Appealing to the Senses

By: Samantha Ramos-Zaragoza


It is quite apparent how Oriental fare is a mix of colonial influences and cultural taste. Asians have a way of extracting the best from our past settlers and making it more extravagant through adding local spices and experimenting with common taste. But personally, Filipino food greatly differs from its neighboring countries. Although Pinoys have yet to introduce their world famous Kare-kare, Adobo, Sinigang, or Afritada in the world’s center stage, Filipino dishes’ distinct flavors make them more than delectable – they’re “cravable.”

Tempting Reads this 2010

Tuttle publishing, a member of Singapore’s Periplus publishing group, recently circulated The Filipino Cookbook which will be distributed in the United States and online. The Filipino Cookbook contains 85 recipes that are representatives of the Luzon’s, Visayas’s, and Mindanao’s rich and diverse fare. Travel the Philippines without leaving your kitchen with this culinary must-have.

URC Flour, in partnership with Hinge-Inquirer Publications, has also released a wonderfully detailed and illustrated 2010 recipe calendar. URC Flour goes beyond offering the usual flour based concoctions. For their 40th anniversary, URC Flour celebrates the best-of-the-best baked delights of every Philippine region and fuses creativity with each region’s chief products. URC Flour has once again given us another reason to be proud of our culinary heritage.

Cravable is the new talk of the town. It may be that special characteristic of comfort food wherein one bite isn’t enough. You yearn for it, you demand for it, you get cranky without it. Just like our Yema, Ensaymada, Pancit Guisado, Halo-halo, Bibingka, Leche Flan, and Lumpiang Sariwa – they’re guaranteed to get your tummy rumbling and your mouth watering. Thanks to publishing companies such as Periplus and Hinge-Inquirer, a quick fix to our yearnings is at the tip of our fingers.

Resultado Gourmet Designs, Co. food styled for The Filipino Cookbook. Resultado also food styled and developed the recipes for the URC Flour 2010 Calendar. Contact Resultado at (+632) 842-9480; (+632) 492-0210, (+63)916-7408319, and theo_zaragoza@yahoo.com. Visit Resultado’s website at www.resultado.com.ph.