Home Cooking (Far from Home)
"There's a new Filipino restaurant downtown!" I texted Eric as soon as I read the restaurant review. "Let's take the kids."
"But I don't like Filipino food," my Filipino husband joked.
One of the things I first noticed about Eric's family was how food was such an integral part of it. You couldn't enter his parent's house without being told—not asked—to eat. And you didn't leave without a heaping plate of leftovers under aluminum foil: Lumpia, pancit, adobo chicken. Yum.
But after moving from San Diego to Minnesota, far from the home cooking of my mother-in-law, authentic Filipino food became a rarity. That is, until last Saturday night.
We bundled up and headed downtown to Subo—named for the Filipino word meaning "to feed." It's an apt name, considering we ordered nearly everything on the menu—including a citrusy glass of Spanish white wine for me.
| White Wine Info Bottle Salneval Grape Albariño Year 2007 Region Rias Biaxas, Spain Price ~$12.00 Shop BudgetBottle.com Food Pairing Spicy seafood, rice-based dishes, chicken, Filipino food | More Wonderful Whites Under $15 Conquista Torrontés Electra Orange Muscat Wine Chateau Ste. Michelle Sauvignon Blanc Villa Maria Sauvignon Blanc |
Plate after plate arrived from the kitchen: Grilled shrimp in a cilantro, chili marinade. Barbecue pork spareribs. Two orders of Lumpia. Fried chicken wings. Adobo green beans. The Salneval Albariño held up to it all—sweet without being too sweet, perfect for the chicken and shrimp, and the fruity notes complemented the Calamansi, an asian citrus used in many Filipino dishes.
My kids ate more than I'd seen them eat in ages. "This food is good!" Madeline raved. Sophia asked if we could go back for her birthday dinner.
Seems like the bonds between family and good food are too strong to break.
Diane Timba is a contributing writer at Thursday Happy Hour. Check out her lifestyle wine column here on Wednesdays. What food and wine pairing reminds you of home? Let Diane know in the comments below. Or chat with her on Facebook.
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