Memories

My grandparents stayed with us in Manila for extended periods of time when they were not in Iba. Nanay would always bring goodies from Iba: suman sa ibus, tapa, bagoong, Zambales mangoes, yemas [egg yolk–based candies], and homemade mango jam. When Nanay was there, I looked forward to getting sick because she would make me meringue as a special treat. The soft, foamy, delicate treat was baked in a loaf pan and flavored with kalamansi lime. It was brown and a bit chewy on top, and so soft at the bottom that after a few days it would start to melt into a lemony curd, which I loved to scoop up.