We all love to eat and sometimes we just appreciate the taste and flavor without knowing the story or culture behind the food that we eat. I may not be a certified, 100% Foodie Blogger, but I know how to value the taste, ingredients, preparation and more the stories behind the delicious taste of every dishes especially those coming from the provinces. I believe that culinary tourism promotes our country though our distinctive and delicious regional cooking, aside from our sceneries and beautiful places here in the country.
I have an Ilocano and Visayan roots. My mom is from in Pangasinan who loves to eat Pinakbet, Bulanglang, Igado, Papaitan and others where I inherit the love for vegetables and the way it was cooked with bagoong. While my father who came from Romblon who loves to eat seafood, he taught me how to enjoy sinaing or fish steamed in banana leaves with ginger and pepper and also kinilaw na dilis or dilis cooked in vinegar and onions. With that culture and love for food, I tried discovering more regional dishes which I found in different restaurants here in Metro Manila, and also in my trip in other parts of the country.
One of the things that made me proud to be Filipino is on how we connect their food with the belief and traditions. Like in Pahiyas in Quezon Province, they pay tribute to San Isidro, the patron of the farmers, for a rich and abundant harvest. They decorate their houses with different vegetables, fruits and kippings that is a colorful leaf-like decorations made from rice which can be fried and served with sugar. Quezon is known for their Pansit Habhab, where it is served in a piece of banana leaves and eat it without using spoon or pork. Also, our Muslim brethren and sisters prepare their dishes cleanly, worthy to be eaten, or known as “halal.”
And of course, my love for food whether from a restaurants or street corners that makes me understand see the passion how it was made and serve for others to enjoy it. I see “food” not just a food that we eat when we are hungry, it is more of passion of those who cook and prepare it to make it more delicious and comforting to eat. Maybe it is time for us to strengthen our culinary tourism in contributing to the whole campaign for tourism and economy, and to elevate the pride of our chefs and restaurant owners of regional cuisine here in the country.
