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Note
Click the buttons below to read my other thre Philippine food pages:
Why
Philippine Cuisine
is special
The dishes and cooking techniques of the Philippine Islands were originally
Malay. Then, over many centuries, they were greatly influenced by visitors from
distant lands. These include pre-Hispanic Chinese, Indian and Arab traders - and
Spanish and American colonizers - and Japanese conquerors.
Despite the foreign culinary impact, Philippine food is more than a
melting-pot cuisine. It has successfully evolved into an enticing culinary style
that is distinctly Filipino. The local cooks have a flair for adapting imported
recipes to suit their tastes.
Tips & insights
on Philippine cuisine
 The
three long-established tastes that most distinguish Philippine cuisine are the
liberal use of salt, vinegar and garlic.
In
the last half century, a fourth taste has emerged: sweetness.
Today sugar is used convincingly in a broad array of traditionally non-sweet preparations,
including ground meat.
Cooks
in the southern part of the Philippines lavishly use chili to perk up their dishes. Northern diners
(except in the Bicol region) have milder
palates.
Pork
is adored in the northern Philippine regions but shunned in large areas of Mindanao in the
south (most Mindanaons are Muslim, not Christian).
The
Philippines has an archipelago with 7,017 islands. Consequently, fish and
shellfish play a major role in the national diet.
Each
region of the Philippines has its own distinct specialties and cooking styles.
Yet, some dishes have become national favorites. I briefly describe them in my
“10 most famous” and “20 more” specialties web pages.
Rice
is the dominant food of the Philippines. It is often served for breakfast, lunch
and dinner – and is used for appetizers, entrees and dessert, in grain or flour
form.
Rice
is so important in the Philippine diet that it goes by 3 different names based
on its preparation state.
 Palay
- Unhusked rice
Bigas
- Husked, uncooked rice
Kanin
- Cooked rice
Food
is an integral part of Philippine socializing. It’s a virtual must accompaniment
for family and friend get-togethers.
Food
in most eateries is not served table-service style. Rather, it is displayed on
steam tables in turo turo ("point point") or cafeteria
establishments.
Frequently
used bottled condiments include patis (fish sauce), bagoong (strong-scented
fermented shrimp paste) and (toyo) soy sauce. The fresh tiny kalamansi (indigenous
lime) also flavors many dishes.
An
obstacle of Philippine cuisine becoming as popular as Thai and Vietnamese
cooking in countries around the world is its relative lack of visual appeal and
variety of flavorings. For example, dishes often lack the on-the-plate wow
factor. The food is usually not enticingly presented and an excessive number of
entrees are brownish. And, there tends to be too much sameness in seasonings
among dishes. But it taste good.
As
in some other countries, young adventurous Filipino chefs are developing a "New
Cuisine" for their country. The emphasis is on using fresh, tasty, local ingredients
cooked lightly to preserve natural flavors.
A
"Philippine Fusion Cuisine" has also been launched. That names sounds
anachronistic to me when used to describe a new Philippine culinary style
because Philippine cuisine has been a fusion cuisine for centuries.
My other
Philippine food pages
Also learn
about these
exciting
world cuisines
My food & wine
credentials
My books have been critically acclaimed by major magazines and newspapers. Click
the button below to read a sampling (in Acrobat format).
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