I met Mel about 7 years ago and clicked right away because of our love for food. Lunch break with all our friends was always a blast and even the bench at the canteen was not spared from our always hilarious lunch times. We also got to meet his gracious and amiable Lola, Mrs. Norma Sajo Linco, who we would meet at times after work or visiting Mel at his home and she would prepare something delicious for us.
We even attended Lola’s (Mel’s friends call her Lola) birthday bash last June 2009, but we all didn’t know that it would be her last and we would say farewell to her November that year. Mel was left by Lola with so many memories of their time together, in their home, in their travels, conversations and Lola’s love for food. Out of missing Lola, Mel browsed through the stuff around her room and there he discovered all the well kept recipes of Lola. It was through these recipes that Mel got inspired and tried out cooking his Lola’s recipes and there in his cooking, it would seem that Lola will be always with him.
I would remember the times when Mel would invite us over for lunch (during our one hour lunch break) or dinner after work and he would cook for us what he has learned from Lola’s recipes. It would be an hour or two of laughter and eating his sumptuous meal. It is at these times that it would fill in the memories of Lola, of friends bonding and friendship sealed.
And so fast forward today, Mel has continued give tribute to his Lola through his passion for cooking. He has hosted a lot of lunch and dinners for his friends whether at home or in the church that he serves. And during holidays, friends would ask him to cook some holiday dishes for them. And one of those holiday dishes is Mel’s Holiday Ham. It started out within the circle of his friends and eventually through friends, Mel would get orders from other people as well. And now his ham is being ordered all the way from Manila and nearby cities.
So one sunny Thursday, Mel invited us over for lunch and to me, it was like a Christmas lunch one month early. It really felt like Christmas, from the table set, the Christmas tree, Christmas music and there in the middle of his dinner table was our lunch inviting us, like that funny Candelabra from The Beauty and The Beast singing “Be our Guest”! There in his dining table was Mel’s Holiday Ham, Chicken Man Style and Honey Chicken Salad together with his version of Fruit Punch and for dessert Coffee & Cream gelatin. I just miss the rest of our friends being there. But I was with Mel and his friends as well and it felt like we knew each other before that “Christmas lunch”.
Mel’s Holiday Ham is cured for five days and then cooked to perfection. It is a family recipe and homemade with all the natural ingredients we all look for, for our holiday ham. Mel personally goes to the market to buy the ingredients and chooses the best meat for his ham. You can order it in whole or have it sliced if you request for it. It is cooked with love and tribute to Mel’s Lola. So try it out this Christmas and let it be a centerpiece this Noche Buena!
You may contact Mel (Mel Camon) at his mobile number 0939-542-9368 for your orders.
Article by Carmen Algara