BITS OF GOLD

BITS OF GOLD

Try these world-class cacao nibs from the Philippines With the growing movement and demand for natural, healthier, and sustainable food alternatives, more food producers are responding to the call. When it comes to chocolates, nothing could be healthier—or more...

Turmeric’s place in Filipino cuisine

Turmeric’s place in Filipino cuisine

It may not be as popular as ginger, which is of the same family, but turmeric still finds its way and takes its rightful space in traditional Filipino cooking. Known for its orange color, which can leave stubborn stains on hands and clothes, this mighty rhizome lends...

Queso de Bola Recipes

Queso de Bola Recipes

A ball of queso de bola is the gift that keeps on giving. The sight of this red ball immediately elicits joy and excitement. This salty cheese, actually Edam, is delicious to munch by itself or paired with other charcuterie items. It’s also wonderful when simply...

Our favorite after-Misa de Gallo treats

Our favorite after-Misa de Gallo treats

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...

Turning to turmeric for flavor and good health

Turning to turmeric for flavor and good health

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...

A festival to show our love for longganisa

A festival to show our love for longganisa

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...

2021’s most influential figures in the food industry

2021’s most influential figures in the food industry

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...

Different types of ensaymada for the holidays

Different types of ensaymada for the holidays

Just like Catholicism and our love for a good fiesta, Filipinos learned the art of baking from our Spanish colonizers. Bread, cakes, and other pastries were not part of the Filipino diet until the Spanish introduced them to us; hence, the Hispanic names for most of...

Celebrate Noche Buena with these holiday hams

Celebrate Noche Buena with these holiday hams

There’s cochinillo, chicken galantina, or even a whole roast turkey, but there’s nothing like a big ball of ham to steal the spotlight on the Christmas dining table. Filipino Christmas ham comes in all shapes and sizes and flavors: there’s bone-in and boneless;...