by Telly Gonzaga-Ocampo

Remembering the 4 H Club of Yesteryears

The two (2) photos in this page show Irene “Ayen” Ocampo – Alaan (the author’s daughter) doing the “How to make the ‘hamonada’ demo” for the Cara David TV show over GMA Network. The TV showing of the demo will be on December 18, 2021 at 6:00 in the early evening.

The 4 h club, as I could recall, was one of the programs of the PACD – Presidential Assistance for Community Development. Represented by the  4 h are the Head, Heart, Hands and Health. But it could also be the House, the Home, the Heart and the Hearth.  The 4 h club It was one of those projects in the postwar era when young mothers were taught the rudiments of household work and cooking.  “The shortest way to a man’s heart is through the stomach.” This is an old adage and this adage is imprinted in the young minds of girls especially those who are about to get married.  

It was in Medina Misamis Oriental where I became a member of the 4 h club. I was a young mother then, in Medina, Misamis Oriental – a Pelaez country.  Manuel Pelaez was the vice president of the country at that time – before the declaration of martial law. His mother was a Neri from Dauis. She was called Señora Ipay. The Pelaezes had the mansion beside the sea amidst the coconut trees.  

Medina was a bustling town. And why were we in Medina?  My husband brought our family there as he was commissioned to establish the branch of Granexport in that place. This was in the early seventies. As a young mother then, I had to bring my children to a prep school operated by the parish church under Fr. William Adams. I also had the role of becoming a good young mother – especially in the dining room. This meant that I had to learn how to cook, prepare the food on the table, and see to it that my family was served well. Thanks to the 4 h club, my grandparents and my mother who really taught me how it is to be a good lady in the house for it to become a home. 

This is the reason that I never refused the invitation to demonstrate – for a TV Show – how to prepare hamonada and halayang ubi. It was Tin Dizon who extended to me the invitation to perform this role in the kitchen for a TV Show on December 5, 2021, I declined preparing halayang ubi since up to now wala pa gyud mi ubi ngg gipanglin. Nihit na gyud ang ubi karon. Wala na gyud ang panahon diin magbalikbalik ang ford fiera ug hakot ug ubi gikan sa Cambanac. 

Tin Dizon is one of the staff members of Kara David at GMA, the tv network.  Was it serendipity that the hamonada demo was asked of me?

It’s only during Christmas time that we cook hamonada.  We had it in the Christmas of 2019.  But with my husband’s passing, I do not have the plan of preparing food for Christmas eve. But with Tin’s invitation for the Kara David tv show of GMA Netword, I did not realize that I had to prepare hamonada before the 40th day of my husband’s passing away.

And the demo day – December 5, 2021 came. It was my daughter Irene who did the demo on my behalf. After my hip injury, I cannot afford to stand for a long period of time. Besides, I believe that it is about time for my children to do the cooking for me – now that I’m already 75 and have a walking disability.

During the cooking demo, I was asked by the TV team the difference between my hamonada and the commercial ham. My hamonada  is cooked in a different technique. My hamonada is cooked like the ham but in short cut version.  

I first chill the meat material called pige overnite to retain its freshness. I rub it with salt before chilling it overnite.  The following day, I throw the juices away, and rub the material with salt again including brown sugar. Unya, akong tusoktusokon ang meat material gamit ang tugsok o tinidor. Ako kini nga himuon aron musuhop pag-ayo ang sugar ug salt ngadto sa meat material. Pagsunod nga adlaw, ako na usab nga iyabo ang mga juices sa kong mixture..

On the 3rd day, I will marinate the “pige” in a mixture of Sprite, pineapple juice, mallorca, pepper and anise.  Then I will fry the marinated meat until until it becomes golden brown. Mas nindot gyud kung adto kini pagalutu-on a dapugan.

We were told that our hamonada demo will be shown on GMA TV on December 18 at 6 p.m. Bohol will be showcased on this day. I hope our demonstration was good enough to be appreciated by the TV viewers. 

Mabuhi ka Bohol.