FOOD
Philippine cuisine has numerous indigenous and foreign influences. Throughout the centuries, the islands have incorporated the cuisine of the early Malay settlers, Arab and Chinese traders, and Spanish and American colonizers, along with other Oriental and Occidental accents and flavors.
The strongest culinary influence is from Spain which ruled
the Philippines for almost 400 years.  Food historians claim
that
80 percent of Philippine dishes are of Spanish origin. Because the Spaniards formed the elite, dishes adapted
by upper-class Filipinos were also Spanish-inspired. Thus
many of the party
and fiesta dishes and those served for
special occasion bear names like relleno, morcon, paella, callos, embutido,
caldereta, etc. the popular adobo, which
is pork, or pork and chicken stewed in mixture of vinegar,
bay leaf, peppercorns
and garlic over a slow fire, combines Spanish and Mexican
influences but alos has
regional
variations.
Chinese influence is evident in noodle dishes (bihon, miki, sotanghon, mami, lomi, miswa) which go by the general
name of pancit. Noodles restaurants are called panciterias (another Spanish derivation), a term that usually refers to a Chinese eatery. Pancit Canton is a favorite of Filipinos
who go ‘slumming' in Chinatown, along with lumpia
Shanghai (small spring rolls filled with minced meat and
dipped in sweet sauce). Even Chinese dishes have
Hispanicized names—morisquetta tostada is Yangzhou
fried rice, torta de cangreho is crab omellete, camaron
reboado is shrimp fried in batter. Pancit Molo, an
adaptation of wonton soup, is a specialty of the town of
Molo, Iloilo . Pancit luglog, pancit malabon, pancit palabok
are all variations upon the noodle theme. The difference
lies in the type of noodle used and the garnishing and
flavoring. Chinese congee becomes arroz caldo, rice porridge
with slices of meat or tripe garnished with chopped spring onions. A less glamorous name for it is lugaw. This is a dish which can be ordered in fast-food shops or carinderias and is
popular with people on a budget. Siopao is a steamed bun filled with meat which is usually ordered with pancit mami, noodles in soup. Mami and siopao make a filling snack or meal.
Chinese sweets popular among Filipinos include hopia, flaky pastries with fillings of mashed white beans, lotus paste, sesame and the like. In Chinatown , a small shop sells boxes of piping-hot hopia in the afternoons.
Unlike their Southeast Asian neighbors, most Filipino do not eat chili hot dishes, although dishes from the Bicol region are distinguished by their use of chili and coconut milk, similar to Indonesian, Malay and Thai food. Bicol express is a fiery dish of pork strips sautéed in garlic, onions, ginger and turmeric, mixed with bagoong alamang (salted and fermented shrimp), coconut cream, chopped chilies and hot green and red peppers. Muslim food retains the flavor of its Malay origins. It is spicy and uses coconut milk, chilis, cassava and rice. Muslim seafood is particularly good.
Philippine dessert resemble those of Southeast Asian countries like Malaysia and Indonesia . Glutinous rice cakes (suman, puto, kutsinta) cooked with coconut milk and sugar and wrapped banana or pandan leaves are typical. Bukayo is a crunchy sweet made of grated coconut cooked in molasses and pressed into bars. In addition to rice and coconuts, the Philippines shares in common in Thailand , Vietnam and southern China the fermented fish sauce and shrimp sauce called patis and bagoong respectively.
Rice is the staple food of Filipinos and, among the rural folk, it is taken with fish and vegetables. Filipinos prefer to have the entire meal laid out on the table when they eat, rather than have the dishes served one by one. This result in some food being served long after it is piping hot. Forks and spoons are used as utensils, although in the rural areas, some people prefer to eat with their hands.
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