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ByTerciusBufete tbufete@norcaldesigncenter. com @terciusbufete on Twitter CHICO Thereareno spoons and forks at In- day's Filipino Food. There aren't even plates. Visitors have to eat with their hands, or Kamayan- style. It's a foreign concept for many around here, but that's the point, says co- owner Ethel (née Cabahit) Geiger, affectionally called "Inday." "At first, I had to teach people: flatten your rice, scoop this, put it on top, make a little bowl with your fingers, and shovel it in," Inday said gesturing the proper technique to eating with your hands. "The con- cept is a process of learn- ing; eating with your hands, a lot of people might not like it." The food truck-turned- restaurant, its proprietors say, may be the only Fili- pino restaurant in Butte County, serving up dishes like torta talong, an egg- battered eggplant dish, and lumpia, a crispy pork egg roll. Inday says that many of the recipes she learned from watching her mother. Family-inherited stubborn- ness often kept her out of her mother's kitchen, with her process often clash- ing with her mother's. ("I was stubborn and she was mom.") Inday recalls she was often instructed to en- tertain guests in the front while her mom did every- thing in the back. It was only until she re- discovered a recipe book gifted to her when she graduated that she was pushed to seriously con- sider cooking for the pub- lic. Unbeknownst to Inday, her mother had slipped rec- ipes in between the pages for her and that's what bol- stered her confidence to start a food cart. But in typical Inday fash- ion, she augmented the reci- pes with her own ideas. Her hotdog-slinging husband often acts as the guinea pig for her recipes — with his reaction often dictating what makes it for dinner service. "It's teamwork," Inday said. "You need somebody to support you. You need a partner to support what you think." For Inday, it was John's enc ouragement a nd handyman skills that made the restaurant a re- ality. In addition to doing some literal heavy lifting, John also handles reser- vations and customers, ensuring a smooth dinner experience. On a recent Saturday eve- ning, the Dohojda family sat at the center of the dining room at Walnut and West Eighth streets in Chico. On the menu was barbecued pork and rice served along with shrimp, torta talong, pork egg rolls and rice — all served on a tabletop lined with bright green banana leaves. "As long as I can lick my fingers — it's OK," 61-year- old Julianne Lassen said. "Actually, it's perfect." Lassen said that the din- ing arrangement harkens back to the nine years she spent in Guam and all of the festivals she enjoyed. Con- versations at the dinner ta- ble jumped around the con- ventional topics including travel plans, the children's extracurricular activities, and, of course, Supreme Court justices. "To me food is personal. It's like a fiesta," Inday said. "I'd like to be able to talk and serve people." All of the hallmarks of a Filipino eatery are present at Inday's: San Miguel beer, a piece of Jeepney-related artwork, and the oversized, decorative wooden utensils that are ubiquitous in every "true" Filipino home. "It's like a tradition. My mom's kitchen always had that hanging," Inday said pointing at the ornaments fashioned by her neigh- bor in Ozamiz City in Min- danao. "If people ask for spoon and fork, we could just point at the wall as a joke." One thing is for certain: Inday is serious about her food. When she was "translat- ing" her recipes, she had an especially difficult time finding a replacement for an ingredient called tabon tabon. After a lot of testing and research, she found that the uncommon fruit native to Northern Mind- anao and Camiguin Island had a flavor profile similar to that of dill. It's this same attention to detail and quality that caused her decision to de- lay a full-blown opening. For now, Inday's is open for dinner on Saturdays, but she plans to open on Thursdays and Fridays when Thursday Night Mar- ket and Friday Night Con- certs conclude for the year and no sooner. She's also got her eyes set on opening for lunch. Not unlike her mother, Inday is the sole figure han- dling the food and she pre- fers it that way. "I am the only one in the kitchen cooking — I don't want anyone touching my food. I know for sure that if it's in my hands, it's in good hands." Inday'sVegetarian Pansit Needed: Frying pan Ingredients: 16oz.ricenoodles 1oz. olive oil 1/2 cup of soy sauce 1green onion stalk 1/2 yellow or red onion 1red bell pepper 2medium-sized carrots 2-3white mushrooms 2medium-sized zucchini 2cups of green beans 1/2 cabbage 1teaspoon of minced garlic A few peanuts salt and pepper to taste Instructions: 1. Soak rice noodles in luke- warm water for five minutes until so . 2. Chop carrots, zucchini, cabbage, and onions 3. Stir fry mushrooms, garlic and the vegetables in olive oil on a high heat, adding salt and pepper to taste 4. Drain rice noodles and set on top of the stir fried vegetables 5. Add soy sauce and green onions 6. Continue cooking until rice noodles finish cooking 7. Serve with roughly chopped peanuts. Locally Sourced is a biweekly feature spotlighting local businesses and the recipes and products that make them special. LOCALLY SOURCED In g oo d ha nd s No utensils necessary for Chico eatery TERCIUS BUFETE — ENTERPRISE-RECORD The Dohojda family participates in Kamayan-style dining, or using one's hands in lieu of forks and knives, at Inday's Filipino Food. By Debra Chase Special to The Woodland Daily Democrat Congo Basin, Central African Republic - The Bayaka Honey Gatherer The monster tree is more than 100 feet tall. The Bay- aka man, not 4 feet tall. He grabs a long piece of liana, cuts it to the correct length, and uses it as harness. This handmade harness and the footholds that he cuts into the tree are the only things that are protecting him from a long fall down and certain death. He waits for his partner to start a small smoky fire at the base of the tree then he begins his climb. The smoke from the fire will calm the bees and draw them away from the hive that is high above. He is still climbing after an hour has passed and will climb a considerable dis- tance before he reaches the hive and balancing deli- cately from a branch har- vests the honey. His family is down below watching, for the news of finding honey is an impor- tant event. One of the elders reminds those watching the climber that to climb the big trees one has to "empty his heart of fear." Fear will agitate the bees and make him fall. Honey is some of the best nutrition that the Bayaka man can provide for his family and he knows that many before him have died gathering the honey. Balancing delicately on the limb that holds the bee- hive, he carries a smoking bunch of tree leaves, free of his harness he cuts more notches in the tree to use as holds, and then begins to cut into the hive. The bees are swarm- ing furiously and stinging him all over his body, yet he continues his task until his basket is full of wild honey- comb dripping with sweet honey. The Bayaka Honey Gatherer has risked his life climbing the monster tree in the forest to bring the sweet reward back to his wife and family and to share with the members of his tribe. To them he is a brave hero. The BBC video crew of the documentary Human Planet that aired in 2011 filmed this amazing feat of honey gathering. Colusa County, Northern California - The Beekeeper He rises at 3 in the morn- ing to get ahead of the sun- rise, for it is the rising of the sun and the heat of the day that will make his job hot, dangerous, and nearly im- possible to complete. If he can get in and out before the sun is full in the morn- ing sky, he will have har- vested the honey for an- other season without inci- dent. If not then he may lose the crop or the bees could swarm. Donning his "bee suit": a pair of long white cover- alls, white gloves with soft kid leather palms and a hat with a veil that attaches to the collar of his cover- alls and sturdy boots the beekeeper approaches the hives. Here, too, the bee keeper knows to "empty his heart of fear" for the bees can sense fear and will become agitated and attack. Deftly he moves the smoker over the hives to calm the bees as the sweet smoke moves over and under the wooden hives. Opening the hive cover the frames of the honey- comb are visible and the beekeeper begins the pro- cess of lifting them out one by one for inspection. Plunging the knife in below the frames be- tween the seams of the hive body, cracking the porpolis (bee glue), that is hard in the cold light of the morning, the frames, loosened from the hives hold are removed from the hive. If satisfied with the condition of the frames, and the brood, the honey is ready for harvesting. Back in the farm kitchen or honey house the frames are set above a collecting bin or tray and with the "hot knife", the thin layer of wax that seals the honey in the honeycomb is melted away and the honey frame is placed in the extractor. From the extractor the honey is filtered of the wax and stored in glass jars or honey buckets and is ready for eating. Today the beekeepers are always mindful of the health of the honeybees and the hives, keeping pests at bay like the varroa mites and ants. In addition, col- ony collapse and climate change challenge today's beekeeper. Without our honeybees pollinating certain fruits, vegetables, and nuts, we would be hard pressed to consider our larder a full one. The bee hive is a won- der even under the best of conditions so be mind- ful of the bees and the beekeepers for they help us to have a high qual- ity life. AT THE MARKET The honey harvest is a true spectacle JIM SMITH-DAILY DEMOCRAT Heather Albin of Solabee honey is a fixture at the Woodland Farmers Market. Honey is prized not just for its sweetness but also for its versatility in cooking as well as health benefits. Thank you! PLEASE RECYCLE THIS NEWSPAPER. Take15%offyourmeal with this ad dineinonly 723 Main St. 527.5470 www. palominoroom .com PrimeRibonFridaynights Open Tues-Sat Peking Chinese Restaurant DineIn,CarryOut&Lounge 860MainStreet 530-527-0523 10%Off yourticketwiththisad. Limit 1 coupon per ticket/table. No other discounts apply. Alcohol, taxes or gratuity are not included. Offer expires 8/31/15 FOOD » redbluffdailynews.com Wednesday, August 19, 2015 MORE AT FACEBOOK.COM/RBDAILYNEWS AND TWITTER.COM/REDBLUFFNEWS B4