One of my favorite childhood memories is waking up on Sunday morning to the smell of freshly baked biscuits, cubed potatoes drenched in butter, and, my all-time favorite, vinha d’alhos.
It’s a Portuguese pickled pork dish that came to Hawaii via immigrants from the Azores and Medeira. My grandmother used to make it all the time — and, luckily, my mom learned how to prepare it, too. So it’s been in our family for generations.
It’s funny how certain smells can take you right back to that moment in your past, whether it’s a lunch from elementary school or that go-to late-night snack during finals week in college. (I’m permanently scarred from eating too many Pop Tarts.)
Every time I smell that vinegary vinha d’alhos — which isn’t often unless I’m at Agnes’ Portuguese Bake Shop in Kailua on certain days or making it at home myself — it reminds me of my childhood, those early Sunday mornings or family breakfasts after opening gifts on Christmas Day.
Is there a dish that brings you back?
For a recipe to make vinha d’alhos, click here.
22 Comments
thus, the success of bacon. and macdonald’s fries.
Bacon and McDonald’s fries. Aaaaaaaaaah!
The smell of bacon frying takes me back to my childhood days. I suspect now more than ever because it seems bacon is no longer part of my diet. Only time it seems to be on the menu is when it is literally on the menu. Haven’t had it for breakfast at home in forever it seems. It was a staple when I was a kid.
Bacon is always a fond aroma 🙂
Ok cuz you can send me Grandma’s real recipe 🙂
Your mom should know it! You don’t make it yourself? What kind of Portuguese are you?!?!?
oh, yeah…bacon. and grilled meat.
I started making my own bacon and now I have bacon-fest whenever I want it. bags and bags of it in my freezer, thawed bacon in the fridge ready to cook and pork belly curing in a tub in my garage fridge (gotta remember to take it out of the cure tonight, as a matter of fact).
All this talk about bacon isn’t good. I haven’t eaten dinner yet and all I’m thinking about is a big fat BLT!
My nan’s homemade coconut, pineapple and custard tart :). Sadly my nan died some years ago and to this day I have never tasted pastry like her’s!
Did you learn the recipe? I’m always worried that I won’t remember how my mom cooks/bakes things!
Hello Cat, when my mom makes Jook that brings me back to small kid time.
Jook! You know, I never had homemade jook. Is it hard to make? I should put that on my bucket list…
I mostly miss the smell of cakes and cookies baking in the oven. Christmas cookies (10-12 kinds in some years) filled the house with the most delicious smells for days.
We just don’t bake much at home, and I have always been a good cook, but never much of a baker. They are very different disciplines.
Cookies and cakes (and breads) baking in an oven — that’s the best smell. That’s why realtors put a stick of cookie dough in the oven during open houses. Smart.
Cat: Vinha d’alhos sure sounds like and looks similar to pork adobo. Curious to know whether the tastes are similar too.
Anyway, offhand, I can’t think of any dish or smell that would bring me back. But I’ve experienced times when a certain smell would conjure up a certain memory. Happens all the time. But it’s not locked in my memory. I think it’s only triggered by the actual smell.
It’s cool because the smell may take you back to a specific pinpoint moment in time. As if you’re reliving that moment for that brief period your senses take over.
I also know of other non-food smells that trigger memories too. But maybe that’s for another blog, hehe.
It’s kinda similar to adobo… but not. And honestly, I can’t explain why!
… hey Cat … it was great meeting you IRL … hope I didn’t cross too much into your personal space … you have like a “celebrity” status and I don’t know to subtly try to meet you without barging into your daily routine …
… you and Derek were really cool …
LOL! I just said the same thing — nice to meet you — in the last blog!
I don’t have much personal space, actually. And I’m no celebrity! Thanks for saying hi!
Cat,
The grilled smell & taste of a W&M hamburger!
W&M burgers… Oh, man, that might be my lunch tomorrow!
I just ordered the Vina d’alhos dish at Koa Pancake House this a.m. Yumm, and yes it brings back memories of childhood meals.
Whoo! Good, huh? I had it once. Tastes *almost* like my mom’s 🙂