What is Filipino Food ?

The Philippine Cuisine has humble beginnings, it has originated from Malayo-Polynesian, and the country’s cuisine consisted of root crops, game, vegetables and seafood. Filipino food recipes then was almost always boiled, roasted or broiled. When the Chinese traders came some of them stayed and thought their Filipina wives to cook their dishes such as Pansit (noodles), Lumpia (vegetable rolls) and Siopao (steamed buns). Then Spanish Conquistadores came, they introduced us to dishes like Rellenos (stuffed chicken or fish), Morcon (rolled and stuffed beef) and Pocheros (stews). Food historians claim that 80 % of Filipino dishes are of Spanish origin. The marriage of Chinese and Spanish cuisines became eminent when Panciterias were established in the 19th century. From 1898 to 1946, American influences added yet another dimension to our food culture -convenience snack foods such as hamburgers, sandwiches and steaks were embraced by Filipinos.

Today, Philippine cuisine continues to evolve as new techniques and styles of cooking find their way into one of the most active melting pots of Asia-A fusion of various recipes from earlier traders, Asian immigrants and former colonizers. Our penchant for cooking resulted into a unique Philippine culinary arts –a mixture of eastern and western cuisine–a gastronomic delight that has been savoured through many generations. To most of us Filipinos, food is important as it is an integral part of local art and culture as well as communal existence.