NOSTALGIC delight is a phrase that evokes warm memories of those sun-kissed afternoons and childhood laughter. It goes far beyond treats and shows. It's like a portal to our past, where everything is experienced with pure innocence.
Childhood memories always remind us of good feelings. Join me in exploring these cherished memories, from tira-tira to The Cosby Show.
Does anybody here know what tira-tira is? It’s coconut toffee in English and Balikutsa in Bicol. The one we have in Lagonglong is similar to Bicol’s. It’s chewy and wrapped in dried banana leaves. It's not that easy to take a bite, though. It’s a never-ending pulling apart. The one who sold it then was just two blocks from our house. It's more than just a tira-tira. It's a connection to our roots—a taste of home.
Another childhood favorite is the red Chippy. It's tangy, salty, crunchy, and addictive. Pringles was always the second choice. Nothing beats that vibrant red bag. Our guilty pleasure. And no, this isn't a paid advertisement, Lance!
Junk food wasn’t taboo back then. Gone are the carefree days of our generation and generations before.
In college, I remember I always carried with me a pack of red Skittles. I don't know why. The same, possibly, with why my cousin, Milay, always had in her bag a pack of Digestive cookies. And that on top of her kiamoy.
I remember a funny memory of Milay and her kiamoy. Tito Yoyong bought Milay and An-an a big pack of kiamoy each. Milay, of course, almost devoured the entire bag, which resulted in her being tipsy. Imagine this getting drunk from eating kiamoy. Quoting my brother‘s favorite phrase, “Ga binulaos!”
As I said, Nostalgic Delights are not limited to food. The shows we watched then also bring back good old memories. It was the time when all households watched the same shows because there were only two to three channels available. Sorry millennials and Gen Z’s, no cable or internet then.
Filipino series like Annaliza, Flor de Luna, Guni-guni, and John and Marsha were my favorites. For the American series, Eight is Enough, Little House on the Prairie, The Young and the Restless, Charlie’s Angels, Murder She Wrote, and The Cosby Show, among others.
As we savor these nostalgic delights, let’s raise our flags of the past. Whether eating a chewy tira-tira or the familiar beat of a TV theme song, these moments shape who we are now. So, fellow time-travelers, let’s toast to the magic of yesteryears!
