Memorable Meal With Partner's Family?

[mountainside]

JJReyes’s recent topic regarding “Observation on Philippine Dining” got me wondering about members’ notable meals in partners’ families’ homes.

In 2015 I was on Luzon with my then Visayan girlfriend.  Her Dad lived up a mountainside just North of Baybay, Leyte.  He had a phone and load that she’d provided, and they stayed in touch.

He invited us to come for a stay.  She declined any overnights, for a reason mentioned below, but very much wanted a short visit.  So we got to Leyte, traveled North to South down the East Coast and arrived in Baybay early one afternoon.  Had a pleasant time on the boardwalk near the impressive Catholic church, and went to sleep in a small hotel room shared with bedbugs.

The next day we took a pedicab (plentiful in Baybay) to the river, rock-hopped across, and walked up the mountain for a mile or two on a path suitable for motorbikes.  Arrived at a flat area containing Dad’s neighborhood, a mix of concrete block homes and nipa huts.

Dad’s home was a two-room two-level nipa hut that looked very well built to me, and very clean.  No electricity, no running water, no CR.  Some neighbors gathered round to meet me and observe the proceedings.  Lunch was served on the floor of the bottom room and eaten by hand.  American Frog, rice, and fresh Jackfruit served on banana leaves.  That was my first taste of Jackfruit.

Don’t think I’ll ever be a Durian guy but, man, that Jackfruit was great!

Before walking back down the mountain later that day, Dad implored my girl to return for a longer stay.  She told him that he knew why she wouldn’t do it; “No CR, no overnight.”

My wife’s Dad knows of my love of Jackfruit.  He also knows that I’m too much of a coward to travel to his Mindanao barangay.  I’m very much looking forward to meeting up with him again in Cebu.  I’m pretty sure he’d bring me one his Jackfruits on the ferry.

[OnMyWay]

8 minutes ago, mountainside said:

no CR

Sounds like a shitty neighborhood! 

[JJReyes]

34 minutes ago, OnMyWay said:

Sounds like a shitty neighborhood! 

When my father was starting the family farm, everyone was concerned how he would manage without a CR.  His reply, "I have 40 hectares that needs fertilizer."  Being civilized, he had workers construct a military style field latrine.  Installation of the first flushing toilet with the building of a family hut resulted in people coming all over to take a look and figure out how it works.  

[OnMyWay]

8 minutes ago, JJReyes said:

When my father was starting the family farm, everyone was concerned how he would manage without a CR.  His reply, "I have 40 hectares that needs fertilizer."  Being civilized, he had workers construct a military style field latrine.  Installation of the first flushing toilet with the building of a family hut resulted in people coming all over to take a look and figure out how it works.  

If I lived out in the boonies I would have these guys build me a nice place with a CR.  I would have to learn the chipmunk language.

 

[JJReyes]

My girlfriend (now wife) invited me for dinner to meet her family.  Her mother is an excellent cook trained in traditional Japanese cuisine.  She had prepared this beautiful Grouper fish with head intact which I don't often see in the United States.  Fish is usually served as a filet.  Everyone, where I come from, knows the most delicious pieces are the fish cheeks and eyeballs.  Since no one was touching the fish head, I took those morsels with my chopstick.  Everyone at the table looked at me in horror!  Barbarian! is probably the most appropriate word to use for my action. The exception was her mother who said, "Finally.  Someone who understands how to eat fish."  I was in!

[mountainside]

1 hour ago, JJReyes said:

Everyone, where I come from, knows the most delicious pieces are the fish cheeks and eyeballs.

Hamachi Kama!

[RBM]

On 2/25/2023 at 9:55 AM, mountainside said:

JJReyes’s recent topic regarding “Observation on Philippine Dining” got me wondering about members’ notable meals in partners’ families’ homes.

In 2015 I was on Luzon with my then Visayan girlfriend.  Her Dad lived up a mountainside just North of Baybay, Leyte.  He had a phone and load that she’d provided, and they stayed in touch.

He invited us to come for a stay.  She declined any overnights, for a reason mentioned below, but very much wanted a short visit.  So we got to Leyte, traveled North to South down the East Coast and arrived in Baybay early one afternoon.  Had a pleasant time on the boardwalk near the impressive Catholic church, and went to sleep in a small hotel room shared with bedbugs.

The next day we took a pedicab (plentiful in Baybay) to the river, rock-hopped across, and walked up the mountain for a mile or two on a path suitable for motorbikes.  Arrived at a flat area containing Dad’s neighborhood, a mix of concrete block homes and nipa huts.

Dad’s home was a two-room two-level nipa hut that looked very well built to me, and very clean.  No electricity, no running water, no CR.  Some neighbors gathered round to meet me and observe the proceedings.  Lunch was served on the floor of the bottom room and eaten by hand.  American Frog, rice, and fresh Jackfruit served on banana leaves.  That was my first taste of Jackfruit.

Don’t think I’ll ever be a Durian guy but, man, that Jackfruit was great!

Before walking back down the mountain later that day, Dad implored my girl to return for a longer stay.  She told him that he knew why she wouldn’t do it; “No CR, no overnight.”

My wife’s Dad knows of my love of Jackfruit.  He also knows that I’m too much of a coward to travel to his Mindanao barangay.  I’m very much looking forward to meeting up with him again in Cebu.  I’m pretty sure he’d bring me one his Jackfruits on the ferry.

I share your love for Jackfruit, also love durian. Unfortunately here one must buy the complete fruit, vendors are reluctant to open and sell by the slice.

[mountainside]

24 minutes ago, RBM said:

I share your love for Jackfruit, also love durian. Unfortunately here one must buy the complete fruit, vendors are reluctant to open and sell by the slice.

I bought a whole Jackfruit.  Once.  After the visit with my GF's dad, we moved over to Dumaguete for a few days.  Found a Jackfruit at the big market at Dauin.  Brought that big boy back to our hotel room.  I'm a happy boy.  Next day we get a call from the manager:  everyone on your hallway is complaining about the smell from your room.   He took it pretty easy on me since I was obviously (and truly) an ignorant Kano.  He didn't understand, though, why my GF hadn't schooled me properly about good manners . . .

[JJReyes]

1 hour ago, mountainside said:

I bought a whole Jackfruit.  Once.  After the visit with my GF's dad, we moved over to Dumaguete for a few days.  Found a Jackfruit at the big market at Dauin.  Brought that big boy back to our hotel room.  I'm a happy boy.  Next day we get a call from the manager:  everyone on your hallway is complaining about the smell from your room.   He took it pretty easy on me since I was obviously (and truly) an ignorant Kano.  He didn't understand, though, why my GF hadn't schooled me properly about good manners . . .

In Malaysia, hotels post guards at the entrance to prevent guests from bringing in durian during the season.  If you sneak the fruit in and it stinks up the room, the penalty is 3 days room rental.  They have to use blowers and charcoal filtration devices to remove the smell.  It takes 3 days.

[mountainside]

1 hour ago, JJReyes said:

In Malaysia, hotels post guards at the entrance to prevent guests from bringing in durian during the season.  If you sneak the fruit in and it stinks up the room, the penalty is 3 days room rental.  They have to use blowers and charcoal filtration devices to remove the smell.  It takes 3 days.

Good thing for me that I learned my lesson before traveling to Malaysia.  My brother and Malaysian S-In-L live in Georgetown.  She's loved durian since childhood.  I think she'd have been very disappointed with me had I not respected appropriate protocol.

Edited February 27, 2023 by mountainside