I knew more or less what Tita Sarah’s Fine Foods would be serving at my balikbayan cousin Samantha’s birthday lunch. After all, Tita Sarah (a bilas, our husbands are brothers) inherited most of my husband’s mom and dad’s specialties, and put her own touch. So what else to bring than Lynne’s (my talented cook’s) sushi and sashimi platter? She’s so creative that she rolled some in black and white lenga (local sesame seeds) instead of say roe.
Sam’s relatives in Ilocos like the Lazos, Fabicos and Enriques were there.
Left to right: Tita Sylvia, Tita Josie Carlson, Tita Sipin Fabico, Samantha, Tita Aunong Enrique and my Ninang Leoncia Cu.
There’s my mother-in-law’s fresh lumpia, which is also now one of Lynne’s specialties. Besides Asian-influenced Filipino food, Tita Sarah prepared Ilocano dishes such as imbaliktad (half-cooked beef and offal with papaitan) and there was also crispy pata. 
May and I went to the Holy Spirit Academy of Laoag, but she migrated to the States when we were just starting elementary school.
Photographed by Samantha Jackson and Blauearth.
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