CEBU, Philippines – I had to dig deep into my memory banks to recall the time I had my first "drink" - and I remember it was in Asturias at my grandmother's house during one summer vacation. The drink was freshly harvested coconut wine called "lina." It was sweet and had an off-white color. If you add "tungog" and allow it to ferment, it becomes tuba.
Wine was my next - not really as a full drink but merely a taste of the remaining few drops in a bottle of Mompo, or church mass wine, while I was serving as a sacristan. It was soon followed by beer and whiskey (White Label), which I 'spirited away' from the several bottles served during family reunions.
During college in Manila, we had gin when funds were short, beer when fraternity brods were around. In Cebu, during vacation break, we had rum. But, during a wedding feast in Carnasa Island, I had consumed 25 bottles in one sitting, with swaki (sea urchin roe) and charcoal broiled (sun-dried, half-day) giant squid as 'pulutan'. The squid, especially, was so succulent that juices dripped from the sides of my mouth every time I took a bite, which probably made me lose track of my drinking.
But, really, there must be a limit set to one's alcohol consumption.
Enter the 80s. It was now a merry-go-round of alcohol beverages for me - from whiskey, vodka, brandy and wine... then back to beer. My pairing food with wine began when I joined the Chaine des Rotisseurs some 20 years ago. A slight problem occurred when I realized that the wines I liked to drink were beyond the reach of my wallet.
Then I discovered a pawnshop that accepts bottled drinks - whiskey, tequila and cognac - as "prenda." They had bottles of cognac that were so old that portions of the content had evaporated from the sealed bottles. An so I wasted no time, excuse me, in buying everything. It was my introduction to different brands. I so much loved the nuances of the cognac that it has since become my favorite drink.
Moet-Hennessey with Jean-Michel Cochet, the Hennessy's "Ambassadeur de Maison," Paolo Gayton and Gio Robles recently hosted the Hennessy X.O Appreciation Dinner at the Radisson Blu Cebu Hotel.
Cognac is double distilled only in the Cognac region in France and aged for at least 10 years in barrels made from a special type of oak called Limousin. It is rather porous and portions will evaporate for angels and other heavenly creations to consume... "la part des anges" (angels' share).
The dinner had two starters, Soup of Ceps with Pan-fried Foie Gras, and Bacon and Oven-Cooked King Prawn in its own Bisque with a Ginger Vanilla Confit. The soup was delicious with the liver and the bacon tweaking the taste an inch closer to heaven.
Main dish was a choice between the Seared Fillet of Spiced Beef in a Rich Pepper Jus, Pan-Fried Shitake or Sea Bass on Leeks - the choice was to be made upon acceptance of the invite, for Executive Chef Roberto Kunitz to prepare the particular meal. Waiters were quick to refill empty glasses with Hennessy X.O. I limited my share to just enough cognac, so I could still drive home afterwards.
Dessert was Melting Chocolate Pudding and Custard, followed by select Fruits: Fresh Orange, Dried Apricots, and Dried Mangoes.
The photos here are courtesy of my cousin Taboy Villanueva, A-List Events and some by me. The light conditions during the dinner were rather not conducive to picture-taking. I'm just choosing the better ones for this article.