LIST OF ACTIVITIES, 2019
1. Collaboration with the 4get-me-not organization, Casa San Pablo, November 24, 2019
The organization, called 4get-me-not Alzheimer’s, is an NGO based in the UAE (United Arab Emirates), founded by Filipina CEO Desiree Ocampo Vlekken. The group is keen on researching the health benefits of coconut oil for seniors who have AD (Alzheimer’s Disease).
Desiree reached out to CHOP regarding her group’s planned visit to the Philippines in November 2019 and, by a happy coincidence, they were staying at the Casa San Pablo (CSP) in Laguna, which is owned and run by CHOP member An Mercado-Alcantara. An welcomed them warmly, and at their scheduled dinner on November 24, to the group’s delight, she gave a lecture and cooking demo on the coconut cuisine of Laguna (and CSP in particular).
More trips are planned by the group in the near future. [Some photos of the event are posted on CHOP’s FB page.]
CHOP also connected them with Dr. Toby Dayrit who, with his late father Dr. Conrado Dayrit, is at the forefront of ongoing scientific research about the health benefits of coconut oil--he generously agreed to meet with the group while they were in Manila. If you are interested in knowing more about Desiree’s NGO, please visit their website at 4get-me-not.org.
2. “What Makes a Filipino Meal Special and Different?” Dinner/Lecture held at Chef Jessie’s Place on Tanay St., Makati, November 16, 2019
CHOP’s final big event for 2019 was a great success, in large part owing to Pia Lim-Castillo, who organized it with a lot of help from her relatives. This narrative is excerpted from her report on the event: “The Dinner/Lecture was well-attended, with 36 participants [a whopping 8 of whom were Pia’s family!]. We are excited that seven among the attendees expressed their wish to become CHOP members. Ige Ramos opened the program by warmly welcoming the guests. Pia followed with a talk on “Food and Cookery,” a presentation that she co-wrote with Doreen Gamboa Fernandez, and that she had previously presented at the Oxford Symposium. Chef Jessie then spoke about the food the she was about to serve. As expected, Chef Jessie’s dishes were superb, with everything cooked to perfection. Guests were wowed with a different kind of Sinigang (of Tinapang Bangus); a very Filipino Fresh Salad; a divinely flavored Grilled Chicken Inasal; and ended with her famous Sapin-sapin. Pia brought kalumata leaves for a digestive tea after the meal and, while the tea was boiling, everyone savored the aroma of the kalumata leaves, which are anise in flavor. (In Bulacan, they use this leaves not only for tea but also when they make rice desserts.) In addition to the delicious food, another highlight of the evening was Pia’s introduction of Patrick and Rachel Renucci and their Leyte-grown Renucci Rice, which was showcased at the dinner. (Chef Jessie was very impressed by the quality and flavor of the rice that she will now start using it in her restaurants.) Everyone appreciated the Renucci couples’ generosity when each guest received a gift of one kilogram of the prized rice.
Maria Ylagan Orosa (November 29, 1892 - February 13, 1945)
Maria Orosa was a scientist, an activist, a humanitarian, a food innovator, and a war hero. She loved her country and was passionate about a self-sustaining Philippines, and she made it her life’s work to study native food, and the use of fermentation and various preserving techniques to educate and uplift people in need. She was educated and trained in the U.S. in pharmaceutical and food chemistry. Banana ketchup, while probably the most beloved of Maria’s creations, is just a small part of her great and many contributions to food history. Her creations were intended to bring forth self-sufficiency and empowerment for her nation, but Maria symbolizes so much more--she is basically the Filipino food hero. Many of her recipes and experiments were compiled by her niece, Helen Orosa del Rosario, in a posthumous book called Maria Orosa: Her life and Work. The book contains over 700 recipes, some of them unedited since Maria wrote them.
Program of Activities
Arrive at 9:30am at the Plaza in front of the Taal Basilica (group to be met by Taal Tourism Staff)
Tour of the Basilica - Ms. Beth Quinto of the Pastoral Council
Talk on Taal - a Heritage Town by Lino Atienza
Proceed to the Museum of Marcela de Agoncillo; Tour by Sylvia Agoncillo
Eugenio Market Tour for ELPASUBAT* products of Taal -
Lunch at Paradores del Castillo featuring Taal food
Maria Y. Orosa Presentation - by Evelyn Garcia
Cooking demo of award-winning recipe of Maria Y. Orosa at the 2018 ELPASUBAT Festival
Demo on Balisong-making
Demo on “Burdang Taal”
(If time allows, visit the Villavicencio Heritage House just across Paradores)
Merienda: Suman Empanada & Pansit Buko
*El Pasubat Festival, which is celebrated annually in April, is the conglomeration of the trademarks of Taal, Batangas. El Pasubat stands for Empanada, Longanisa, Panutsa, Suman, Balisong, Barong Tagalog, Tapa, Tamales, Tawilis, Tulingan, all delicacies and crafts that Taal is known for. The festival highlights these products to ignite pride among Taaleños.
Lunch Menu at Paradores:
Sinigang ng Maliputo
Bulanglang na gulay - kibal, mais, kalabasa, sitaw
Calderetang Baka
Sinaing na Tulingan
Taghilaw
Tawilis
Tapang Taal
Adobong manok sa dilaw
Coffee jelly
Halohalong turon
Iced tea
Afternoon Merienda:
Pansit Buko (award winning recipe of Maria Orosa Cook Fest last April)
Sumang Taal
Empanada
4. Annual Membership Meeting, Merienda Cena at Manila House, August 13, 2019
The Merienda Cena buffet consisted of Lumpiang Hubad, a Palabok Bar, Yema Palitaw, and Calamansi Juice. In addition to the meeting, the following members brought their cookbooks to sell and sign, so members might start working on their gifts for family, friends and guests: Amy Uy & Jenny Orillos (Panaderia); Ige Ramos (Republic of Taste); Beth Romualdez (Cooking Lessons 1 & 2); Regee Newport (Coconut Kitchen);Ernie Fajardo (The Maya Cookbooks); Edith Singian (Sweet Temptations); Pia Lim (Potluck Cookbook); Nina Daza-Puyat (Let’s Cook with Nora) and other books.
5. Kalan-Banga Food Tour, Calamba, Laguna, June 15, 2019
This was another highly successful culinary tour, organized to celebrate Phil. Independence Day and National Hero Jose Rizal’s birthday, by Pia Lim-Castillo with active collaboration from Dino & Gel Datu, Lina Datu, Day Salonga, Edith Singian and Sherril Quintana. The lunch menu revolved around the favorites of Dr. Jose Rizal and also the foods of his time.
The following are excerpts from the very well-written narrative by CHOP Officer Susie Yap.
The group converged for a guided tour of the Rizal Shrine & Museum in Calamba, Laguna, nestled at the foot of Mt. Makiling, and the ancestral home (called Bahay na Bato) of Dr. Jose Rizal. The Bahay na Bato was originally built in 1859 by the Mercado Family, but did not survive the ravages of WW2. The Philippine government purchased the house in 1948 and, over the years, restored Rizal’s home to its present state. As with all bahay na bato, the ground floor was reserved for commercial purposes such as storage of grain, agricultural produce and farm implements. The actual residence was on the second floor, where a spacious formal dining and living room, 3 bedrooms, a family dining room, kitchen and azotea were located. The family traces its origin to a Chinese merchant surnamed Lam-Co who migrated to the Philippines in the 1500s. When the Chinese were told to take on Spanish surnames, Lam Co became Mercado, because he occupied a stall in the market, or “mercado” and he was named Domingo because he was baptized on a Sunday. The name “ Rizal” came from the Spanish word meaning “green fields ready for harvest.” Our national hero grew up in a large family of 11 children : 1 brother and 9 sisters. Rizal spent his youth shuttling between Calamba, where the lands the family tilled were located, and Binan, where the family originally hailed from, and where Rizal went for early schooling.
The lunch menu put together by true-blue Laguna descendants Edith Singian, Day Salonga, Lina, Dino and Gel Datu (CHOP members all) featured the dishes our national hero grew up with and those that were his known favorites (detailed information about these dishes can be found in CHOP’s blog page): Tinola, Ukoy, Pancit Miki Bihon, Carne Asada, Dinilawan na Kanduli at Alagaw, Ginataang Yapyap, Lumpiang Ubod, Lengua Estofado, Ginataan Bilo-bilo, and Tocino del Cielo. After lunch, CHOP member Sherrill Quintana (of ORYSPA Home & Spa Solutions) gave a talk on the benefits of rice bran, commonly known as “darak,” a livestock feed that is the secret ingredient in ORYSPA’s products, highly valued for its anti-aging and skin-whitening properties. The group then visited her shop, where they contributed to the local economy substantially, and then rewarded with brewed coffee and espasol.
Special mention must be made of the tiangge of Laguna products for sale. In the interest of time and for the convenience of CHOP members, all products were pre-ordered and brought to Calamba by Gel Datu. Best sellers were Gel’s cheesecakes, the kesong puti and patis labo from Sta Cruz.
6. BANGSAMORO Lunch, Curated & Cooked by Chef Datu Sharif Pendatun III, at Chef Jessie’s Place, Pililla St., Makati, April 13, 2019
The event’s subtitle is: “Rethinking Links: The Coconut Cuisines of Muslim Mindanao.” This was a Lunch and Lecture to represent our Muslim brothers and sisters, in celebration of Filipino Food Month. During the lunch, Chef Datu Sharif’s talk about the dishes being served (which he had cooked) was accompanied by the beautiful sounds of the Kulintang drums (an instrument that is integral to the culture of Bangsamoro) being played by Papo Pardo, to enhance the dining experience.
The following are excerpts from two excellent media articles written about this event.
In this first article, Micky Fenix writes about the cooking of different Muslim ethnolinguistic groups in “Fish and Coconut (with Chili, Turmeric), Mindanao Dishes to Remember,” in the Phil. Daily Inquirer, June 13, 2019.
“The occasion, held at Chef Jessie’s Place on Pililla Street, Makati, was lunch for the Association of Culinary Historians of the Philippines (CHOP), formed in 2011 by Regina Newport. Among its members are Ige Ramos and Pia Lim. CHOP’s objectives related to Filipino food are similar to those of other groups—the study, preservation, and dissemination of local cuisine.
“Pendatun concentrated on the coconut-based cuisines of Muslim Mindanao. He started with two Maranao dishes. The Maranaos’ traditional diet consists of fish caught in the fresh waters of Lake Lanao. A favorite is the haruan or snakehead (dalag). Pendatun cooked Inaluban a Haruan in coconut milk with sweet potato leaves (camote tops). The haruan had eggs which made the dish sumptuous. The second Maranao dish, Urang Piyaren, had big crawfish cooked in grated niyog sautéed in turmeric and chili. It was worth eating with my hands, the way Maranaos do it, though I wasn’t sure they would finish the dish like I did—licking the remaining creamy, spicy flavors off my fingers. The third dish, Lininggil a Kambing, is a Maguindanaoan goat dish cooked with a condiment, palapa, or roasted coconut with spices. The goat is stewed in coconut milk until the sauce is reduced, before the palapa is mixed in.
“The province of Maguindanao is in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region. If the Maranaos are known as “people of the lake,” the Maguindanao are “people of the plains,” which includes Cotabato and Buluan. The Liguasan marsh within its borders also provides many freshwater species used in Maguindanao cooking. Southern Mindanao. Agar-agar was the main ingredient of the seaweed salad, the Tausug Agalagal. It had thinly sliced green mango with the Tausug version of the palapa or roasted coconut called bubuk.
“The last main dish was my introduction to Muslim Southern Mindanao cooking. The Tausug Piyanggang is a chicken dish with a spice mix called pamapa itum, whose main component was burnt coconut meat. The chicken is rubbed with the pamapa itum with a little oil added, boiled in coconut milk with tanglad or lemongrass, then roasted over charcoal. The Tausugs comprise the main tribe of the Sulu Archipelago. The name also means “people of the current,” or they are known for their boat skills. Dessert was Maguindanao saba in coconut cream called sangkerat which could have belonged to other provinces.
These are the excerpts from the second article, written by ABS-CBN’s Barbara May Naredo (April 20, 2019). Click this link for the full article:
An appreciation of Moro food can bring Pinoy Muslims and Christians closer, says this Muslim chef
A Filipino Muslim chef and writer has been cooking and serving the “black” dishes of the Moros from Muslim-dominated parts of southern Philippines, hoping to stir a fascination for seemingly exotic viands that could possibly pave a harmonious “culinary-connect” with Filipinos nationwide, majority of whom are Catholics. “Appreciating Moro food (outside of Mindanao) is a step closer to realizing that we aren’t very different from each other after all. By perceiving similarities in ingredients, flavors, and cooking techniques, one becomes conscious of things that connect,” claims Datu Shariff Pendatun III, a professionally trained chef and award-winning food writer, who has also been serving as a food ambassador of sorts for the cuisine of his home region. Hailing from Maguindanao, Pendatun was a social anthropology student at the University of the Philippines, before he finished culinary arts with honors at the Center for Asian Culinary Studies in 2005.
“Moro” encompasses different ethnic groups in Mindanao that are connected not just culturally but politically as well. Pendatun expounds, “Calling the foods of various Islamised ethnolinguistic groups (in Mindanao) Moro dishes is a political act in itself since the Moros own the term and have identified themselves as such.” The Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) is composed of Basilan, Lanao del Sur, Maguindanao, Sulu, and Tawi-Tawi, formed after a referendum for autonomy in 1989, with Basilan and Marawi joining in 2001 after a peace settlement between the Philippine government and the 47-year-old Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF). The signing of a third pro-autonomy peace settlement by the government and the 38-year-old Moro Islamic Liberation Front (it became an MNLF faction in 1981) in 2014, resulted in Congress approving the creation of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region (BAR) in January 2019.
To further explore the cuisines of Bangsamoro, Pendatun cooked and discussed a menu of six Moro dishes to illustrate his point about this “culinary-connect” during a well-attended lunch and lecture at Chef Jessie’s Place on Pililia Street in Makati last April 13. Organized by the Culinary Historians of the Philippines, the event was held in celebration of the country’s national Filipino Food Month.
7. Villa Escudero Plantation & Resort, Culinary Tour & Film Showing of “Larawan, A Musical,” February 23, 2019
CHOP held its first event for 2019 in two parts: (1) a Food & Cultural Tour of the Villa Escudero Plantation & Resort (Tiaong, Quezon); and (2) a Film Showing of “Larawan, A Musical.” It was a highly successful event, thanks to Pia Lim-Castillo’s organizing skills, the perfect balmy weather, and resort-owner Don Ado Escudero’s generosity and collaboration.
Part 1 - Culinary Tour of Villa Escudero
Villa Escudero was originally a sugarcane coconut plantation founded in the 1880s, until the crop was converted to coconut in the early 1900s. The estate was opened to the public in 1981, and the resort now enjoys a worldwide reputation as a showcase for the Philippines’ rich cultural heritage. The resort features a private museum, a waterfalls restaurant, a cultural show/extravaganza showcasing traditional dances and costumes, suites and apartments, swimming pools and bamboo rafting, and a tour of the resort riding in colorful carabao carts. CHOP participants thoroughly enjoyed the tour and the buffet lunch at the waterfalls restaurant, which included a Tagalog Salad Bar with Alamang, Lechon Manok with Atchara, Grilled Pork Belly with Seasoned Vinegar, Grilled Natural Tilapia with Toyo-Mansi, Sinaing na Tulingan, Beef Kaldereta, Pansit Bihon, Kulawo, Rice steamed in banana leaves, Sinukmani, Banana-cue, and fresh seasonal fruits. Participants were free to enjoy the other facilities on offer. We also enjoyed an afternoon snack of Pinaltok (glutinous rice balls and tapioca in coconut cream), Suman sa Dahon, and Salabat (ginger brew).
Part 2 - Film Showing of “Ang Larawan, The Musical”
The post-lunch film showing was not only very well-attended, but also very well-received. The producers (Celeste Legaspi, Girlie Rodis, Lot Arcenas and Rachel Alejandro) gave brief talks about the interesting history of the making of the film, and there was a lively Q&A session at the end. We all agreed that it was a brilliant piece of work, with an admirably talented cast of actors/singers. The high pedigree of the literary work included the original play by Nick Joaquin (National Artist for Literature), the libretto by Rolando Tinio (National Artist for Theater), and the music by renowned composer Ryan Cayabyab. “Ang Larawan” is the film adaptation of “Larawan, The Musical” which is based on National Artist for Literature Nick Joaquin’s three-act English play, “A Portrait of the Artist as Filipino.” First published in 1952, Joaquin’s work has been depicted numerous times on stage on screen and in English and Filipino—making it one of the most pedigreed literary works of the Philippines. In 1997, Musical Theater Philippines (now Culturtain Musicat Productions, Inc.), headed by singer Celeste Legaspi and talent manager/producer Girlie Rodis, staged “Ang Larawan,” the first musical rendition of Joaquin’s great play, at the CCP.
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