
- Jufran Banana Sauce or Ketchup
It is one of those days wherein the desire to be in the Philippines hits me. Homesickness, probably. Well, I just miss those days when I do not have to worry about money and responsibilities. The feeling wherein everything could go wrong, but I still feel stress-free. Just like the feeling of being around your family and friends.
To combat my lonesome day, I crave for something foreign. It could be a food, a thing, or just anything for all I care. A visit to random stores around International Speedway Blvd in Daytona Beach pays. One store in particular, The World Market. I love this store! Though quite expensive, this store gives me the enjoyment of shopping for trinkets and knickknacks from all over the world. Of course, a trip to the Asian food section is a must. Voila! I got me a Jufran Banana Sauce. Actually, it is the same as the ketchup. If you ask me, I do not even know why they market it as a “sauce” rather than as a “ketchup” just like what we have in the grocery shelves in the Philippines. Is it because the phrase “banana ketchup” sounds gross? Well, if you ask the knight, he will say, YES. Banana as a ketchup – not a good thing for the Western palate. Sauce or ketchup, I am a happy camper! A barbecue sauce is better made with a banana ketchup than the tomato counterpart. Again – yes, it is all about formulating my own Filipino barbecue sauce and marinade. Yum! Dig this…just to make sure it is the Jufran brand from the Philippines, I check the label, and indeed, it is made in the Philippines.