LEARNING

OBJECTIVES

1. Analyze the relationship between food and culture.

2. Explain the kamayan practice and its implication.
3. Understand the diversity of Filipino cuisine brought by
colonization and foreign influences.

LEARNING
EXPERIENCES

Food is an important part of culture. Traditional cuisine is passed

down from one generation to the next. It also operates as an
expression of cultural identity. Immigrants bring the food of their
countries with them wherever they go and cooking traditional
food is a way of preserving their culture when they move to new
places.
 Food is not just anything we eat. They impart stories to us in
ways we’re not aware of. Filipino food is essentially tied to culture
and traditions in the Philippines.

Food shaped the way Filipinos live. Aside from the food itself,
there are priceless memories shared with whoever they’re with,
which make it more special. Food glues foreigners, friends, and
the whole family together (regardless of lifestyle differences).
This can be observed in events like birthdays, graduation,
anniversaries, or just a simple get-together. This value is pretty
common among Asians but Filipinos take it to a new level. When
you happen to buy ice-cold beer from a convenience store.
People won’t hesitate to approach you and invite you to a table
of pulutan (little amounts of food) and buckets of beer.

We just naturally bring homey vibes. We even invite people, even

strangers during fiestas, to dine with us in our humble abode.
This tradition may also showcase a social status. You’ll see simple
and beautiful utensils and cutlery beside your plate with dishes
whose recipes are preserved in the ancestry. After the party, we
would even give food for our guests to bring home

When we think about food in the Philippines, the first thing

that comes to mind is richness and diversity. The country’s
colonial past has heavily influenced the local food culture,
and a blend of local flavours add a touch of authenticity.
The hybrid and constantly evolving culinary traditions are
the ideal representation of the country’s rich history and
varied geography.

Filipino cuisine has striking similarities with foreign cuisines owing

to the country’s years of colonization. This gave birth to unique
cooking methods and flavor blends, which create food Filipinos can
be proud of. For Filipinos, food is not just anything you can fill your
tummy with. It’s a product of labor and creativity that’s inspired by
love. The food culture in the Philippines is very different from that
of the Western’s culture. Filipinos are big eaters and love to eat
rice. Rice is a food staple in every Filipino’s meal every day. It’s
quite impossible to see a Filipino who doesn’t eat rice, unless that
person is on a strict diet. In fact, there are many restaurants who
even offer “unlimited rice”. That’s how huge Filipinos’ love for rice
is.

There is no Filipino gathering, big or small, where food does not

play a starring role. Whether it is held in a restaurant or at
home, the host makes sure that the guests are warmly
welcomed, well entertained and generously served with carefully
selected dishes to suit the occasion. Guests are treated like family
when they come to our homes. This is why Filipinos are known
for their hospitality.

On any given day, Filipinos consume five small-plate meals. It

begins with an early breakfast and is followed by a 10 a.m.
snack called merienda. Following lunch is another merienda at
around 4 p.m. which gives diners enough energy to last until
dinnertime. Finger-food appetizers are served during happy
hour, and it's not uncommon to finish off a late evening with
sweets or fruit, being the primary ingredients. In urban areas,
more emphasis is put on dinner, whereas residents of rural,
poorer neighborhoods consume their largest meals in the middle
of the day. Unlike in Western cultures, Filipino courses are all
served simultaneously and eaten with forks, spoons or hands.

The Practice of Kamayan

Doesn’t eating kamayan-style just make food taste better?

Kamayan is the centuries-old practice of eating with hands,
predating the Spanish colonization. During kamayan, a whole
community shares a huge spread of Filipino cuisine, spread on
fragrant banana leaves.

These days, traditional kamayan is reserved for special occasions,

although it has definitely left its mark in modern Pinoy culture.
The act of using our hands to connect with our food allows us to
better appreciate it, while the banana leaves gives the food an
earthy taste, reminding us to be grateful for Mother Nature’s
gifts.

Pinoys enjoy kamayan during special occasions such as birthdays,

fiestas, reunions, boodle fights, and picnics. But it’s also pretty
common during regular full meals in Filipino households.

Kamayan does not have to be unhygienic. You can enjoy it without

worrying about germs — just make sure to wash your hands! Just
like any other Asian countries like Japan, Korea, and China that
uses chopsticks in their meals, Filipinos have their own traditional
way of dining known as the kamayan. Coming from the root
word kamay, which is the Tagalog term for hands, kamayan is the
act of eating using bare hands.

Filipino hospitality through kamayan

Kamayan has this old popular notion that eating using your hands
makes the food taste better. Although there is no scientific proof
to this, most locals would encourage their guests to practice
the kamayan as an act of generosity.

The Filipino hospitality can be felt through this dining tradition

especially during big or small gatherings or when there is an
expected guest. Usually, the host will prepare an array of Filipino
delicacies for everyone to enjoy on the table. It is considered a
taboo or an embarrassment for most Filipino families if they ever
run out of food to serve their guests.

The entire meal is not just about digging into the sumptuous
selection of food but it is all about the human connection.

In a Filipino dining setting, small chats never disappear over the

table. No wonder that this authentic dining tradition makes every
meal more enjoyable because it creates a bond between the hosts
and guests through kamayan.

Staples
The central ingredient in any Filipino menu is steamed white
rice, the leftovers of which are combined with herbs and sauces
and recycled to subsequent meals. Corn, noodles and bread also
figure prominently in the Filipino diet because of our adaptability
to different styles of cooking. The abundant seafood of the
region -- particularly grouper, tilapia, bass, shrimp and clams --
often shares the table with pork and chicken. Although beef is
available, it's generally reserved for special occasions. Coconut
appears in dishes from soup to desserts.

Sauces and Dips

Salty fish sauce, coconut cream, lemongrass, adobo sauce, soy
sauce, spicy barbecue sauce, sweet and sour, miso tomato,
bagoong -- which is dried shrimp paste -- and Filipino vinegar
are typically put on the table for dipping meats and vegetables
as well as dribbling over rice. These are mixed and matched with
ginger, garlic, onions, peppers, limes and cilantro. Broth made
from vegetables or chicken is often provided as well.

Sisig

The sisig meat is primarily chopped up parts of the pigs’ face—

Filipinos don’t waste anything when it comes to food that’s why no
cut of the animal goes to waste. Some sisig recipes have
mayonnaise and raw egg to be mixed in while hot and give it a
creamier texture.

While other sisig recipes don’t have raw egg and are crispier than
the usual recipe. This is served sizzling on a hot stone plate and is
a favorite pulutan (food that perfectly matches with beer) among
Filipinos.

Adobo
Named National Dish of the Philippines, this, indeed, is the most
famous. Chicken or pork is braised in vinegar and soy sauce then
seasoned with garlic, black pepper, and bay leaves. The meat is
cooked in stew or marinated then pan-fried to produce a
pungent, umami dish.

Lechon

Lechon is a whole roasted pig usually served on special occasions.

It’s kind of expensive that’s why when you see lechon on an
occasion, it must be grand.

What we love about lechon is its crispy skin and juicy meat which
is best paired with liver sauce.

Halo Halo
It’s the perfect dessert to beat the summer heat! Important
ingredients are shaved ice, ice cream, and condensed milk. Cold
fruits (e.g., lychee, mango, banana, jackfruit), leche flan, sweet
beans, jellies, corn flakes, and coconut strings are suggested
ingredients. It literally means, “to mix everything.” There, really,
is no exact formula or recipe.

PINOY STREET FOOD CULTURE

Street foods are an integral part of Filipino cuisine. It is a

broad category of deep fried street foods, poked through
with a skewer and dipped in a sauce. It includes fish and
squid balls (deep fried ground fish/squid meat), kwek -kwek
(quail eggs coated in an orange batter and deep fried) and
the Chinese-origin kikiam (minced meat/fish meat, veggies
and fillers, deep fried).

Despite its affordability, street food has always been a bit of a

guilty pleasure. But while it may not be the healthiest indulgence,
it sure is worth that extra bite
In one word, Filipino street food is: comforting. Unlike most other
local dishes, our street food isn't complicated. In fact, they're a
straightforward take on the snacks that are fun to indulge in after
a stressful day. While others may turn to more mainstream
locales for street food, we know that some of the most familiar
tastes—ours!—are also the most satisfying.

We Filipinos, want to be more adventurous, so we love isaw. It is

made of chicken or pork intestine on a stick and grilled. Grilled
chicken or pork intestines may not sound delicious, but we know that it's
a great treat after a day at school or work! Isaw, which is marinated,
cleaned, boiled, and grilled is safe to eat and usually dipped in vinegar
with chilli and onions.

Ever heard of Adidas? Well, it’s not the referring to the popular
sports brand. In Filipino street food culture, despite Adidas or
“chicken foot” sounding weird Filipinos still eat this regularly,
almost to the level of it becoming an addiction. The feet are
thoroughly cleaned and boiled before being coated in
breadcrumbs and fried until its appearance turns golden brown.
Its crispy texture and taste make it favourable for the Filipinos to
purchase this low-cost dish. When coated with hot and spicy
vinegar, Adidas becomes the best way to satisfy our appetite.

Still, unsatisfied with those craving of ours? We also have a taste

of “bituka ng manok” or chicken intestines. Yes, chicken
intestines are definitely edible in the Philippines.

Other countries generally throw away this part of the chicken

while in the Philippines it’s a much-loved delicacy. It is cleaned
carefully in boiling water, and marinate with soy sauce, and some
salt before frying. Its enticing smell while being cooked attracts
those passing by. And the taste? It’s slimy, yet satisfying.

Who among us would not recognise fish and squid balls? Here in
our country, fish or squid balls are more personalised wherein the
vendors make their own blend of the dish. Some of the vendors
use fresh grained fish, salt, pepper, and chopped spring onions or
scallion before deep frying. How about a taste of this “on-the-
spot” fish ball cooking?
It is amazing how we, enjoyed the simple way of living and
embracing our culture with enthusiasm. People around the globe
have their unique way of continuing their customs and practices
which have been left to them across generations. Retaining
something relevant, even as simple as the Filipino street food
culture is an excellent method to maintain the broader culture of
this nation.

A B I TE I N TO H I S TO R Y: C O LO NI A L A ND
H I S TO R I C A L I N F LUE NC E S

When we think about food in the Philippines, the first thing

that comes to mind is richness and diversity. The country’s
colonial past has heavily influenced the local food culture,
and a blend of local flavours add a touch of authenticity.
The hybrid and constantly evolving culinary traditions are
the ideal representation of the country’s rich history and
varied geography.

As the world becomes more globalized, it is easier to access

cuisines from different cultures. We should embrace our heritage
through our culture’s food but we should also become more
informed about other cultures by trying their foods. It’s important
to remember that each dish has a special place in the culture to
which it belongs, and is special to those who prepare it. Food is a
portal into culture, and it should be treated as such.

EVALUATION

1. What makes food a popular culture among Filipinos?

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2. What is kamayan? How does it reflects Filipino culture?

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REFERENCES

https://www.phillife.co/charming-appeal-filipino-street-food/
https://discoverthephilippines.info/filipino-food-culture-and-
traditions/#:~:text=Importance%20of%20Food%20to%20Filipin
o,(regardless%20of%20lifestyle%20differences).