Almost all people have their favorite foods, of course. I generally like many dishes based on potato or chicken. I like pasta too. But whether favorite or not so favorite, I’m sure practically everyone has some fond memories attached to some foods. Here are some of mine.

V-cut potato chips. Jack ’n Jill’s barbecue-flavored V-cut is definitely my #1 most favorite potato chips brand. I still like it a lot even to this day, though I hate the really small portions you get with each bag.

I can definitely remember the first time I tasted V-cut, although I can’t remember the exact date. My family was then at my lola’s house in Taguig. We were all at the balcony area, overlooking the main street and Laguna de Bay way beyond. I, my siblings, and some of my cousins were playing with my lolo’s binoculars and took turns spotting the moon and several planes that went by to land at NAIA. My tita gave us V-cut and softdrinks as light merienda and I immediately loved the spicy ridged chips. I liked it so much that I definitely took more than my fair share of chips that day. Hehehe.

My mom knows I have a particular fondness for V-cut and so she would always buy V-cut just for me whenever she buys chips when she goes to the grocery.

Siomai. The earliest memory I have of eating authentic siomai was back when I was seven or eight. I recall getting a taste of it in some Chinese restaurant in Quad Makati, where Glorietta now stands. Like V-cut, I instantly liked it. I also loved the mami there.

Chowking’s siomai, while tasty in its own way, pales in comparison to siomai that gets steamed in those bamboo containers. The last time I ate such siomai was a few weeks ago when I took the dimsum buffet at Shanghai Bistro in Eastwood. Yum yum!

Jollibee’s spaghetti. Unlike V-cut, I don’t particularly crave for Jollibee’s spaghetti anymore. But I wouldn’t think twice about answering Jollibee if you’ll ask me which spaghetti I prefer between Jollibee and McDo.

The fondest memory I have of Jollibee’s spaghetti was in elementary. When I got sick and had to be absent from school, I would stay in my parent’s room and just watch TV all afternoon. I remember waiting in anticipation for my mom to come home from work bringing a serving of Jollibee’s red sauced pasta. I would eat it right there and then on my parent’s bed.

Nanay’s balat ng manok chicharon. Gosh, I haven’t eaten my other lola’s (we call her Nanay) chicharon in a very, very long time. All of my siblings like it too and we would always try to get the bigger share of the chicharon whenever it was served to us for lunch when we visit.

Although it’s definitely unhealthy (all that fat and cholesterol!), I wouldn’t hesitate tasting it again. But only one or two spoonfuls.

How about you? What are some your food memories?