Let’s begin with something controversial: not everyone likes chocolate. Some people can't even physically eat it. While Valentine’s Day began as early as the 1300s, its association with chocolate happened in the 1800s. By the 1840s, the Cadbury family had just...
It’s been a few years since the health world painted cacao nibs as the ‘it’ superfood. The appeal was–is–understandable. After all, it is a reasonably healthier way to enjoy chocolate. In shorthand, cacao nibs are crushed cacao beans before they become chocolate....
As a rice-eating country, kakanin or rice cakes come a dime a dozen in the Philippines, but only a chosen few–two, in fact–have the recognition of being Christmas icons. Puto bumbong is memorable for its striking violet hue, thanks to a purple variety of heirloom rice...
In a country where practically every region has a signature bratwurst, you should expect more than one festival celebrating this beloved delicacy. The most popular, however, is the one in the historic city of Vigan, where it occurs every late January. Vigan longganisa...
Now that restaurateurs and diners have figured out the compromise between eating in restaurants and the new normal, the dining scene is experiencing a revival. Once again, Filipinos are looking at each other on Friday nights asking, “Where shall we eat?” While the...
It may not seem like it, but the history of the beloved lechon has political and religious roots. The name would suggest that lechon was adapted from the Spanish invaders who colonized the Philippines for over 300 years. Leche means “milk,” referencing the suckling...
As Filipino cuisine gains ground overseas, not many Filipinos seem to realize that local gastronomy is spreading beyond the efforts of celebrity chefs and trending restaurants. In the last few years, Filipino cookbooks have been gaining momentum quietly. They have...
Calamansi plays a significant role in the Philippines’ culinary heritage—perhaps just as much as vinegar or patis. In fact, this green citrus fruit, no bigger than a shallot, is ubiquitous in Filipino cuisine, from mixing it with soy sauce to make a salty-tangy...
The thing with homestyle dishes is that you will always harbor a personal penchant for the version to which you are most attached to—your mom’s, your lola’s, the one you order every Christmas for the last 20 years. It is why you can rarely find traditional adobo in...
Adobo is a homonymous culinary term. In the Philippines, where it is the unofficial national dish, adobo is a cooking process that involves stewing something in vinegar, soy sauce, and other ingredients. The word adobo likely made its way around the globe centuries...