Southern Living: 2018 March-April

March 2018 Volume 12 | Issue 06

HOME RUN

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CONT ENTS 22 EATS Bench’s newest venture highlights Filipino cuisine

16 COVER STORY Victor and Maggie Consunji run the world

Cover photo by Everywhere We Shoot 08 FEATURE This homegrown brand paints with the earth’s colors

MARCH 2018 04 HEALTH The best way to find yourself is by traveling solo

26 RECIPE Crab fat makes this Indonesian sauce even richer

06 FIXTURE How to travel without harming the environment

28 THE GET A heritage brand continues to innovate the classic espadrille

EDITOR’S NOTE Ready to run We like to think that getting out of the sedentary lifestyle is only a matter of time. We just need the right schedule, the right gym, the right airline promotion, the right Airbnb.

But after spending one afternoon with Victor and Maggie Consunji, we realized there’s really no time like the present. No more excuses, no more beating around the bush. Get over or through that wall, never around it. The only person in the way is you.

The same thing goes for traveling when you think about it. One must be put out of their comfort zone to find a better version of themselves.

Healthy displacement requires a guided leap of faith. Take that risk knowing you’re doing the right thing—whether you’re booking a solo trip or vowing to save the earth one step at a time. So long as you’re on the right track, go on, get a move on. There’s no stopping now.

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CHOOSE YOUR OWN ADVENTURE What happens when travelers get lost on purpose?

TEXT LESTER BABIERA ILLUSTRATION CHESLEIGH NOFIEL

“Happiness is only real when shared,” my cousin messaged me after learning about Christopher McCandless, the 24-year-old American who challenged himself to travel around the United States carrying only minimal amount of money and belongings. His goal was to work his way from Atlanta, Georgia to Alaska.

The quote is arguably the most popular line written by McCandless, who was a frequent

solo traveler. He had managed to complete his Alaska trip but died four months after achieving his goal, allegedly due to starvation.

My cousin, who was then fascinated by traveling solo, followed up her message with the realization that a trip becomes better when done with people one loves.

Traveling with someone or a group is fun, for sure—also undeniably cheaper and more

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Numerous studies have also shown that traveling boosts one’s psychological well-being by relieving stress, making a person happier and leaving them more satisfied. Being alone, meanwhile, also improves mental health. convenient in many ways. But with all my preferences considered, traveling alone suits me better.

I’ve been going abroad solo since 2013. And even when I travel with friends and family, there are days I wander off alone by choice. I got the idea—and the guts to actually do it— after I, along with a college friend, met some backpackers in Ho Chi Minh. Over bottles of Bia Saigon, they told us how the adventure of solo travel challenges and liberates the soul, and I took mental notes as I envied every bit of their experiences.

Their stories clung to me all throughout that Vietnam trip and kept running through my mind even after we had returned. Just days after arriving in the Philippines, I decided to book a roundtrip ticket to Thailand. “The time to go solo is now,” I told myself.

Mary Helen Immordino-Yang, associate professor of education and psychology at the University of Southern California told The Atlantic, “The ability to get out of your own social comfort zone [helps] you build a strong and acculturated sense of your own self.”

Numerous studies have also shown that traveling boosts one’s psychological wellbeing by relieving stress, making a person happier and leaving them more satisfied.

Being alone, meanwhile, also improves mental health. Psychologist Sherrie Bourg Carter has said in article from the website Psychology Today that solitude “gives you an opportunity to discover yourself and find your own voice.”

Why do I constantly travel alone? The main reason is that I consider my trips as a break from the hectic and stressful life in urban

Manila. Once in a while, I engage in long solo vacations to recharge, challenge myself, reflect, and evaluate my life decisions.

Solo travel has taught me things I never imagined I’d do: I’ve learned to ditch hotel rooms in favor of dormitories because it saves me a lot of money. Strangers, regardless of skin color, gender, and age, could actually turn into good friends. I became unafraid of getting lost because it sometimes leads me to unexpectedly beautiful places. Most importantly, I gained confidence and courage because I had no one but myself to rely on for surviving the whole trip.

Traveling solo has its fair share of stressful moments, too, of course. I once booked the wrong hotel in Kolkata, India and ended up sleeping in a dirty, damp room with no proper mattress. In Kampot, Cambodia, I unfortunately stayed in a guesthouse packed with bothersome stoners. I got stranded in the middle of nowhere in Bagan, Myanmar after my e-bike’s battery died. Nevertheless, I consider these mishaps as “good stories to tell.”

Some say traveling alone is boring and foolish; I beg to differ. People who choose this kind of journey always have interesting stories to tell. They come back probably a little bruised from all the adventure—and the spending—but what they take home are unique experiences and life lessons most likely gained from the freedom to choose their own adventures.

I always encourage people to travel solo.

Anyone can do it. It’s not just a journey hinged on seeing new places or taking beautiful photographs but also a process of discovering and improving one’s self.

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THE GREEN TRAVEL GUIDE Little steps towards being a responsible traveler TEXT ANTHEA REYES ILLUSTRATION DANIELA GO

Travel slow by land and fast by air The slower your travel time, the better. If you’re traveling by land, using public transportation— ships, buses, trains, or jeepneys—is always better than riding solo in a private car. If you have no choice but to travel by air, opt for faster, nonstop flights to help lessen your carbon footprint since airplanes produce most of their carbon emissions during takeoff and landing.

Seeing the world comes at a cost, often at the expense of the places we visit, the people we meet, and the cultures we engage in.

These expenses come in the form of carbon footprints, community conflicts, and destabilized economies.

It’s a good thing there is an increased collective consciousness to how these negative effects can be reduced through sustainable traveling. But what is it really?

National Geographic describes that sustainable traveling (1) employs environmentally friendly places where the reduction, reuse, and recycling of waste products are observed; (2) protects cultural and natural heritage; and (3) provides tangible social and economic benefits for local communities.

Sustainable traveling may sound intimidating, but it’s really just about making mindful choices about the modes of transportation, chosen accommodations, and purchasing practices when going to a foreign place. Here are some concrete ways of doing it the next time you go on an exploration.

Take short showers, not baths Aside from the fact that taking a bath means basically stewing in your own filth, it also wastes about 265 liters of water. In comparison, taking a shower uses only about 38 to 95 liters. Go the extra mile and turn off the showerhead when lathering up your soap or shampoo to save even more water.

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FIXT FIXTURE URE Don’t use plastic Always bring a tote bag when exploring the local market or when dropping by a convenience store for necessities. One less item packed in plastic goes a long way.

Instead of buying bottles of water, bring a water jug and refill it at water stations. Have your takeout orders packed in your own non-disposable containers. Use reusable utensils when dining. These little things will help lessen plastic use and save some money, too.

Make sure you’re buying local legitimately When you’re on the hunt for souvenirs, avoid cheap tourist shops. These stores often sell items that are mass produced in factories located somewhere else and most probably don’t employ locals. Buying from them would be counterintuitive and profits only the suppliers.

Instead, go out of your way and look for artisans. This way, you can be assured that the culture behind your chosen souvenir item is respected and that you’re giving back to the local community directly. A handmade weave, for example, would cost more because it means more.

And don’t even think about buying wildlife products.

Channel charity through organizations While giving away clothing, food, or money to locals is well-meaning, it can have negative side effects to the community. Unplanned displays of charity can cause tension and conflict among locals, who might fight over who gets more or

better donations; it can also develop a culture of dependency or mendicancy. If you really want to give back to a community, it’s better to collaborate with trusted organizations that work with them directly.

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COLOR WHEEL Pinta PH creates natural paint from rocks and plants TEXT OLIVER EMOCLING PHOTOGRAPHY TRISTAN TAMAYO

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Katrina Gosiengfiao also utilizes natural dyes from Abra and locally produced iron oxides to create color that are difficult to produce from rocks.

Certain elements affect our memories of a place.

We know Baguio for its cool climate, Bicol for its spicy ginataan dishes, and Batanes for its vernacular architecture. It’s a cultural thing, though our impressions are also informed by personal realizations. For example, you might realize that the sunshine in Laguna is much gentler than in Bulacan.

Watercolor artist and art instructor Katrina Gosiengfiao, on the other hand, remembers certain places for the colors she finds there.

“Traditionally, paints are made from earth,” she says. “But most of us don’t know what’s inside it.”

With the scarcity of local paint, Gosiengfiao found it necessary to develop a well-rounded understanding of the medium. In 2014, her art practice and interest in geology prompted her to venture into watercolor production, which has since resulted in Pinta PH. “I also told myself that it would be interesting for people [to learn that] you’ve named a pigment or paint after the town it came from.”

Gosiengfiao hails from Sta. Rosa, Laguna. So naturally, one of the first colors she created is a warm, yellowish brown called Sta. Rosa Ochre, culled from processed soil. “I saw processed soil as a sustainable source instead of getting rocks from random places,” she says.

Bataan Brown is another color in Gosiengfiao’s Local Colors palette, sitting alongside Sta. Rosa Ochre and Uling. “When we went to a beach in Bataan, I found a kind of rock that easily stains your hand right after you touch it,” she recalls.

“It’s easy to manipulate since it’s soft.”

The texture of the rock is important, because Gosiengfiao pulverizes it with mortar and pestle.

After that, she mulls the particles with the binder that “contains gum Arabic dissolved in water with a preservative.”

The preservative is usually a humectant like honey, which helps preserve the pigment and draws moisture from the air, preventing it from becoming too hard.” Gosiengfiao then mulls the granules until they are smooth and evenly coated with the binder.

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ao es yes a y iron reate

“These watercolors come from earth, and eventually, they would also go back to earth.”

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The science of creating this medium begins with the selection of rocks. Bataan Brown, for example, exhibits a reddish hue because of its iron and hematite content. “It depends on the composition of the rock. By the beach, lime is abundant, so colors turn out lighter,” Gosiengfiao explains.

Because she uses rocks, her watercolors are lightfast. This means the colors are permanent, and exposure to light will not affect them that much. “The pigments will last even after we die,” Gosiengfiao says.

Pinta PH is not just about producing high quality watercolors; Gosiengfiao also intends the products to be agents for nurturing the artistic identity of whoever uses them. “If you’re painting with local materials, it gives you more of a relationship with your art and your material,” she says.

Aside from uplifting the medium’s value, Gosiengfiao’s watercolors also correspond with the natural cycle. “A lot of people don’t think about [where the products they use come from]. These watercolors come from earth, and eventually, they would also go back to earth.”

Although rock-based paint produces better colors, Gosiengfiao acknowledges that it’s not an environment-friendly choice in the long run.

Since she wants to advocate for sustainability, Pinta PH’s geological paints will be available for a limited time only.

Watercolor is not an easy medium: Once the paint meets the paper, that stroke is present even underneath layers of other colors. “I like painting with watercolor, because there’s a time element to it,” Gosiengfiao explains. It is time that defines a work of art, but it is the material that makes it perpetual.

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HELGA’S BOOK CLUB Germany’s oldest bookseller, 95, packs suspense in last chapter TEXT DEBORAH COLE | AFP PHOTOGRAPHY JOHN MACDOUGALL | AFP

When Helga Weyhe began work at her beloved bookshop, the Red Army was on the march towards her East German town, Hitler still clung to power, and Sartre had just published No Exit.

Fast forward to more than seven decades, and the remarkably spry 95-year-old, Germany’s oldest bookseller, swats away any talk of retirement, or even slowing down.

Still staffing the store six days a week, Weyhe said books got her through two dictatorships and would see her through her last chapter too.

“I started in 1944 and I’m still here,” she told AFP with a smile, sitting in her back office stacked with handpicked volumes. “I had lots of dreams when I was young but they always involved books.”

Weyhe represents the third generation of her family to run the shop, which has occupied the same spot since 1840. Her grandfather had the caramel-brown shelves built in the 1880s when Otto von Bismarck ruled Germany.

A tome about the life of the Iron Chancellor is propped among political biographies, one of the specialties of Weyhe’s eclectic selection that

ranges from French existentialists and German classics to Hollywood screenplays. Each volume in the shop carries Weyhe’s endorsement, even if she hasn’t read each cover to cover. She can’t abide the towering identical stacks of the big chain stores. “You won’t find mystery novels here either, not unless they’re something special,” she said sternly, reserving praise for Agatha Christie and German thriller writer Ingrid Noll.

“The most horrible thing” With World War II still raging, Weyhe started working with her father Walter at his shop that still bears the family name in the half-timbered house where they both were born. They ran it together under Soviet occupation and the East German communist state (GDR), and she took over in 1965, four years after the regime made them prisoners of the country behind the Iron Curtain.

“In the GDR, the most horrible thing was getting used to it all, thinking: ‘I won’t live to see the day things change,’” Weyhe said. That meant biding her time until East Germany’s official retirement age—when travel restrictions for citizens were

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“I try to have books that amaze people and make them say ‘You sell that in this little town?’” loosened—before she could go abroad to visit a favorite uncle, who ran a prominent bookshop on New York’s Lexington Avenue.

“Imagine what it’s like as a young person having to wait until you’re 60 to be able to travel,” she said. The Salzwedel shop is filled with pictures of the New York skyline, and a blue street sign with the address of her uncle’s now-defunct store greets customers as they enter.

Not a “missionary” Longtime customer Klaus Schartmann, a pastor, believes Weyhe has a rare gift for sizing up a reader. “She always hits the nail on the head with her recommendations, from children’s books to adult literature,” the 78-year-old said. “And we’re happy, because you don’t really find that in German bookstores anymore.

In the land where Gutenberg invented the printing press in the 15th century, customers are increasingly going online for their book purchases, with sales rising more than five percent in 2016.

Meanwhile, bookshops, particularly those on high streets rather than in shopping malls, saw a onepercent decline in turnover, continuing a decadelong trend, according to industry data.

Weyhe believes in the power of books to edify and uplift, as the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party makes major inroads in the region. Although she doesn’t see her shop serving a “missionary” purpose in leading customers away from political extremes, she does make a point of selecting books that open minds.

“In the post-war years, I mainly stocked German history books so people here would know what actually happened,” she said. “I simply don’t sell the kind of books now that strengthen the AfD,” she said, pointing to recent bestsellers that whipped up fears of mass migration.

Weyhe is coy when asked when she might ease into retirement; she never married and has no children.

“It could be today, it could be tomorrow. Or it could be a while yet still,” she said, savoring the cliffhanger. But she is firm that she is irreplaceable in her shop. “All kinds of people have come here and said that they could take over,” she said with a smirk. “But my goodness, who else can help a man like Herr Schartmann,” she added, referring to her loyal customer.

“Not just anyone can have that conversation.

You have to have a bit of experience.”

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Victor Consunji and Maggie Wilson-Consunji conquer and race against the world TEXT BELLE O. MAPA PHOTOGRAPHY EVERYWHERE WE SHOOT

It’s impossible not to feel, let alone not see, the sparks flying between development magnate Victor Consunji and his wife, model-slashpersonality Maggie Wilson. They share a dynamic energy that isn’t often seen in most married couples. It can be likened to adrenaline, or perhaps a surge of endorphins— something the active and, dare we say, fitness junkie couple can’t get enough of.

As CEO of his own resident development company V. Consunji Incorporated, as well as director of the family business DMCI Construction, Victor finds himself constantly strategizing and searching for new perspectives and challenges. As for Maggie, who has been in showbiz since the age of 14, there’s always the need to stay fit. For one, she’s in the middle of filming an upcoming travel show, Beached, with co-host Marc Nelson.

It’s by racing around the world that they enhance both their shape and their senses.

Victor recently became the first Filipino to marathon across all seven continents, and just days before their Southern Living cover shoot, the two had traveled to Cambodia where Victor completed the Ultra Trail d’Angkor.

The week after the shoot, they headed to Dubai for the Iron Man. Victor’s small talk even revolves around running: how he had recovered from the muscle strain of finishing a 42 kilometer-course of sandy terrain and root-stricken pathways.

“You can almost picture the history of Cambodia around the temple ruins, the cultural clashes where the ethnic cleansing

happened,” he says. “You can almost picture the elephants trying to tear down the temples as one side was battling the other.”

Some couples work out, others conquer the world. In the Wilson-Consunjis’ case, they do both. That’s why they enjoy racing in exotic countries, somewhere new that neither has been to before. That way, they hit two birds with one stone: fitness and travel in one crazy, action-packed bundle.

Not many Filipinos can say they’ve seen snow, and Maggie one-ups them because she survived running through 42 kilometers of it. Just last year, she became the first Filipina to finish the Antarctic Ice Marathon. She describes the struggle of running through sub-zero temperatures: At one point, the winds started to pick up. What was once a manicured path became covered in fresh, soft snow. For runners, it’s the equivalent of soft sand, but paired with a headwind.

“She nearly murdered me for [encouraging her to join that marathon], but she finished like a champ,” her husband says with a laugh.

He was right there with her, waiting with open arms at the finish line.

“I can say that anybody can finish a marathon,” Maggie says with confidence. “If I can do it, anybody can do it. And you meet some of the most inspiring people while you’re doing it.”

Not quite picture perfect Maggie grew up in a competitive environment as an athlete, regularly winning medals for her

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MAKEUP CATS DEL ROSARIO HAIR DOROTHY MAMALIO

school’s swim teams. That said, she wasn’t much of an endurance athlete, apart from running a comfortable five to 10 kilometers. At least, until she and Victor got together. Fitness is, quite literally, a show of their strength, their symbol of sticking together against all odds.

If there’s one thing Maggie has learned during her budding stint in endurance sports, it’s never to judge a book by its cover. It’s a cliché that never fails to prove true, both in her daily real life and her virtual life. Often, she and her husband post about their latest escapades, with Victor, an ever proud—and patient—Instagram hubby. But they’re the first to admit that the glam of the ’Gram is not always what it seems.

“People are so quick to judge,” Victor says.

“They don’t realize that what we post isn’t what we are.”

There’s a doubtless irony behind the double standard permeating through social media: Be open as a couple, but not too open. Flaunt your assets, but not too much. Show what your lives are like, but be careful not to scandalize.

When asked about their pre-nuptial video that went viral a few years back, Maggie says, “You can’t judge a person’s character based on what they wear and what they post. People like [my pictures] and leave comments, which I appreciate, but I’ve long learned in the entertainment industry that you’re never going to please everybody.”

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For Victor and Maggie, family comes first and health comes a close second.

Their son Connor, however, pays no mind to social media, preferring his growing collection of household pets to smartphones and tablets.

During beach trips, the five-year-old is engrossed in looking at underwater creatures.

“That’s what I love about children,” Maggie says. “Their minds aren’t polluted by other people’s opinions. When he sees his dad taking photos of me, [to him] it’s just mommy.”

The Consunjis count themselves lucky that they’re raising an independent little kid. When they’re not off traveling together to bond as a couple, they’re in Manila, indulging their son’s inquisitive spirit. A tray on their patio table contains a set of growing crystals—a father and son experiment. The two also recently put together a LEGO Yellow Submarine kit.

“Connor surprised the hell out of me because I realized the kit is for 10-year-olds,” Victor says, laughing. “It’s cool because he’s learning about who The Beatles were, too.”

Mind over matter Having a fit body means having a fit mind.

There comes a point where, as endurance athletes put it, one hits the wall. It’s that sudden fatigue or loss of motivation, a point in which the body must fight the mind.

Maggie recalls hitting that wall at kilometer 30 of the Antarctic Ice Marathon. Tired, and already imagining the stark and repetitive white landscapes for another 12 kilometers, her run became less of an endurance test and more of a mental battle.

As for her husband, Victor credits endurance sports for teaching him to focus, even outside sports. The real estate scene is always in danger from industry saturation, with business owners frequently bombarded with the same

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information and thus losing fresh perspective.

He likens running to a reset pill.

“It’s complementary. It enhances,” Victor explains. “It also helps that many times, the people I work out with are also in the industry.

It’s kind of like the new golf.”

Every obstacle, every new regimen, every unfamiliar course is both a problem waiting to be solved and a triumph to bond over.

“We call them race-cations,” Maggie says.

“He races, but we get to explore as well.

Couples also need to value their time together.

They tend to forget that once they have kids.”

Victor plots the next spots he wishes to race in. There’s one against the fluctuating altitudes and slopes of the Great Wall, and another one organized in North Korea—

though perhaps the public won’t be seeing pictures of the two there.

“The next one I’m doing is the Marathon des Sables in the Sahara desert,” Victor continues, a glint in his eyes. “It’s a 260-kilometer [run] done over six days.”

Will it be fun, we ask, daunted by the sheer distance, the duration, and the infamous heat and the sand dunes.

“I don’t know if it’ll be fun,” Maggie says.

“It’s fun for us,” Victor replies.

“Well, he’s doing it with two other crazy friends, so I guess it’ll be fun,” Wilson adds; she says she’s fine to sit this one out. “They can suffer together. I’ll be glamping. I’ll just meet them at the finish line.”

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There’s a doubtless irony behind the double standard that permeates through social media: Be open, as a couple, but not too open. Flaunt your assets, but not too much. Show what your lives are like, but be careful not to scandalize.

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EATS

Bench Café features furniture from Dimensione; ube halo-halo and white halo-halo

BIGGER BITE

Head to Bench Café for the best inasal in Bonifacio Global City TEXT JACQUE DE BORJA PHOTOGRAPHY DANICA CONDEZ

“We didn’t change anything! It’s classic Filipino food,” says Erik Dee, president of Foodee Global Concepts a.k.a. Ben Chan’s partner in his new venture—a lifestyle café aptly called Bench Café. “Bistek will taste like bistek,” he explains. “We just figured out ways to make it better.” And by that, he meant local ingredients done with new techniques and executions.

A section of the new Bench flagship store was transformed into a modern and chic restaurant with touches of Filipino elements like palm tree wallpapers, abaca trays, and, of course, nostalgic print ads by the brand itself.

The menu is very simple and was developed with chef Carlos Miguel. They plan to serve

all-day meriendas, desserts, and drinks, as well as set meals called Bench/Tos­­—a play on the Japanese bento that basically means single portion and inspired by the usual mall food court set up of two mains, sawsawan, and rice. You also have the option to upgrade your rice to either of the five options available (dilis rice, bagoong rice, adobo rice, talangka rice, and garlic rice) and order soup on the side.

If you’re stopping by for snacks, go for Sisig Lettuce Cups, which are crispy sisig served with calamansi foam and utak aioli.

If you have a big appetite for either lunch or dinner, go for the Bench/To. Our top choice is their Inasal, which is tender to the

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EATS Clockwise from left: Sisig topped with calamansi foam and served with lettuce leaves; Chicken inasal, pinakbet, and bangus belly; tinapa mousse cones

bone, flavorful, and is charred on all the right places. Bench Café also did not come short on dessert and, in fact, has gone all out with local favorites like their very own Halo-Halo Bar where you can choose between ube, white, or classic. Their line of drinks was developed with chef Kalel Chan and uses local ingredients.

There’s no stopping Bench Café as they’re looking into expanding, so expect their Halo-Halo Bar, merienda, and drinks at your favorite Bench branches. They won’t stop there because they will also have stand-alone restaurants as well.

Bench Cafe. 2F Bench Flagship Store, 9th Ave. cor. Lane O Bonifacio High Street, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig City. 0917-7021133

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RECIPE

SPICE WORLD

Crab fat fuels this classic Balinese paste’s spicy aftertaste TEXT AND STYLING GRAI ALVAR PHOTOGRAPHY PATRICK SEGOVIA

BASE GEDE WITH CRAB FAT INGREDIENTS 12 pcs. shallots 6 garlic cloves 2 pcs. siling labuyo 1/4 tbsp. ginger 3 pcs. cilantro roots 7 cm. lemongrass (white part only) 2 tbsp. coconut oil 250 ml. water 2 tbsp. muscavado sugar 1/2 tsp. white peppercorn 3 tbsp. crab fat Salt and pepper

PREPARATION 1. Blend crab fat, shallots, garlic, chili peppers, ginger, cilantro root, and lemongrass with water until all spices are incorporated. Set aside.

2. Heat coconut oil on a saucepan and add the spice mixture.

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3. While continuously stirring, let it boil for 20 to 25 minutes over medium heat until the consistency of paste is achieved.

4. Use it as soup base, marinade, or dip.

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T HE GET

WALKING HISTORY The evolution of the humble espadrille TEXT OLIVER EMOCLING

In André Aciman’s Call Me By Your Name, the American graduate student Oliver lets his pinkish heels peek from his espadrilles to feel the heat of Italian summer. The espadrille was also the footwear of choice of Spanish artists Salvador Dali and Pablo Picasso, while the late U.S. President John F. Kennedy would don a pair of these jute-soled shoes whenever on vacation.

In the approximately 4,000-year history of the espadrille, this lightweight footwear was at one point a symbol of class. Then it was relegated to peasants and the military.

However, the passage of time eventually turned this ubiquitous shoe into a universal symbol of comfort, both for royalty and commoners alike.

But if there is anyone responsible for changing the espadrille forever, it is

the Castañer family, whose expertise in crafting the footwear traces back to 1776.

To be precise, it was the younger Castañer generation’s chance meeting with designer Yves Saint Laurent in the early ’70s that changed the espadrille forever. As Lorenzo Castañer puts it, “If Yves Saint Laurent wanted a wedge espadrille, a wedge espadrille he would have!”

From versatile flats to a more feminine wedge, the brand continues to innovate the espadrille with thoughtful designs and a delicate craftsmanship that doesn’t compromise the comfort it’s known for.

With over 240 years of experience, Castañer has not only mastered the cobbling of this classic footwear; the heritage brand has also become adept at evoking the proverbial bliss of summer.

Castañer. Tryst, Power Plant Mall, Makati City. Instagram.com/tryst.studio

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