats will inevitably encounter this experience one way or another. While scanning the grocery aisles while settling down and nesting in your new home, you experience a wave of homesickness, longing for the products that you have grown accustomed to from your home country or from the place you've stayed in for a long time. 

When I came back to the Philippines, having lived abroad for more than a decade, I've realised my palate has changed as well.  Everything that I was used to growing up suddenly tasted too sweet. I never really fancied mayonnaise before leaving my home country, so when I tried the French mayo for the first time, I saw mayonnaise in a new light and fell in love with it. 

Though it took a long time for my husband to convince me which mustard is better since I have been an advocate of the American yellow mustard, while he proudly defended his authentic Dijon,  I eventually caved in and developed the taste buds for Moutarde de Dijon. (Though I still like my yellow mustard in a hotdog sandwich - yum!)