Hometown Food Diary
Memories and meals from a recent trip to Rochester, New York
I barely got a glimpse at Rochester before the plane hit the runway. The entire city was cloaked in a fluffy white blanket of snow. Honestly, I wasn’t really that surprised. The snows still come in March as winter’s last hurrah. Returning to the place I grew up is no small feat (6-hour plane ride, 1 layover, and a 3-hour time difference), but I’m always greeted with love (and food) by family and friends.
My favorite memories when visiting loved ones are usually at mealtimes. Being Filipino, most of our culture is centered around eating. Growing up in Rochester bolstered this affection for a good meal. While it might not have a reputation as being a “foodie” city, people love to chat and eat delicious food. It’s also the home of Wegman’s, the best supermarket in the United States (I stand by this).
And so, here is a collection of meals and memories from this recent trip. Enjoy, and go make yourself something nice to eat.
I get extra nostalgic when I see a fish fry neatly packaged in a cardboard to-go box. Friday night I went over to my sister’s house to borrow flower vases and catch up with everyone over a quick meal. The crispy fish is best eaten quickly while still hot. The fries are usually a little soggy, but it’s all part of the experience.
Saturday morning I hastily brushed the snow off of my dad’s Jeep and drove down the road with a dozen borrowed flower vases clanging around in the trunk. In just two hours, our baby shower set-up team managed to create a cozy atmosphere complete with mini hand pies and bottomless mimosas. It felt great to catch up with old friends, even for just a few hours. When I went to give my pregnant friend a hug goodbye, her baby kicked (our first introduction).
I woke up Sunday morning to the smell of fried garlic. No one eats cereal for breakfast in the Gorre household. My mom’s eggs are perfect—crispy outsides with slightly gooey insides. I normally don’t eat this much when I first wake up, but these home-cooked breakfasts are too good to pass up.
That afternoon I met up with my best friend who had just arrived late the night before from a vacation in Florida. We ditched trying to find a brunch place and instead drove to Wegman's to get supplies for lox and bagels. We caught up and watched the beginning of The Man who Killed Don Quixote (it was weird). Her glassware and plate collection is to die for.
That day at Wegman’s was also sample day, oh holy of days. A Wegman’s employee named Becky flagged us down and gave us the inside scoop on the best produce in the store. This week, it was the “sweetest batch” blackberries (unbelievably large and juicy) from Mexico, grape tomatoes, and golden nugget mandarin oranges. Her enthusiasm and Western New York chattiness warmed my heart.
As I got ready to fly out on Monday, my mom handed me a large freezer bag with four croissant sandwiches to take with me on the plane. She has done this almost every time I fly out from Rochester. Inside the croissants are usually ham, salami and cheese—the perfect fuel for the long trip back to SF.
On the flight I ate three of them and forgot about the fourth until the next day, when while unpacking, I found it flattened in the bottom of my backpack. Looking at the squished stowaway, I appreciated my mom’s efforts to never have me pay exorbitant airport food prices, and marveled how at love can follow you from, even from thousands of miles away.
Loved these little snack-sized food stories 👏