Mondays are typically busy for me. My Mondays are packed with meetings, checking in with the chefs, making a task list for the week, revisiting unfinished project from the previous week, going over the week’s menus of all the cafes, looking at food cost numbers, and many more unexciting stuff. Nonetheless, these are things that need to get done. I left the office today feeling drained, tired, and uninspired.

When I got home I felt the need to do something a little more creative than drafting action plans and safety memos. As I consider getting up from my very comfy recliner to get some creative juices going, I was reminded of my conversation with my Mother this morning on my way to work. She said that my nephew is visiting Stockton for the weekend and that she will cook dinner for my sisters and the kids tonight. I commented that my older sister must be very happy to have Markus home even just for a couple of nights. I know she misses him very much. He is 22 and has been very busy with his life. My Mom told me that she gets excited to see me every time we visit and I am already 44 years old. I get it. Moms never stop being moms no matter how old their kids get. I already worry about how much I would miss Max when he moves away from home and he is only six years old. Although he tells me that he is never moving out. My Mom was planning on making her chicken and pork adobo tonight for her grandson. She always makes adobo whenever I visit too. Apropos to my mood to create and in honor of my Mom’s upcoming birthday, I made pork spare ribs adobo tonight. A feel good food for any occasion especially if Mommy makes it.

Pork Spare Ribs Adobo

Serves 4

1 pound pork spare ribs, cut to 1-inch

1 medium yellow onion, julienned

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 tablespoon sugar

1 cup soy sauce

½ cup cane vinegar

salt and cracked black pepper to taste

1 tablespoon of grape seed or canola oil

In a medium pot, combine pork, ½ of the julienned onions, garlic, sugar, soy sauce, vinegar, salt and pepper.

Place the pot on the stove over medium heat, bring to a boil, simmer low and covered for 25 minutes until the pork is tender.

Using a strainer or colander placed over a bowl, drain the braising liquid as much as possible from the pork. Pat the pork pieces dry with a paper towel.

Place the same pot on the stove over medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon of canola or grape seed oil. Add the pork and brown on all sides. Add the rest of the julienned onions and sauté until lightly cooked. Pour the braising liquid back in the pot and bring to a simmer for two minutes.

Serve over hot steamed rice. True Pinoys dip their adobo in fish sauce. As weird as it sounds, fish sauce actually adds a good balance to the sweet and sour flavor of adobo.