WE MET 2020 with a little less noise but still with joy. It is great to see another year.

My aunt told me yesterday that she plans to have a good lunch on the fourth day of January. “Let’s have some fruits, chicken, pork and fish.”

She had a long list of things to buy. I gladly became her go-to-driver and groceries-carrier.

Fruits

My aunt said we needed apples for harmony, avocado for prosperity and grapes for wealth. I teased her: “Tita, we will be a few pesos poorer but the grocer will be a bunch of hundreds richer.”

“I don’t believe in good luck charms but I was thinking we should start the year on a healthy note.” And so we picked up some other fruits, whose symbols I looked up: Lemon (drive away negativity), mango (strong family ties), orange (money), papaya (gold), pineapple (fortune cones), pomelo (good health), watermelon (prosperity) and canned lychees (good fortune). I hope canned lychees still work their magic.

“We’ll have pomelo with salad greens in vinaigrette dressing, fruit salad for dessert, avocado shake and a drink made with the juices of orange, lemon and watermelon,” my aunt said.

Fish

My aunt wants to buy the biggest pugapo we can find at Pasil market early Jan. 4. “I learned that fish symbolizes abundance. You eat only the middle part of the fish and keep the meaty head and tail for the next day’s meal,” Krystalle said.

My aunt will steam the fish on a bed of ginger, green onions and light soy sauce. Since she will be preparing three pieces, I am sure we will have enough fish for our Sunday breakfast.

Chicken

According to supchina.com, chicken represents rebirth and family togetherness. My aunt did not know this, so I think she just has a sixth sense about good luck. The website noted that the chicken should be served whole. Contrary to local belief, the chicken must have its head and feet intact.

“I will steam the chicken after I marinate it in light soy sauce, oyster sauce, mirin, ginger and green onions,” my aunt said.

“Oh, that means we will have a steaming hot lunch, Blttte,” my uncle said and laughed.

Pork

Pannon begged my aunt for some lechon. “Please, Lola, let’s have some crispy lechon,” the boy said. So in addition to the spaghetti with pork meatballs, we will be having lechon.

“I’ll make sweet sour pork with cucumbers to complete our menu,” Donna said.

All this talk about food has made me hungry. I’m going out to grab some juicy, oily and satisfying hamburger to start my 2020 on a “caloricious” note.