It's really tomorrow but it was easier to gather the whole family during the weekend..
so that is what we did, gathering at my parents and making it a pot luck, made even more abundant by a generous aunt who "stopped by" with gifts of food. Below, lumpia plus the stuff I brought, seaweed salad from Zion, cut up nori squares for the deconstructed Sriracha/mayo spiked Krab topped with eggs and cucumber. It's like California rolls but without the rice (who needs filler) and cucumber. I also mixed in masago into the mayo.
My aunt (a very close family friend; one of my mom's best friends when she first moved to the US) came over on the pretense of wanting to see their garden. She knew it was my Dad's bday the next day and brought over several dishes that she made including Pancit Palabok...
and fish escabeche (this was milkfish and full of bones)...
along with lechon kawali (which was ordered not made by her). Even TC broke her no meat rule to eat a few pieces of this (surprisingly enough). The skin was so crispy...and that fat....mmmm.
Underneath all this were nachos made by my dad.
We also had one of my favorites, made by my mom, Adobong Pusit (squid adobo)...I love when the bodies are filled with egg. This is potent stuff, this adobo.
We also had wings (from my aunt) and pinakbet (without bagoong) made with vegetables from my parents garden (bittermelon, tomatoes, eggplants, and lima beans)...
This is one of my favorite dishes. I love when she uses pork instead of chicken.
Chicken curry. My mom wanted to change things up. This will make the occasional appearance just like her marinated game hens.
Last year I posted on their garden...here are just a few photos of their bittermelon vines which are running rampant. They planted a dozen or so from seed and they are certainly doing well. I gave them a couple of the Hong Kong variety (bought in April from Seafod City). Proof that they have green thumbs and I don't....you can see how fruitful their vines are. I only got one from my two plants. y parents were excited to grow this variety because the bittermelon itself is not long but rather, short and kind of heart shaped.
They have a covered patio area where my mom keeps her orchids, bromeliads and succulents...
My mom told me that one of her friends gave her a couple of these plants and they kept growing new ones. Now they have eight of them.
Dad's cake was from a Filipino bakery, mango flavor inside.
What all the kids (and myself) loved was the ice cream choices. My mom went crazy at Seafood City and bought four kinds of Magnolia brand ice creams. They've 'modernized' the box and the font. They used to be in hard plastic containers and cost close to $7. I'm not sure they are that much now, but wow, those flavors were great (except avocado) - macapuno, buko pandan and lychee.
The hands down favorite was the lychee. It was practically inhaled. The least liked ice cream was the avocado. We ended up taking home the macapuno ice cream (I love the coconut pieces in there)...
My dad's previous bday foodfests:
2014
2012
It'll be my mom's turn at the end of September!
2 comments:
A very happy birthday to your dad! Looks like you guys had quite the feast! Lechon is really really hard to resist - it's so freakin good. My parents totally have a green thumb and I think my thumb is black. I'm just a plant killer. My mom has told me that she talks to her orchids in her greenhouse. Maybe that's the secret!
Thank you! He enjoyed being with everyone, especially the grandkids. I guess if you are retired (like my parents are), you would have time to pamper your garden. As for mine, I'm just glad the plants are still alive!
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