CITY OF MALOLOS—Contemporary Bulakenyo culinary and heritage experts took the center stage on Saturday as they shared the Philippine historical cuisines and dishes that evolved through different historical and political eras since during the pre-colonial period until the present modern times.
Nearly fifty heritage and food experts from different places in the country gathered at Bahay Nakpil-Bautista in Quiapo, Manila and listened to the Heritage Talk Series “Kasaysayan at Ebolusyon ng Kalutong Pilipino” of Prof. Jaime Corpuz, owner and executive director of “Bahay Makabayan,” a Filipiniana art, tourism and history museum in Marilao town and writer of numeorus books on Bulacan’s heritage and culture and a cooking demonstration of “pinaso,” an old Philippine Revolution desert.
Spice Island
Corpuz said Pinoy’s current tastebuds evolved from the precolonial period which was dependent on the rich natural resources in the country. For one, he said, the Chinese in the Philippines have used grains and root crops as primary food. The Arabs, who were traders used spicy foods in which the country, called the Philippine Archipelago was known as “Spice Island”.
Spanish era
What had continued over the centuries and decades love and patronage of the Filipinos in grilled foods like fish and meats began since the time of our ancestors. This includes “Tambalolo,” grilled stuffed fish with flavored leaves and herbs and Pinais (steamed with banana leaves) and the use of plain water, in small and large quantity for pinangat, halabis, paksiw and sinigang and tinola.
The Spanish era and Christianization introduced to the Filipinos the Spanish concept using native/local spices through sauteing and the of European (spicy & salty) and Asian taste (sugary) and the usage of “serbesa” (beer) for added taste. During this time, tge ilustrados hired cooks or “Cocinero de campanilla” based on their culture that cooking is not for them who belong in the
“alta sociedad”.
French banquet
While local food like “serbesa,” roasted chicken in banana trunk, “suwam na kuhol, kilawing hipon, inihaw na bulig, dalag, hito sa patpat at dayami, ensaymadang katipunan kababayan bread, karakoles, trianggulo, corbata de sebo, putoseko, gurgurya, masa pudrida, tortilla, bicho-bicho, bibingkang insik, minasa, pionono, binanli, paborita, pilipit at inipit were among the best and the favorites during the Philippine Rebolution, it was a French Banquet that was prepared during the
Inauguration of the Philippine Republic in January 1899.
American period
During the American or the Commonwealth period, ice box (Yelo-nievera) was introduced as ice cream was including, butter/ margarine, chorizo, raisins, pan-Amerikano bread, ham and bacon, chocolates, cake with almonds, peaches and strawberry, candy at doughnuts, macaroni, hotdog, hamburger, sausage, rolls, cookies, apple pie and others including Mash potato, lumpiang ubod, relleno bangus, beaf steak, lechon paksiw, peanut brittle, orange leche flan, pizza pie, apple pie, corned beef, Canned goods, nestle cream, longanisa.
Creolization
After the American period, creolization of food began, ofr the convergence of old and new recipes Corpuz said wherein different cultures have mixed up together the different food and tastebuds of the Filipino people which had created a new different special delicacies, meals, menu.
Japanase time
During the bombing of Bataan and Manila, the Death March, the rise of the guerilla movement and the during the time where there were comfort women, the era of Open City, Mickey Mouse Money, Aerial strikes, Makapili and Censorship, Filipinos had as their meals those that were easily available in theru surroundings because they barely have time for best foods in fear of the Japanese and the war.
Filipinos then have Adobong kangkong/talbos ng kamote, binatog, kapeng binusang bigas, Tsamporado, daing na bangus, ginataang gabi, ginisang monggo, pritong dilis, nilagang gabi, kinudkud na niyog at panutsa, kastaniyog, am, laing na dahon ng gabi.
Liberation
During the Liberation and New Republic or the return of Gen. Douglas MacArthur, Filipinos fell in love with Sausage, Hotdog, barbecue, Bacon arrozcaldo, Spam tart, lumpiang corned beef, pancit bihon with bacon, empanadang canned turkey flakes, macaroni soup with sausage, meat pie with vienna sausage and similar preparations using sausage and hotdogs.
Called the period of rehabilitation, Corpuz said, it was the 1950’s and 60’s where food processing companies have started in the country that included for powdered coffee, softdrinks, canned goods including for Instant food (ready-to-eat) and the mushrooming of fast food chains.
It was where the “pulutan” (bar snacks, appetizers) term was introduced. This referred to tapang baboy ramo, salted egg, peanut and cashew nuts including, nilasing na mangga, chicharon, tokwa t baboy, sisig, hilaw na mangga, different versions of vegetable salad, barbecue, kinilaw na isda, including exotic food like frog, monitor lizard (bayawak) and dagang bukid (ricefield rat).
Edsa People Power
During the Edsa People Power and present modern time, it was the rise of streetvendor which sells Fishball, kikiam, kwek-kwek, sago at gulaman and banana and camotecue. On Edsa Revolution Days, the sanwhiches were the Bread of life and the bread of freedom. This includes cookies, balot, peanut, salted egg, banana,potato chips, turon, mais, boiled egg and chicharon, softdrinks and coffee.
According to Corpuz, food reflects each era in the political, historical and cultural landscape of every community, every nation, and it is very prevalent and seen in the country for several centuries. He said knowing and understanding the Filipino cuisines in different chapters of our history is also knowing the body and soul of the fight for freedom of our heroes and ancestors and which democracy we enjoy today. “Food is the driver and pilot of our race starting from the primitive time. It is the soul, the mirror of us being a Filipino”.
Sinigang, queen of Philippine soups
But among the most significant and the still thriving tastebuds of the Pinoys today is their love for sinigang and varieties of sauces.
Sinigang is known as the Queen of Philippine Soups where at least ten flavors that varies in sifferent regions in the country can be used as its sour taste seasoning—Alibangbang, Bayabas/Guava, Usbong, Bulaklak at Bunga ng Sampaloc, Dayap, Calamansi, Camias, Manggang Hilaw, Santol, Balimbing, Murang Pakwan, Catmon and Miso.
Sauces
One of the best and most unique in the Filipino cuisine is the use of variety of sauces and side dishes, “sawsawan or sahukan is a Filipino tradition and style that continue to be further reinvented, twisted until today,” he said.
“For Paksiw na isda, we use use as sauce or side dish tomatoes and Tagalog onion, for fried fish we use tomatoes, anchovies, atsarang papaya or dampalit, burong nustasa, for grilled fish, we use anchovies, grated green mango or camias, tamarind, guava, boiled okra, vinegar, fermented fish or mango, including salted fish, soy sauce with calamansi and wild chilli.
Pinaso, American period desert
Marichelle Santos, a puni artist in Bulacan and focal person of the tourism section in City Government of Malolos demonstrated the cooking of “pinaso,” a Philippine Spanish and American Revolution period favorite desert of the Filipinos that is made out of a batter of plain biscuit and milk using a heated ladle placed on the sugar coated top.
Until today, the desert is served in Bistro Malolenyo, a Philippine Revolution and Modern taste restaurant in City Proper in City of Malolos, just opposite the Malolos Cathedral, which was made as the Malacanang Palace by then President Emilio Aguinaldo of the First Philippine Republic.
Advocates of Heritage Preservation (AHP)
Roberto “Tito” Encarnacion, founder of the Advocates of Heritage Preservation (AHP) who founded the group in 2014 to help preserve the old Philippine churches, museums, monuments told NEWSCORE that food is also a very significant part of our rich culture and history as Filipinos that needs to be understood and appreciated. He said similar talks by other food and culinary experts in the country will also be held next.
Pampanga Pancit luglug
Avelino Antonio from Angeles City who came from a family of carinderia business expressed pride that the flag-bearer of the Kapampangan heirloom dishes are the Gonzaleses—Jim and Toto, who wrote the book “Kusina Sulipeno” and who owns “Casa Isabel” restaurant. “Their dishes are really excellent with Kapampangan heritage cuisines,” he told NEWSCORE.
Antonio targets to open a pancit luglug restaurant in Angeles City wherein three luglug versions of the Kapampangan, topped with shrimp, pork and tinapa flakes will be the main attraction.
Bahay Nakpil-Bautitsa
Maria Santos-Viola, executive director of Bahay Nakpil-Bautista and a member of AHP said the facility has been continuously hosting numerous events to further help AHP in its cultural, historical and heritage preservation campaign and efforts.
Bahay Nakpil-Bautista was built by Dr. Ariston Bautista Lin (1863-1928) and his wife, Petrona Nakpil through the works of Architect Arcadio Arellano in 1914. He was a philanthropist and inventor of a medicine that cures cholera.
Revolutionary leader and music composer Julio Nakpil, husband of Grehoria De Jesus, the widow of Gat. Andres Bonifacio and known as the Lakambini ng Katipunan also lived in Bahay Nakpil Bautista together with their children Juan and cousin Angel who were both became famous architects.
The house also hubbed a jewelry shop where fine jewelry collections were made.
