It means permissible in English, and though it’s a word that’s been prevalent in many food conversations, it still gets a lot of misuse and fallacy. In a nutshell, halal food is food that is acceptable according to the teachings of Islam and not considered to be haram...
There's a kind of coffee that only a few get to enjoy because of awareness and/or preference. It’s called the peaberry, and every coffee tree produces only a few of it. According to Chit Juan, President of the Philippine Coffee Board, it only comprises about 5-10% of...
When you say tea, it exclusively refers to the dried leaf and stem of one plant: Camellia sinensis. All the other variants—white, black, and green tea—are based solely on this plant. In the Philippines though, tea has been used as a catch-all to any plant used for hot...
A member of the ginger family, turmeric offers a warm, spicy, and bitter taste to many savory dishes and medicinal benefits that fight diseases. And it’s all thanks to curcumin, which is responsible for the root’s yellow-orange color, the flavor, antioxidants, and...
No Filipino celebration is ever complete without food. Birthdays are observed with Pinoy-style spaghetti and hotdogs on sticks with marshmallows. On All Saints Day, families feast over bowls of ginataan after visiting their loved ones in the cemetery. Whenever there...
Cookbooks are more than just a collection of recipes people can turn to for kitchen experiments and references. They are part memoir: when the author culls memories of his or her childhood, moments when the dishes are not just enjoyed but celebrated, the book becomes...
Pancit came from the word pian-sit, which means “fast food” or a dish that can be prepared in no time. It started as a poor man’s fare, but over time has become not just a party favorite, but everyday fare for a handful of reasons—it’s easy to cook in big batches,...
Neighborhood panaderias are part of the childhood of many Filipinos. It is perhaps our first introduction to pan de sal, among the many other iterations of local bread. And growing up, even until now, the goods found on the shelves of these bakeries have been the...
Nowadays, the choices Filipinos have when it comes to candies are just too many to name. But back in the day, there were just a handful of kids and adults alike relied on for a quick sugar fix. This short list of candies often found stored in jars in sari-sari stores...
Considered to be a cross between lemons and oranges, the Philippine lime, more popularly known as calamansi, has taken a special place in the world of desserts as it lends sweet and sour notes that work well especially in rich and decadent desserts. Just take a cue...