A quintessential part of the school experience is the glorious recess break. The moment the teacher leaves the room, juvenile activity like raucous laughter and whispered gossip break the studious air—all of which is punctuated by the release of a tangled olfactory mess of aromas from everybody’s baon. Who can forget the confusing, electric cacophony of a school canteen?

In our Growing Up issue, we revisited our classic childhood grub—the greasy packed peanuts you bought from your neighbor’s sari-sari store; the salty pork chops that sparked many tomato vs. banana ketchup arguments; the creamy egg spreads that your parent made four out of five school mornings a week—and reinvented them into a workplace-friendly iteration, courtesy of Scout friend Grai Alvar. School’s out forever, but the baon graduates with us.

Two-ingredient pancake topped with chocolate syrup and crispy dilis

Ingredients:

• 2 ripe bananas
• 4 eggs (whites and yolk separated)
• 2-3 tbsps. cooking oil

Topping:

• Chocolate syrup
• Dilis

1. Combine the yolks and bananas in a blender until everything is mixed well.
2. In a deep bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff. This will take 15 to 20 minutes.
   Fold in the blended yolk and banana mixture.
3. Using a non-stick pan, heat the oil and pour batter according to your desired size
   of pancakes. Cook each side until golden brown.
4. Fry the dilis until crispy.
5. Assemble pancakes. Top with chocolate syrup and crispy dilis.

Yakisoba and pork chop with crushed peanuts

Ingredients for Pork Chops

• 2 pcs. 1-inch thick pork chops
• 4 tbsp. cooking oil
• Salt and pepper (to taste)

Ingredients for Yakisoba

• 2 cups water (for boiling)
• 1 pack Yakisoba (chicken or beef flavor)
• 1 pack Happy Peanuts (original flavor)

1. Heat oil over medium heat.
2. Season pork chops with salt and pepper and fry each side for 3 to 5 minutes, or until golden brown. Set aside.
3. Bring 2 cups of water to a boil. Once boiling, add the noodles. Let them boil for 3 minutes if you want a firm bite.
4.  Drain water and mix the spices with the noodles. Set aside.
5. Using a glass or mug, gently crush peanuts inside the packaging.
6. Top noodles with pork chops and peanuts.

Grilled kimcheese and apple sandwich

Ingredients:

• 2 slices of wheat bread (this recipe uses raisin wheat bread)
• 1 slice of cheese
• 1 tbsp. of Japanese mayonnaise
• 2 tbsps. butter or olive oil
• 1⁄4 cup cabbage kimchi
• 1⁄4 of an apple, thinly sliced into half-moons

1. Using a skillet or a non-stick pan, melt the butter or heat the oil over low-medium
   heat. Place slices of bread in the pan.
2. Place the cheese over a slice. Evenly distribute the kimchi on top of the cheese. Add the apple slices, then spread Japanese mayonnaise on the other side of bread.
3. Put the bread with Japanese mayonnaise over the other slice to make a sandwich. Cover the pan for 2 minutes. Flip the sandwich and leave it in the pan for another 2 minutes. Slice the sandwich in half and serve.

Bacon chorizo and egg spread macaroni

Ingredients:

• 1 cup uncooked macaroni
• 1 pc. Chorizo Bilbao
• 10 slices of bacon
• 3 pcs. peeled hard-boiled eggs
• 1 cup light mayonnaise
• Salt and pepper

1. Boil 2 cups of water in a pot over medium heat. Add macaroni. Let it cook for 5 minutes, then drain.
2. In a frying pan over medium heat, fry the chorizo and bacon until crispy. Cut the chorizo and bacon into small bits.
3. In a bowl, mash the peeled hard-boiled eggs, then combine the mayonnaise, chorizo, and bacon bits. Season with salt and pepper.
4. For the macaroni, use 4 tablespoons of the spread and mix it with the cooked pasta. Keep the rest of the spread for pasta or bread consumption. Consume within three to five days.

Recipes and styling by Grai Alvar

Photography by Sam Ong

Art Direction by Renz Mart Reyes

Produced by Giselle Barrientos

Sittings by Oliver Emocling