I’d like to believe that LJM had a sweet tooth—every time the Lifestyle section would offer her a box of something sweet, whether a cake, pie or ensaymada, she’d never refuse and would gladly get a piece from the box.

 

LJM validated our efforts in producing the highly anticipated sweet guide when she wrote the foreword to my second book, “Best Desserts 2.”

 

She said she wrote that short but sweet piece while running a slight fever. I thanked her profusely for giving me the honor and privilege of having her name in my book. LJM, in turn, simply apologized for her late submission.

 

She attended the book launch at SM Aura last Oct. 26. Although she missed most of the program, she didn’t miss congratulating and hugging me for the success of the launch.

 

Here’s what she wrote in “Best Desserts 2,” which I will forever be thankful for:

 

“The Inquirer has made its mark in the Filipino consciousness as the bastion of hard-hitting and in-your-face news reporting. We bark and bite hard enough to topple dictatorships and pork barrel scams.

 

“Surprise! We have a side to us that’s all sweetness and light. Thanks to Inquirer Lifestyle, we have also become an authority on melt-in-your-mouth reportage. ‘Best Desserts 2.’

 

“Note the 2. What you have in hand is a follow-up and updated version of the bestseller 1. How sweet it is, indeed! It sort of rounds up the Inquirer as a media institution. There you go—sweet revenge on all those who suspect we feast on death threats for our daily sustenance.” —Letty Jimenez-Magsanoc, editor in chief, Philippine Daily Inquirer