“Later I suspected that sour and bitter condiments began to stray into her mixing bowl. Perhaps she was trying out contrary tastes. An added pinch of salt here or drops of lemon there, and even an afterthought sprinkling of bitter nuts, gave a fresh nuance to her pies, muffins and cakes.”

This is the story of a girl that worries too much for her own age and the summer that defined her life forever. Nining, a 12-year-old from a small town in the Bicol region, Philippines, doesn’t have the easiest of lives. She decides to quit school to get a job as a maid to help her family; her mom is pregnant again and money is running short. Bringing money home will make her mother proud and she will love her again, or so Nining thinks. As the summer progresses, Nining witnesses many changes in her street, from the ashes of a volcanic explosion to forbidden love.

Banana Heart Summer is not an easy read, the plot is slow and, although mostly beautiful, the prose rambles sometimes. Still, I truly recommend it. Nining is a lovely character, she’s innocent yet not naive, always taking care of those that surround her. But what I enjoyed the most and the reason why I think this book is really worth reading is the literary trip through a fantastic and, at least for me, very unknown cuisine. Every chapter of the book refers to a traditional Filipino dish where the flavors and ingredients evoke the joys and sorrows of the characters.

The Philippines are formed by 7,641 islands and more than 10 ethnic groups. The country has been independent since 1946. Before that, it was part of the Spanish empire for 333 years, then ceded to the United States and finally invaded and controlled by the Japanese. Still always heavily influenced by China, it is easy to understand how this melting pot of cultures has all the elements to have an immense and exciting cooking tradition. Coconut mixed with chilis; Spanish ox tongue, corned beef and pork knuckles “but with the toes removed”; poisonous blue-grey fish; tempura fruits; flan; half-ripe guavas with salt; banana hearts… The variety of ingredients seemed amazing and it even inspired me to cook. I decided to cook Bicol Express, pork loin in a super spicy sauce made with chilis, shrimp paste and coconut milk. In the book the Bicol Express is paired with the story of an older neighbor that elopes with a young man from the street. The local women talk about her seductive power and manipulative nature, hot and strong like the chilis from the dish.

By the way, the Bicol Express was delicious! Here’s a picture 🙂

About Merlinda Bobis

Merlinda Bobis grew up in Albay, Philippines, on the foot of an active volcano, an element often present in her creative work. Besides novels and short stories, Bobis also writes plays and operas in many of which she performs too. Bobis lives in Cranberra, Australia.

Other books written by Filipino women:

We just recommend books we’ve read

Which book do you recommend? Please let us know in the comment section!

Filipino initiatives and projects that support and empower girls and women

Roots of Health

Roots of Health provides health education and services for girls and women to improve reproductive health and reduce unplanned pregnancies. Through workshops, Roots of Health engages the women in learning about their bodies, their reproductive systems, pregnancy, family planning, STIs, breastfeeding, nutrition, family relations, financial literacy, budgeting, and other related topics.  In addition to education they provide access to health services, allowing women to control whether or when they become pregnant. Their work with girls and young women focuses in providing sexual education and contraceptive counseling.