The words “Filipino” and “food” go together–you cannot truly know the first without knowing the latter.   On a recent visit to the Philippines for his show No Reservations on the Travel and Living Channel, celebrity chef Anthony Bourdain observed that Filipino cuisine is “the only one that has both Chinese and Mexican influences.” Aside from these two, Philippine cuisine derives its flavors from Spanish, Japanese, American, Indian, and Arabic cuisine. These flavors have crystallized into what is now distinctly Filipino food–a cuisine that is inspired by so many cultures, it has become unique–a delightful fusion all its own.

We Filipinos are very much a food-centric people, so to speak. Consider these:

• We take at least five meals a day. Aside from breakfast, lunch, and dinner, there are the requisite snacks in between which we call merienda.
• A wedding or baptismal is rarely just a family occasion, but a community gathering–from the cooking preparations to the actual reception itself.   During such occasions, particularly in the rural areas, every woman known to the family within a kilometer radius takes it upon herself to come down and help in the cooking. It goes without saying, of course, that they she and her family are welcome to partake of the feast that she helped prepare.
• Each year, every town honors its patron saint in the form of a feast–an entire day in which every house welcomes and stuffs visiting relatives, friends, and friends of friends with food.  It is no matter if money is hard to come by. Filipinos will find a way to fill that table for the visitors come fiesta day, even if that means borrowing money and paying the interest long after the last chunk of caldereta or paella has been savored.
• We consider it bad manners to welcome a visitor into a home without serving him food. Just as we consider it good manners to offer others the food on our plate should they come upon us in the middle of a meal.

To us Filipinos, food is more than sustenance.  It is an instrument for showing goodwill, fostering friendship, and strengthening families.

It is no wonder that Filipinos consider Filipino recipes as more than a list of ingredients, measurements, and instructions.  Different provinces or communities might have different versions of a particular Filipino dish.  A family might have its own secret recipe for it. As such, a recipe often becomes a marker of identity—a testament to a family or people’s traditions—defining the Filipino’s attachment to family and community, telling stories of bonding and friendship.

Ana Marie Alfelor Filipino Culture Enthusiast and Authentic Recipe Collector http://filipinorecipes.brighterplanet.org Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ana_Marie_Alfelor

Whether you are a foreigner curious about Philippine cuisine, a Filipino longing for the food of your childhood, or a foreign-based Filipino rediscovering your culinary heritage, there’s a Filipino recipe waiting here for you.

But first, how to describe Filipino cuisine? Legendary culinary figure Anthony Bourdain recently visited the Philippines to feature Filipino food—particularly Kapampangan cuisine—for his show No Reservations on the Travel and Living Channel.  In one of his Philippine Star interviews , he commented that he liked the fact that Filipino cuisine is “the only one that has both Chinese and Mexican influences.”   I guess that sums up the tasty paradox that is Filipino food:  it’s a cuisine made unique by a fusion of different cuisines.

For those of you who are planning a trip to the Philippine Islands, the following article by Richard Gaison should give you an idea of what culinary pleasures to expect.  And if you’re a Filipino, feel free to add—or correct—a thing or two.  There’s a comment box waiting for you.

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Filipino Food

Filipino food is an interesting cuisine. It has evolved over hundreds of years, from basically Spanish and Mexican roots. It has also received influence from many other cuisines such as Japanese, American, Indian, Arabic and Chinese.

The staple of Filipino cooking is rice that is usually served steamed. Leftover rice can then be added too many dishes, turning then into delicious second meals. An example of this is sinangag, which is fried rice oftentimes prepared with garlic and onions. It is typically served with fried eggs and cured meat, sausage or fried hotdogs.

Rice is an ingredient used in all meals from breakfast, lunch and dinner to desserts and afternoon snack. This afternoon snack time is referred to as Merienda, which is the same concept as afternoon tea.

Other staples include seafood of many different varieties. Milkfish, shrimp, grouper, mackerel, clams, blue marlin, squid, eel and crabs are just a few popular seafood ingredients, commonly used.

Kinilaw is a popular raw seafood salad. It is made by marinating fish or shrimp in ingredients including vinegar, onions, several spices and coconut milk.

In the eyes of traditional Filipino cooks, seafood should be used in its freshest state. This is why the seafood in many recipes, is left uncooked.

Cooked fruits and vegetables are often seen on Filipino tables. Bananas, coconuts, tomatoes, potatoes, purple yams, kamote (sweet potatoes) and carrots are utilized, year-round.

Coconuts are actually used in a variety of dishes. Guinatan are dishes of meat and vegetables, cooked in coconut milk. Bibingka is rice pudding, made with coconut milk, baked in a clay oven. It is topped with salted duck eggs and thick jam called macapuno.

Kamote and plantains are used to make a delicious skewered snack. They are each cut into small cubes, rolled in brown sugar and then grilled, on a stick, to make a yummy caramelized dessert.

The majority of Filipino recipes are a combination of spicy, sweet, sour and salty flavors. It is interesting to note that even though spices are readily used most dishes are not overly spiced. Many believe that this cuisine is somewhat bland and mild.

Common cooking methods include: deep frying, barbecuing and pickling. Stew-type meals are very popular, as well. Adobo is one such meal. It is chicken or pork that is stewed in a sauce made with peppercorns, vinegar, garlic and soy sauce. It is sometimes served dry, by boiling the liquid dry. This concentrates the flavors, immensely.

Filipino food is a unique and exotic cuisine that blends a myriad of flavors to deliver a deliciously interesting dining experience.

Richard Gaison is a contributing writer for Filipino Food and Recipes

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Richard_Gaison
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