the pancit that never was

i set the alarm clock at 4 this morning so i can prepare the pancit canton that i'm contributing for today's FFF (fun food friday). thanks to the Sassy Lawyer's (aka ate Connie) food blog Pinoycook.net , i used her recipe for pancit canton, a simple gastronomic treat for the otherwise picky taste of my american colleagues. since this was my first time to cook canton, i knew i shouldn't settle for any recipe available online but ate Connie's. and yes, i was right ;)

fortunately, i have all the ingredients she mentioned except for the Philippine lemon and i don't have a dependable huge wok. i used to have an aluminum wok, but i had to give it up to the dumpster as it oxidized and i'm putting the blame on the hard water in the area. so i used my teflon pan and somehow managed to fit all the ingredients in. it was difficult to mix everything without ruining the vegetables' texture, so i figured the taste should make up for it. besides, i thought, the hint of sesame oil should give it that exotic flavor the americans don't usually find in their everyday food. and although it would have been nicer if i had Philippine lemon on the side, i settled for lemon wedges instead. i garnished the finished product with the lemon pieces on top, crossed my fingers and prayed that my friends would like it. *photo courtesy of "The Tasty Island: Honolulu Food Blog"

so when i got in this morning, i sat the aluminum pan full of pancit (the americans pronounce it as PUN'set)on top of the microwave oven inside the math office and wound up doing my usual preps for my first block class. i was preoccupied from the 1st down to the 3rd block. when i came back 4th block to see how much more was left, all the noodles were gone! kaput! what was left were the lemon wedges (just as when i remembered to tell them to use the lemon for extra flavor) and the pan.

i know i'm not a very good cook, but to put some extra effort into the food that i take to school for FFF (i.e. staying up late to prepare the ingredients and waking up extra early to cook them) is something that i'd do over and over for friends who appreciate food, good company and a lot of laughter. if and when i should leave Kempsville, i hope to be remembered not only for my teaching, but also for the nice little memories that i make with the people whose company i enjoy.