Eat, Drink, Be Merry… Updated

13 August 2009 – So now it’s The Reliable Source of The Washington Post, blogging about yet another extravagant meal our “beloved” President and her entourage had, this time in Washington.

And I quote:

“The Reliable Source has learned that three days earlier, Arroyo and an entourage of about 65 people (including security and food tasters) had dinner at Bobby Van’s Steakhouse on 15th Street NW hours after she met with President Obama. The group took over one of the restaurant’s private rooms and dined on lobster, steak and fine wines; at the conclusion of the meal, an unidentified woman opened a handbag stuffed with cash, counted out bills and paid the $15,000 tab — which included a generous tip.”

Over breakfast this morning, Sister Dear told me the story of one of her subjects for work. But before I move on with the story, allow me first to introduce a traditional Filipino viand called tinola:

Tinola is soup-based, commonly cooked with chicken, green papaya sliced into wedges, chili pepper leaves, boiled in broth flavored with ginger, onions and fish sauce. You can substitute chayote for the papaya, and malunggay (moringa leaves) instead of pepper leaves. Tinola is best when you have the meatier parts of chicken cooked in.

Now, back to Sister Dear’s story. At an interview, a woman was asked how she made tinola on a budget of 50 pesos (for the whole day, not just one meal; and the meal would be consumed by at least five people). She answered: (and this is not a direct quote, so bear with me)

I would buy one chicken wing, one peso worth of soy sauce, one peso worth of vinegar. Then I would boil the chicken in water. Once that’s done, the adults would eat rice with soup, and then 2-3 children can share parts of the chicken wing. This meal can be eaten for lunch and for dinner.

50 pesos. Two main meals. Two adults, three children (at least). One chicken wing. Soy sauce and vinegar worth one peso each. Lots of water.

I hope this leaves a bitter, acrid, acidic taste in the mouths of all those schmucks who enjoyed steak and lobster and wine. Then again, considering the kind of creatures they are, I highly doubt it would.

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