Chapter 2: Native and Foreign Cuisine

Cuisine

  • A specific set of cooking traditions and practices is often associated with a particular culture or region.

  • Each cuisine involves a particular style of food preparation using locally available ingredients.

Global Cuisine

  • Specific to a particular country, culture, or region that is practiced, served, accepted, and eaten worldwide.

Regional Cuisine

  • These cuisines of a particular region may vary depending on food availability, cooking traditions, practices, and cultural differences.

Fusion Cuisine

  • Cuisine that combines elements of different culinary traditions.

The Philippines

  1. The Republic of the Philippines is a sovereign state in archipelagic South East Asia with 7, 641 islands.

  2. The Republic of the Philippines has more than 300,000 square kilometers of land.

  3. The Republic of the Philippines is composed of Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao.

  4. A Spanish explorer named Ruy Lopez de Villalobos named the Philippines after the Spanish King Philip II during his 1542-1546 trip to the Islands.

History

  • Evolved over several centuries of Malayo-Polynesian origins.

  • Predominantly Hispanic base.

  • Many Latin American and Spanish dishes were brought to the Philippines

  • Received varying degrees of influence from Chinese, American, and other Asian cuisine.

  • Filipinos traditionally eat three main meals a day plus an afternoon snack called Merienda (Minandal or Minindal)

    1. Agahan

    2. Tanghalian

    3. Hapunan

  • Pre-Hispanic Era foods were prepared by boiling, steaming, and roasting.

  • Cultivation of rice and corn started in 3200 B.C. from Southern China, Yunnan Plateau, and Taiwan.

  • Pre-Hispanic trade with other Asian nations introduced a number of staples into Philippine Cuisine.

    • Bagoong

    • toyo

    • patis

    • Stir-frying

    • Savory soup bases

  • Spanish settlers brought chili peppers, tomato sauces, corn potatoes.

  • During the 19th century, Chinese food became a staple of the Panciterias or noodle shops around the country, although they were marketed with Spanish names.

    • “Comida China“ (Chinese Food) includes Arroz Caldo (Rice and Chicken gruel)

    • Camaron Rebusado

    • Torta Cangrejo and Morisqueta Tostada (obsolete term for Sinangag/Fried Rice)

    • Chopsuey

Staples

  • The staple food in the Philippines is Rice. It is most often steamed and served during meals.

  • Leftover rice is fried with garlic and onions to make sinangag (fried rice), which is served at breakfast with fried eggs and tapa (beef), tocino (sweetened cured meat), longanisa (sausages), fried bangus or fried hotdogs.

  • Rice is often enjoyed with sauces or soup from the main dishes