‘Special’ pancit luglug: In loving memory of a loved one gone too soon

In my first blog months ago, I introduced some people whose love for cooking (unknowingly) influenced and inspired me to also be good at it. I also mentioned one specialty dish I attribute to each of them. One is my Ate Nora’s pancit luglug. The mere mention of this special dish already brings back treasured memories.

While my memory of her cooking pancit luglug goes as far back as the early 90’s, it’s still very vivid to me. She meticulously prepared each ingredient from the noodles to the sauce and the toppings. The ingredient overload included shredded smoked fish, shrimp, pork bits, pork crackling, boiled eggs, toasted garlic, and spring onions made the dish for me the best-tasting pancit luglug ever. A squeeze of calamansi juice on top perfectly balanced the flavors.

Last April, I tried to cook pancit luglug with the available ingredients I had at home. While it tasted good as confirmed by my regular customers, I know it never came close to my Ate Nora’s cooking.

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I had no idea that it’s gonna be my first and last time cooking this dish with my sister still around as she left us exactly forty days ago today. I would never again taste her ‘special’ pancit luglug. This specialty of hers, together with other simple yet delicious dishes we shared before like chicken macaroni salad, halabos na talangka, and ginataang suso will always remain special to me.

Last June, I met her for the last time and brought her the whole wheat bread I baked myself. This is the first and last loaf I made that she was able to taste. I wish I had the chance to bake more bread for her. With a mixture of regret and wishful thinking, I could only reminisce the memories of joyful simple meals I shared with her when we were young. These are only some of the many memories I want to keep and treasure in my heart forever.

Today, I once again cooked pancit luglug in honor and remembrance of my Ate Nora. I know I will never be as good as her when it comes to this dish, but I intend to be good at it. I would take pride knowing that it’s my late sister who (unknowingly) influenced me to do so.

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Little by little we let go of loss, but never of love.

– Unknown