This is going to be a great Christmas in our home. We had a truly roller coaster year that has ended on a very positive note. While this blog may come across as a charmed life of one who zips through markets and food stores for the finest produce, ingredients and dishes followed by endless hours in the kitchen cooking up dozens of different recipes, it isn’t the only thing that I do. I won’t get into details but suffice it to say that the past few years have contained enough material for a bizarre and stressful bestseller…though most of you wouldn’t believe half of the things that have gone on. I am incapable of writing anything really coherent in a food post, what more a novel! But a lot of it has come to a screeching end in the past few weeks and it looks like everything is going to be more than just fine, thanks. I actually used this blog to get my mind off of other things and it has done a brilliant job of that…with the huge bonus of interacting with so many readers through comments, emails, eyeball, etc. I have learned so much this year and I am truly grateful to each and every one of you who have visited the site over the year… So here is a very personal post on a cherished family gingerbread tradition in our home, and I wish you all a truly Merry Christmas!
Gingerbread has been a constant in our home since our daughter was born 10 years ago. The fragrance of spices that permeates our living room during the season is almost better than the smell of a fresh pine tree. Over the years I have evolved a gingerbread recipe that does well in our humid weather and which is great for “construction projects.†I had all these great plans to post several more entries before the holidays but I got overrun with other obligations so this year I will simply show you what we made and maybe next year post the recipe a few weeks earlier… Ostensibly, the gingerbread is for my daughter and often her friends, as the concept of something edible made into houses then covered in sweet snow white icing that you then glue obscene amounts of candy to is just too good to be true! However, I have to admit that I take a tremendous amount of comfort and satisfaction out of the process as well…
First there is a discussion about what the gingerbread creation will be. Early on I dictated this as my daughter was still in pampers. The first year we made a simple house that was perhaps a foot square. Subsequent years we made a castle, a working carousel, large houses, 
Madeleine’s home (including cast iron grilles in front of the windows) from the cartoons, a block of city townhouses, a New England ranch/barn, St. Basil’s Cathedral in Moscow (with curved towers), a log cabin, etc. St. Basil’s Cathedral pictured here featured several domes that were covered in colorful icing that swirled up into the sky… the most time consuming design attempted to date… Once the design is decided, plans are drawn up and cut out. The gingerbread is made and several back-breaking bouts with the rolling pin result in all of the pieces of the puzzle as it were… Some designs take over 100 man hours of work and I find that this is the most calming activity for a harried mind. Concentrating on my gingerbread means my mind is turning off everything else.
After assembling the pieces against a styrofoam base and form to prevent structural collapse, the fun part of sticking the candy on begins. 
Early on this is a haphazard effort that sometimes results in a wild but charming gingerbread house. As my daughter got older, she started to plot candy patterns and by now at 10, she has inherited a good dose of her father’s anal retentiveness and thinks carefully before she applies and candy to the house. The result, whatever the underlying structure is always stunning…why? Because we made it ourselves, that’s why. I keep thinking that year’s gingerbread will be the last one as my daughter will eventually outgrow this, but she continues to ask for it.
This year we were running late because of all the distractions but I managed 
to get it together last weekend and make the gingerbread village pictured throughout this post (except for St. Basil’s cathedral). It is made up of several “shops†– a village strip mall as it were, and there are several figurines out in the snow to add interest. My daughter picked out the design herself and she was wonderful and patient about waiting until I had enough time to bake the dough. I also added lights inside the structure and a backdrop of black cardboard with twinkling lights for stars… My daughter decorated the house with a friend and they did it all on their own…
I like the gingerbread tradition so much, I introduced it to a small school that my daughter attends and now nearly 250 kids decorate gingerbread houses every holiday season…there is nothing that equals the fragrance of 2-3 dozen massive gingerbread houses displayed in the school’s lobby every year…then each and every house is wrapped up and donated to a children’s ward at hospitals around the city, orphanages and other charities just in time for Christmas. The look on the faces of the kids in a hospital ward or orphanage upon the arrival of their gingerbread house is worth more than all the presents you have purchased this year…
Memories are the most priceless things we can accumulate in our lifetime. In our home, the past ten years of gingerbread ranks high among those cherished family memories that will stick with us forever… I have done a poor job of conveying exactly what I wanted to say, but when any of us gets a whiff of that gingerbread and sugar…we instantly know everything is going to be just fine.
Along with the gingerbread effort each year, my family usually donates books to public schools or orphanages in the Philippines as the state of our educational system and the lack of reading materials is just so severe and depressing. At one public school in Batangas with over 500 children, we found their library had just 40 books! This past year I have poured a part of my heart and psyche into Market Manila. And I have taken away a tremendous amount of knowledge, pleasure and satisfaction from the effort… I have rarely asked for anything from you except for a comment when someone or something has truly irritated me. So how about we all do something that is really in line with the Christmas spirit of giving and charity? If you leave me a comment on this post (say anything you like, just one comment per person please, and no, I have never used your email addresses for anything bad in case lurkers are reluctant to write in), I will endeavor to donate a children’s book to a Philippine public elementary school before the end of January 2006. The more comments (yikes, I hope there is no limit to this software or it may crash…) I get, the more books the kids will receive… From my family to yours, we wish you all a very Merry Christmas!!!
73 Responses
You’re such a great person Market Man and i am so sorry i missed the EB at Enoteca (i saw some familiar friends from the pictures posted). Just wanna say one of the best things that’ve happened in the past year was stumbling upon your blog and reading your notes on the good life. I wish you cheers during this most festive of seasons and May God grant you all that your heart desires during this season and throughout the new year!
What a great pledge MM! And an interesting way to get the lurkers out of the woodwork. =)
Merry Christmas to you and your loved ones. 2005 was an amazing year — and 2006 is looking to be even better!
naka hilak ko da….I used to make cakes for the spastics society here…anyhow did you know about Menu for Hope, food bloggers around the world has raised over $20,000 for the Pakistani earthquake.
Anyhow, if there is something we can help give us a hooler.
YOur daughter will not outgrow this gingerbread..
I am mid 30s but still enjoying it.
MAAYONG PASKO
I can imagine the awe and excitment of those kids when they see the gingerbread creations!
Spot on. it’s not the material things per se, but the memories and love that count. Thanks for writing this cool blog. Merry Xmas!
-fabian
Your blogs these past few weeks has indeed brought the Christmas spirit amongst my family members and friends. We are eternally grateful for your kind heart in sharing the Pinoy family Christmas traditions and the trouble you had to go through making or baking these goodies (not to forget writing about it).
You are a great man,MM> I can only imagine the happiness on the children’s faces when they see your gingerbread houses.What a fabulous gift! Many thanks for sharing and wishing you and your loved ones a Merry and Blessed Christmas!
Many, many thanks for a great year of food blogging! If your readers can help with your efforts to get books to the needy, please let us know. Merry Christmas!
MM, Merry Christmas to you and your family!
Thanks for sharing your blog to the rest of us. Just as you use your blog to get your mind off of other things, I read your blog to momentarily escape the stresses of daily life.
Here’s to more fantastic food posts in 2006!
You have such a big heart MM! Indeed a very touching entry and I enjoyed reading it. Merry Christmas to you and yours. The Lord bless you!
for the food…
for the books..
for the spice…
and everything nice…
Happy Christmas!!
I like your cooking, your blogging and your philosophy in life, MM. No wonder you are succesful, you really have a big heart. Donating books is such a great concept I throughly support and applaud your efforts.
Your gingerbread creations are to die for!!!
Maligayang Pasko, MM. May the coming year be overflowing with peace, joy, health, plenty, good food and blessings to you and family. Nagpapasalamat.
Merry Christmas to you and your family, MM! One of the good things that happened to me this year was coming upon your blog. It is my connection to the foodie world back home. I myself have started a gingerbread house tradition with my 3 yr old son and though I am running late this year, I have not lost hope that I will still be able to get it done before Christmas Day. May the Lord bless you for bringing joy & inspiration to us your readers. Happy New Year too!
Happy Holidays, Mr and Mrs. Marketman! Thank you for all the great foodie stuff!
that is so generous of you MM. Merry Christmas!
Your gingerbread creations are masterpieces. I am inspired for next year and looking forward to your recipe. You have a very lucky wife and daughter. Thank you for your blog…I look forward to it everyday, it’s part of my morning routine, like brushing my teeth!
Merry Christmas!
Maybe I am the first lurker to be drawn out? But how can I say no to a book going to kids who really need it and so much more? Merry Christmas, Marketman, thanks for the wonderful posts which have provided comfort and entertainment through what has been a tough year.
Merry Christmas to you and your family, MM. You have brought blogging to a higher level…you are simply the best!
keep on celebrating the good life MM…
May your kind multiply. MERRY CHRISTMAS and God bless!
You never fail to inspire MM! Thanks so much for making 2005 a great year. Like, many of your readers, this blog has become a daily ritual and it has given me so much enjoyment. Anything for you and the children. Let us know how we can help with your book drive. Merry Christmas to you, the Mrs. and the little Miss. and a wonderful New Year!
MERRY CHRISTMAS to you, generous MarketMan, to the charming Mrs. MarketMan, and to your daughter. I want to thank you not just for the pleasure you’ve given me with your witty articles and wonderful food recommendations, but also for the people I’ve met through your blog. Apart from meeting the fabulous people who went to Galileo for your EB, I later met a couple more of your readers because they’d recognized me from the EB pics!
You truly embody the spirit of Christmas with your well-researched Christmas food posts, gingerbread donations, and now, your promise to donate books to schools. May this Christmas and New Year reward you amply for your generosity.
Thank you for sharing your food experiences and expertise. You’re such a very generous man.
Happy holidays to you and your family.
Wow. Very charming.
Merry Christmas to you and your family, Mr. MM!
thank you MarketMan for this wonderful site!!! i love this blog and i never fail to visit it everyday!!! Merry Christmas!!
A Blessed Christmas to you MM and your family! Just let me know on your book project and hopefully, i would be able to help. I’m now excited for 2006 for your coming posts and projects. God bless…
Fantastic gingerbread creations!
Fantastic book pledge!
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you and yours!
Merry Christmas, MM!
Merry Christmas MM !!! i love reading your post everyday and sure is very inspiring… All the best for the coming year…. keep up the good work and good luck on your book project!! God Bless.
That is a indeed a most lovely gingerbread creation! Merry Merry Christmas to you and your family.
Let me know if you need help for the book drive!
Merry Christmas t oyou MM and your family!!! God Bless you for all the good thing that you have done and keep doing…
Hey MM, Great blog! So glad you took the time to create it and feed it. Having the privilege of not only reading about the food but also eating it in many cases I feel truly blessed to have you as a friend and cooking mentor.
Your family’s dedication to the sprit of giving and asking for nothing in return is inspiring and makes me realize that we could all do so much more for those less fortunate.
So in the sprit of the season and to help get even more lurkers out of the woodwork I will match what ever contribution you make. Come all you readers, post a comment and help a child read!
Merry Christmas and may you have a very happy, prosperous and healthy New Year! And don’t forget to feed the blog!
Merry Christmas Marketman!!! Market Manila continues to be an inspiration! :) All the best to you and your family in the new year!
One word, STUNNING!
My daughters (10 and 5) would have loved to do this. Thanks and Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you and your family Mr. Marketman.
Same goes to all your readers and fans all over the world.
Well done MarketMan… one of the finest pieces i’ve seen from you yet.
A very Merry Christmas to you and yours!
Maligayang Pasko at Manigong Bagong Taon !!!
Merry Christmas to you and your family MM. May the coming year be a blessed one for you. Thanks for everything you’ve shared with us this year. I look forward to reading more next year.
Love your gingerbread! Hope to be able to make my own when I have kids of my own.
More power and Godbless!
Hey Marketman! Merry Christmas to you and yours. Just wanted to add my “comment” so you can add another book to the kids’ libraries. Anytime you want to do a “book-raiser”, let me know. If I could only unload the books there that we get rid of from year to year, I would! Shipping has been prohibitive and would cost more than the price of the books:(, but if you have any ideas I’ll be more than happy to help out.
Thanks everyone for all those comments…keep em coming…right now with RM’s generous matching pledge each comment means TWO books to a public school that really needs them!!!
Good tidings, MM! I’m not much of a cook, although I sometimes feed my urge to dabble in the kitchen. Most times though,visiting your site and taking in the exquisite information and mouth-watering descriptions do it for me. Great idea on the book donations. Mabuhay ka!
And Happy Holidays to you and yours, and to all the suki of Market Manila!
I really have to say that reading this food blog has become so much of a morning ritual for me. To my surprise, more that just reading about gingerbread houses, today I also discovered the generosity of MM. Also, I am touched by his dedication not just to those unfortunate kids out there, but more so to his lovely daughter. This is truly the essence of Christmas, sharing it with your family.
Thank you MM for this wonderful present that you will be giving those kids. From me and my family, we wish you a blessed,fruitful, and meaningful life for years to come.
Merry Christmas MM to you and your family! What a wonderful idea! All the best!
your gingerbread house is truly inspiring, as your other fabulous creations. i hope i’ll muster enough powers to make one next year for my two daughters.
Merry Christmas, Marketman!
–another lurker out to boost the book drive…
merry xmas MM! :-) whatever you have sown into the lives of these children, you will surely reap back. The best is still to come for you and your family in 2006. God bless you always! :-)
maligayang pasko at manigong bagong taon sa atin pong lahat!!!
You’re It!
what a great pledge MM (and RM for seconding), you really know where help is needed most! i wish you and your families a wonderful and blessed New Year!
You are truly an inspiration, Mr. MarketMan!
What a great idea about the book donation. Instead asking you how we can help with this “project” of yours, I myself will collect the books and magazines I’ve read and donate it to the public library in our community (I’ll ask my friends to do the same).
You have just started a chain. . . and hopefully, all your generous readers (lurkers, included!) will follow this generous act of yours.
You are indeed a blessing, Mr. MM. Your family is so lucky to have you. (I take my hats off to your parents who’ve done a wonderful job raising a son such as you. And I’m sure you’re doing a great job raising your daughter as well).
Looking forward to all your wonderful posts in 2006!
I look forward to your daily food blog. Please continue to spread the culinary cheer for years to come.
May your kind propagate the world!
God Bless you and your family!
JM
lurker’s alive! :D merry christmas and happy new year to all! Thanks, MM, for this food blog–for being generous with your thoughts and ideas! (Been bringing friends to Galileo Enoteca lately because of you.) It’s been great reading everybody else’s posts as well. I have been enjoying reading the posts and learning a lot from all of you. Thanks for a great year! :)
book me a book. merry Christmas
Kudos to you MM for such a generous pledge. Hope there are more people like you and your wife.
We wish you and your family had a wonderful Christmas and that the New Year will be blessed with Peace, Good Health and an even more generous heart!
Thanks for feeding our foodie habit.
maligayang pasko marketman!
saludo ako sa inyo. hindi lang pala sa kusina o sa negosyo naipapamudmod ang inyong husay. sobrang binibigyan nyo ng saysay ang diwa ng pasko. sana’y dumami pa ang tulad ninyo para kahit papaano maahon sa kahirapan at kakulangan ng kaalaman ang madlang bayan. mabuhay ka at iyong mapagmalasakit na pamilya!
Keep up the great work marketman! Have a wonderful 2006!
A late xmas comment post, but I hope that it means two good books for the school library of your choice. But the books can only do a little bit of good, we need people who can help the kids enjoy the reading part too. An eyeball suggestion: reading books about food to kids! :)
For Mrs. MM, what a pleasant surprise running into you at the supermarket last Monday! Have a great new year to you both and your family (-ies)!
Merry Christmas! : )
Happy Holidays to you and your family, MM! Am in India for the holidays . Maybe you can dabble in Indian food next year if you haven’t already? And will you be posting your New Year meal? Happy New Year to all! Good luck on your book drive! Keep them reading :)
Congratulations on the great work Marketman. It is always a pleasure reading the posts here. In case you need help in identifying the public schools that need the most help, I can put you in touch with Fr. Ted Gonzales, SJ who heads BASA! {Bayan Akayin Sa Abot Tanaw), an organization which promotes reading, designs and implements reading activities for kids, and of course, collects books for distribution to schools/libraries.
Hi MM, where can we send our monetary contribution for the books to help out the schools? This is a great idea. Happy 2006!
Barb, thanks but all you have to do is leave a comment and I will take care of the rest. Starts to get messy if I accept donations… so I will keep it simple. Thanks for offering though and have a Happy and Prosperous New Year! To everyone else, thank you so much for all these wonderful comments…
You really are “super market-man”, wife & child! It is blissful reading about your activities and the writing is good. Book donation is excellent. Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
Hello!I stumbled on to your website by chance as I was searching for Excellente ham. I recall the days when I went to Quiapo and bought a pound or two at their store next to the Quinta market (by the Quiapo bridge) whenever I craved for it. Is this ham exported?
I am delighted to know of your book donation project. I have a similar project – I unloaded my bookshelf of fiction and non-fiction books I collected over the years and I will ship these via the BB route to my high school alma mater’s library. Next time around, I’m shooting for reference books.
Wishing you all the best in the New Year!!!
A Merry Christmas and a Blessed New Year to you and your family. Thank you for a year of wonderful, informative, funny, “brings back memories” posts. Thank you too for sharing so generously with your readers and with others. I may not be able to give you anything in return but I pray that God will shower you and your family with His choicest blessings.
I hope you and your family had a wonderful Christmas Marketman! Good luck on your pledge, and happy new year too!
Happy New year MM. Sorry for the delayed response. To say I truly find your website interesting and inspiring is an UNDERSTATEMENT. Much as I wanted to read your input on a more regular basis it was impossible with this holiday season and the worst part was my 2 helpers left without saying goodbye. I promised myself I will not dwell on it but they are part and parcel of our daily lives that I would be unfeeling and uncaring to say I don’t care. Anyway, I felt so inspired to really try next year perhaps to make my own Christmas House for my grandson. Eversince my daughters were small I dreamt of making one but just thinking of all the details gave me cold feet. After seeing your Xmas house I felt encouraged to really give it a try and if it does not work out as planned at least I can I tried.
Looking forward to a greeat year with your inputs. Hope you can post the directions on HOW TO DO IT YOURSELF XMAS HOUSE eraly on to give us time to slowly do it.
Thank you Market man for making my day!
And a happy new year to you, and to the family and crew! I wish you well in your endeavors, and may 2006 bring enough balm to calm everything up.
Haapy holidays – thank you so much for all the work and love you have put into your site – it has grown into quite a resource! honestly, i don’t know where you find the time – your readers are very grateful!
Gingerbread houses were a big tradition at the Residence – at least with our family – always so much fun to put together and I must say they were quite eleaborate and impresive!
Looking forward to more excellence from you in the New Year!
Thank you for this wonderful and thoughtful gift. May you continue to be blessed during the new year and I hope that your pledge will inspire generosity from others.
The Lord bless your soul…the world needs more people like you, able AND willing to be used as a channel of blessing to those in need. May you and your family be blessed even more…a prosperous New Year to you!
God is GOOD, ALL the time. HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!
that is so wonderful of you… you have made a lot of people happy… may the Lord bless you and your family always! :)
happy christmas to you & your family.
as always- your an inspiration!
hello Mr. MM, obviously im just catching up right down to your 2005 posts. this made me teary-eyed for unknown reasons. this inspired me to make our own gingerbread houses this coming christmas. i may not be a good cook, yet hope to become one one day, but im definitely a baker.