I’ve been eating adobo ever since I can remember. My adobo is the chicken and pork preparation, cooked exactly as it appears in the photo accompanying this article. It is the national dish of the country I come from and a derivation of the Spanish word adobar, which means to marinate raw food in a stock of vinegar and herbs. This is one legacy of Spain to the Philippines after three and a quarter centuries of colonization. Spanish presence is evident in my old country, not just in foods but also in Filipinos’ names, like mine. →