Ah, the pabaon… What could be more plebeian than that?
The pabaon/baon is a cross-cultural phenomenon. The Japanese have their bento/bentou boxes, the Americans have their brown bag lunches. In the United Kingdom, generations of hard-working men and women were nourished by sturdy pies and pasties.
The goal(s) of bringing your own meals to work/school was simple: to provide sustenance and to cut expenses.
…and if that is not a plebeian objective, then I am a time-travelling cyborg…
There is of course another objective: it is familial love in a tangible, edible format. ^_^
It has become a kind of ritual for me to wake up early and prepare baon for my kids and the wife.
Today it is pan-grilled liempo (pork belly, garlic, soy sauce, garlic, sugar, garlic, vinegar, garlic…yeah I like garlic ^_^)
Pan-grilled liempo/pork belly
and a simple potato salad (boiled, cubed potatoes, mayo, scant bit of sweet pickle relish, cubed hard-boiled eggs and to give it an umami kick, some finely diced, highly salted left over ham from last Christmas)
Potato Salad
Now I need to brainstorm about Tuesday’s baon…
The Plebeian Cook 