THE FILIPINO HOME-COOKED MEALS

The usual Filipino is defined by first, our smiles and hospitality, the culture of pagmamano, and having extended family to the enth member. But what makes Filipinos more remarkable is the variety of Filipino viands commonly known as ‘’Lutong Bahay’’.

These are dishes that are cooked mostly by a family member with their own specific and original recipes. Filipinos love to eat their foods so much that they spent a lot of time for this. They eat multiple times a day. Breakfast, Brunch, Lunch, Merienda, Dinner, “Gimmick” after work or school, and sometimes – a Midnight Snack. Add to that the number of different celebrations we have like birthday parties, weddings, and baptisms. Food are always present in every gathering that we have. Every region has their own special dishes to represent them but there are common dishes popular across the country. Though there are common characteristics between these dishes, it is difficult to give an exact description of what exactly characterizes Filipino food since this encompasses a highly diverse selection of food.

Have you ever wondered why this is the case?

After doing our research we were able to identify three key factors. The biggest reason for this diversity is due to the geography. The Philippines is located along the Pacific Ring of Fire, close to the equator. Although this makes the country prone to earthquakes and typhoons, these are also the reasons for our abundant natural resources, diverse flora and fauna, and extremely fertile lands. This means that we have a wide variety of choices for our food source. Another factor is that the Philippines is an archipelagic country composed of about 7, 641 islands making it easy for other Asian countries to trade with us.

They introduced a number of enhancements most notably condiments such as soy sauce (toyo) and fish sauce (patis), methods of cooking like stir frying, as well as modes of preservation of food by using vinegar and spices like curry, cumin, and paprika. Finally, our history of being colonized have also influenced our food culture. The Spanish exposed us to our flair for rich food the way Europeans would, in what could be called as fiesta food. Americans introduced bulk servings of the staples of the west such as burgers and pies. Aside from that, they also brought mechanical inventions such as pressure-cookers, refrigerators, and deep-fry pans. Lastly, Japanese cuisine opened our eyes to the wonders of ramen, sashimi, and sushi.

At present some of the classic Filipino favorites include tinola, kare kare, sinigang, pinakbet, pinapaitan, dinuguan, and of course Adobo. Adobo has become popular even to foreigners so much so that they have come to associate it with we, the people ourselves. The Merriam Webster Dictionary has also defined it as a Philippine dish but may also be used to describe a seasoning mixture of ground dried garlic, dried onion, oregano, salt, and pepper. Filipinos have come up with different versions of this dish as well. To name a few, we have adobong baboy, adobong manok, adobong pusit, adobong sitaw, adobong kangkong, adobo with pineapple, adobo without pineapple and etc. Differences on the main ingredients may be observed but it has the same process of how they are cooked.

But the question remains, what is the common characteristic that identifies a Filipino dish? Is it the richness of flavor? The spices used? Or maybe it’s the fact that we eat it with rice? The answer might not be what a lot of people expect.

It’s not the physical aspects that keep Filipinos going back for more, it is rather the feelings they associate with it.

Lutong Bahay or home-cooked meals are a source of comfort for a lot of Filipinos because they represent many positive things. Like our parents, families, barkada, memories of fun-filled days spent during holidays, fiestas, and boodle-fights during vacation. It is these memories that makes Filipino food so special. The more lavish the dish, the more love and care they wish to show to the person it was prepared for. Which is why when they get separated from their families and homes for long periods of time, they begin to miss not only them, but the meals that are prepared by their loved ones. That is the wonder of Filipino home-cooked meals.

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