‘Goma’ home for the holidays

Celebrity dad and Leyte Fourth District Representative Richard Gomez said that he becomes nostalgic during the holidays and recounts his holiday traditions with his Lola Lydia.

"When September comes around, my Lola already starts preparing her fruitcakes so that they are ready and delicious by Christmastime. I remember going with her to Quiapo to buy the ingredients in bulk. She would really make a lot and sell them or give them away to family and friends. When she passed away, my Tita makes the fruitcakes according to my Lola's recipe and I am already anticipating them," Richard said.

He added that his love for cooking was nurtured by his Lola.

"She really taught me the basics of cooking, starting with the importance of a good ginisa. She said the way you cook your tomatoes and your onions is very important. One of my favorites that she always cooks is the Binagoongang Baboy," said the lawmaker.

Richard puts his cooking skills to good use in his own kitchen and on his Goma at Home Youtube channel where he prepares meals that his followers can easily cook at home and share his favorite recipes he learned through travels. He talks about his holiday traditions with his wife Lucy and daughter Juliana.

He cooks whatever is available, he says and he also consults with his family about what they want to eat.

"For Noche Buena, we usually go with something light, such as Queso de Bola, Ham and Hot Chocolate, along with whatever dish they want to eat. Sometimes, I'd grill steaks, with mashed potatoes and some veggies. If they want to have something with sauce, I make Callos or my Beef Bourguignon. I remember one time, Lucy asked for Sinigang, which is actually perfect for the cool weather."

Juliana, he narrated, is really good at baking.