Category Archives: International

FIAT CAR SALES IN U.S. TRIPLE, THANKS TO POPE FRANCIS

U.S. bishops welcome Pope Francis in Washington, D.C., as he alights from a tiny Fiat
U.S. bishops welcome Pope Francis in Washington, D.C., as he alights from a tiny Fiat

AUBURN HILLS, Michigan (The Adobo Chronicles® ) –  Fiat, the Italian part of the global Fiat-Chrysler alliance, is having more and more trouble selling its small, inexpensive cars in America. Most recent data on “days to turn,” the average number of days dealers have cars in inventory before selling them, continues to rise for Fiat.

But thanks to the U.S. visit of Pope Francis, Fiat sales in the U.S. have more than tripled in just the last two days.  This, after Catholic car buyers watched media coverage of the Pontiff’s activities in Washington, D.C., during which he has been transported from the airport to The White House to the U.S. Capitol and other venues  in a tiny Fiat instead of the usual Cadillac limousines afforded visiting dignitaries.

Even in the Vatican, the Pope has traded his limousine and Popemobile in favor of a used Fiat.

Since becoming pope, Francis has led an uncomplicated life, rejecting the pompous and ostentatious ways of The Vatican. From shoes to garments, from living quarters to automobiles, he has chosen the way of simplicity and poverty.

Will this signal the end of Volkswagen’s and Toyota’s world dominance in automaking?

 

 

NEW YORKERS SNUB POPE FRANCIS

NEW YORK, New York (The Adobo Chronicles®) – In sharp contrast to the throngs that welcomed Pope Francis in Washington, D.C., New Yorkers went about their normal daily routines, ignoring the papal motorcade that wound through the streets of Manhattan today.

No one lined up along the route of the motorcade which eventually took the Pope to his appointment to address the United Nations General Assembly.

The ‘snub’  is the first-ever in papal history.

BREAKFAST AT THE WHITE HOUSE: BONELESS BANGUS FOR POPE FRANCIS

White House executive chef Comerford. Inset: bangsilog
White House executive chef Comerford. Inset: bangsilog

WASHINGTON, D.C. (The Adobo Chronicles® ) – When Pope Francis visited the Philippines earlier this year, he wanted to try balut, the local delicacy of boiled duck embryo, popular among the Filipinos masses.  Unfortunately, the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) respectfully declined the request for fear that the Pontiff might not like it.

Today, minutes before the welcoming ceremony at The White House, the visiting Pope Francis arrived at the presidential palace and was treated to a light breakfast with the First Family.  Sources close to the Pope know that he loves fish.

So, leave it to the White House executive chief, Filipino-American Cristeta Comerford to orchestrate the breakfast table with the VIP guest.

Comerford knew of the papal disappointment of not being able to partake of balut while in Manila, so she made sure Francis had something that would remind him of his successful pilgrimage to the Philippines.

The Pope was served a combination plate of boneless bangus (milkfish), with fried egg and garlic fried rice.  Locally in the Philippines, it is popularly called bangsilog  – bang for bangus, si for sinangag (fried rice), and log for itlog (egg).

The verdict?  The Pope loved it! Especially with the spicy vinegar dip.

It wasn’t anywhere close to balut. But it couldn’t be any closer to a Filipino breakfast.

How to prepare boneless bangus.