The Philippines is a country located in Southeast Asia. Their population, which ranks 12th in the world, has over 92 million people. The earliest known human remains found in the Philippines are carbon dated to around 24,000 years ago. Filipino Dishes range from the very simple, like a meal of fried salted fish and rice, to the elaborate, such as the paellas and cocidos.
The Filipino culture I have found to be very generous, but quite different from my own. The food I experienced was much different from that of what I was use to eating. I would normally eat items such as turkey, salmon, and spaghetti. They’re foods of choice were lumpia and chicken adobo. Not to mention rice with every meal. My favorite of all these dishes would have to be pancit. Pancit is the term for noodles in Filipino cuisine, cooked in a variety of ways.
It is not surprising that Filipino food is often labeled as somewhat strange, but in its own way it’s a unique mixture of eastern and western cuisine. For almost 400 years the Pilipino cuisine has been influenced by several different cultures; including Malay, Spanish, and Chinese cultures. If you are interested in a new taste, I recommend you make the effort in experiencing Filipino cuisine and take in its rich culture.
Recommend Books:
*Gelle, Gerry G. Filipino Cuisine: Recipes from the Islands. New Mexico: Museum of New Mexico Press, 1997.
*Roces, Alfredo. Culture Shock! A Survival Guide to Customs & Etiquette. Singapore: Marshall Cavendish International, 2004.
Yeah, in my own post I also mentioned some Filipino dishes that I've tried from friends' families. I think that because of the country's history their culture has been influenced by the Chinese, Spanish, American, and other cultures and it is definitely reflected in some of their dishes. I like most of the staples such as lumpia and pancit as well as their desserts and baked goods. But I don't care much for others like lechon.
ReplyDeleteFirst off I have to say that I LOVE LUMPIA.
ReplyDeleteIn your post you talked about be the "adopted son" to your best friend's family, I can relate to this because my mom has picked up numerous adopted sons and daughters whom she has exposed and often converted to the wide range of cuisines that she cooks. It is so interesting to see someone eat something they've never tried before and may have been skeptical about, but end up greatly enjoying it.
You mentioned lumpia (and someone else commented that they LOVE it) yet I am not familiar with the dish, nor with chicken adobo which seem to be the more popular "foods of choice" in the Philippines. I'm going to look in the books you suggested to get a better understanding and if I'm feeling brave enough may even try them both.
ReplyDelete