NANNA'S SPECIAL (: - FINAL -

     Spending time with my mom's side of the family has been such a huge part of my life from when I was first born, to now, and will continue to be in the future that lays ahead of me. We would always have family dinners or get together's at least 3 to 4 times each month to celebrate even the smallest of things such as good grades, birthdays, if any of the children made cuts for an athletic team/squad, etc. That is how close we were. That is how close we are. What the good part about all of this is especially the fact that my nanna LOVES cooking for us. It's almost as if she never takes a break. For example, if you were to hold out a "STOP" sign in front of her, she wouldn't obey it at all. That is how hard working  she is and that is also one of the very many reasons why I love her so dearly. My nanna's main specialty dish for these dinners and get together's would have to be her Pork or Chicken Adobo. Whenever my aunty and my older cousin's come in from the Mainland to visit, that is what they are always looking forward to. The Pork or Chicken Adobo is the very thing that is automatically expected to be served for dinner.

     As my family and I walk up to the driveway, that savory aroma of the vinegary and shoyu dish is already lingering out the door and onto the streets. The smell is so strong, it smells so delicious. Your mouth would be so watery that by the time you step through the front door, it'll feel like you've stepped onto a platform of heaven. As the smell of the special dish lingers all over the place, it turns into one of those that can be very easily identified.

     Adobo is a very popular Filipino dish. Coming from my family, it is almost like the anchor of our ship. It is what we all grew up on and what we all learned to love. It is like the main focal point of our entire painting. The ingredients to the dish includes a certain meat, either pork or chicken, vinegar, peppercorn, garlic, and bay leaves. This dish is special because nanna uses only one type of vinegar and the bay leaves are the most important to include. Her ingredients, plus the way she throws them together is what makes it so flavorful. Especially flavorful when served with  rice. You can never, ever miss the rice.

     Without the adobo on the table when family goes over to nanna's house for dinner, it is most definitely not complete. To me, my nanna's adobo has got to be the best overall that I have ever tasted. My mom tries to make it, my aunties try to make it, however it is not the same. Just slightly different. It is not only because I'm already prone to eating my nanna's adobo as of growing up with it, but because my nanna breaks stress and sweat in the process. She works her butt off to keep us happy because she knows what we want. She knows what we like and she knows what we expect. Of course, my family and I , would not constantly bother her to make it for us. We do not go up to her and say, "You know what I want. Make it." We don't have to. She does it on her own intentions because it is her passion. Plus, if it is not obvious enough, she does it because she loves us, as well. She loves us all so much. I would never trade my nanna for anyone else or anything else in the world.