11.027
1 (Sat) February 2020
Doomsday Pork Belly
3.5
by me
at home
-Dasmariñas Village, Makati, Metro Manila, Philippines-
with the Family
As of today, WHO reports 11,953 cases of novel coronavirus, mostly in China, and 259 deaths, all in China. The Philippines reported its first and thus far only case a couple days ago.

I spent most of today and a lot of money shopping for groceries, primarily staples and non-perishables – i.e., items that could sustain us for an extended period of isolation, if the circumstances were to get real bad (I saw a news report last night from Wuhan that stores shelves were empty, like in zombie apocalypse movies). Even though Manila is fine as yet, I figured that avoiding crowded public spaces, such as restaurants, would be prudent for the time being. In any case, cooking and eating at home is always a good idea, for nutritional and financial reasons, as well as safety, and perhaps creativity.
As WHO staff, I should point out that doomsday prepping is not an official recommendation.

As an avocational cook, daily blogger, and fantasy survivalist, I look forward to the challenge of providing healthy, tasty, and enjoyable meals for my family with the supplies on hand until the situation stabilizes – hopefully by the end of February.
Ironically, with so many options available, I had extreme difficulty devising the menu for tonight.
Meanwhile, IZ created a centerpiece with a flower from our backyard garden – a poignant symbol of life, beauty, and optimism in the face of danger.