LASANG PINOY

THE OTHER SIDE OF THE FENCE

2008-06-23T15:01:00.000+08:00

FROM THE OTHER SIDE OF THE FENCE

(Coaching the student division of the Pasta and Noodles category and Winning Silver)

4:00 am Friday, September 20 2002, text messages started pouring into my mobile phone like a “tsunami” from my students and faculty members. The messages were informing me that they were in school since 3:00 am inspecting in a frenzy the ingress and egress prepared the previous night for the competing teams for the Chef on Parade (C.O.P.).

I donned my whites at 4:30am and met up with the advance party of faculty members of O.B. Montessori at PTTC (Philippine Trade and Training Center) at 7am namely the ever superbly reliable and extremely efficient, my assistant, Mrs. Evelyn Bermudes.

The competing team for Filipino desserts (sophomore graduating class 2003) was headed by Divine (Miss Universe) Duque, Chenee (Nervous) Hernandez, supported by the ever super-hyper Dominic (Doms) Tagayum. All the students were pumped up with adrenaline yet paled with fear and anxiety knowing this was the most prestigious culinary event of events! Chenee even wore her whites inside out that she could not button her jacket!

As early as the first week of August, I selected my pasta team headed by ladies man Jessie (Chick boy) Paredes and the petite and cute Bea (Speedy) Yenko. They practiced 6 days a week, 10-12 hours a day. They concocted and tested recipes like Dr. Jeckyl and Mr. Hyde create a winning formula. I shared Bea and Jessie’s fatigue, frustrations and triumphs. Uncertainty had prevailed upon us indeed.

The chef judges, some of them my co judges of previous culinary events, started arriving at PTTC mostly in their immaculate whites, adorned by colorful embroidered logos of their names and establishment. We exchanged the usual pleasantries. Clearly, it dawned on me that I was not a judge of this event. My guts started to tighten like a deadly embrace of an Anaconda.

By midday, we received the disheartening news that we did not make it in the Filipino dessert category. Most of the judges were expats. How in the world could whitey's judge a filipino desert...my educated guess is MAMARU! If these chef whiteys were competent at what they did, then what the hell are they doing in our country? Why not in theirs? Go figure...

We drew the slots for our pasta team landing at batch 4 which would start at around 5-6pm. I immediately knew we were in trouble. We even went to the extent of bringing the ingredients of our pasta back to the van and kept the air condition running.

The pasta category kicked off late at 2:30 and I was worried sick that by the time it was our turn to compete, the judges palate were fatigued.

The contestants were given 15 minutes for mis en place, 30 minutes to cook and plate for 5 servings and 10 minutes to clean up. The tandem of Bea and Jessie worked fast and furious as soon as the marshals gave the go signal. I was awed by their precision of movement like poetry in motion that they finished mis en place, cooking and plating, and cleaning up in 30 minutes flat.

We waited in anticipation well into the following evening and I impulsively wanted to chew on coffee beans. Uncertainty, anxiety and sleepless nights engrossed me before the announcement. Then it just happened, I heard the familiar school’s name “Silver goes to O.B. Montessori!”

It was only then that I experienced what it was like to be from the other side of the fence.

Currently, I am confident with my students at UST ITHM HRM! You share with them everything there is to know, train them endlessly and hope that all the skills KICK IN during culinary competition crunch time.

So far, I am tickled pink with the results.

CIAO!

Announcing LP 25: Make Your Own Bento

2008-03-31T00:13:00.001+08:00

My most recent post on the bento inspired me to host this April's themed Filipino food blogging event Lasang Pinoy. It has been quite a while indeed ... Lasang Pinoy is already on its 25th round-up, a silver celebration if you wish.

It is for this reason that I am inviting all Filipino bloggers and readers to participate in my merry theme entitled Make Your Own Bento. 'Make Your Own Lunchbox or Baon' if you like, just as long as it depicts a combination of Filipino food that closely resembles a Japanese bento - the healthier and more creative, the better.

If you're a blogger, all you have to do is to write a post of your Pinoy bento creation, preferably with a picture and related recipe (s). Feel free also to use the LP25 icon (designed by Lasang Pinoy's very own Mike Mina). Leave a comment here with a link to your post on or before April 30, 2008.

If you're a reader, you may join in the fun by informing me of your bento creation or by simply taking a picture of a fantastic bento meal or lunchbox you've had. You may also leave a comment or email me using the Contact link in the right sidebar of this blog.

I will post a round-up of all entries by May 7, 2008. Prizes await the yummiest and most creative entries :P

So what are we waiting for? Bring out those aprons and make our own Pinoy bento now....:)

LP 24: Loco Over Coco - The Round-Up

2008-03-18T20:39:00.003+08:00

We went crazy over coconuts last February for Lasang Pinoy!

As an event-ender, the round-up of entries for LP 24: Loco Over Coco has been posted at Bucaio: a sumptuous buffet of coconut-based dishes. We have a complete array of creations, from drinks, to traditional and inspired dishes, to fabulous desserts.

Click here for full details!

LP 24: Loco Over Coco

2008-02-18T11:42:00.005+08:00

Anywhere you go in the Philippines, from the lengthy coastal areas surrounding the more than 7,000 islands comprising the archipelago, to the inland valleys and rolling plains, up to the rugged mountain ranges, solitary hills and volcanoes rising up to the heavens that rig the land, the coconut tree is a ubiquitous presence.

So much so that in any place in the country, from Batanes to Tawi-Tawi, coconuts - that is to say, all the various parts of the coconut - figure in one way or another in the regional/ethno-linguistic cuisine.

So you have the fiery ginataan (savory dishes cooked in coconut cream) that is the distinctive feature of Bicol dishes, or the sweetish and garlicky lumpiang ubod that is the specialty of the Bacolold-Silay area, to name a couple of the more commonly known coconut-themed regional fare. How about grandmas imbibing tuba in the early morning southern sunshine?

But coconuts really do feature in the day-to-day lives of most Filipinos, and mostly in the ordinary, taken-for-granted ways that we almost forget how very tightly our diets (at least, in the pure Filipino sense) are entertwined and based on this tropical palm. We even have various terms for the coconut fruit depending on its level of maturity.

We slake our thirst on the refreshing coconut water, blend it into a cocktail, ferment it into natural vinegar, or take the fermentation a little further to turn it into an alcoholic drink.

We eat the meat straight from the shell, or toast it, or spoon it or break it into strips to mix in salads, or grate it to add flavor to any rice concoction, or sweeten it into macapuno to eat it on its own or again mixed in a fancy dessert.

Even coconut fruits past their prime are valued – they provide the cream in which anything fancied can be cooked, be it a savory or sweet dish. We also have bukayo - sweetened coconut - in all forms, color, texture and style, depending on the region. And of course, mature coconuts provide the meat from which santana, or coconut oil, is expressed. Did you know that coconut oil may yet be the healthiest oil in the world?

We eat the trunk, too. Well, actually, it’s the young shoots of the tree, called ubod.

Strictly speaking, we are now past the edible parts, since we really don’t eat the next one, but the intricately woven wrapper in which suman, patopat, or puso are encased and steamed come from strips upon strips of young coconut leaves.

And in the rural areas, dried coconut husks are the preferred pang-uling – charcoal – for a proper grill.

On top of this, the coconut is not called the tree of life solely on the basis of the food it provides. Because it also sustains life, by providing its durable trunk – to stand as the foundation of a small nipa hut, or to elevate a batalan in which food is prepared for a meal, and afterwards where the kitchen and dinner utensils are washed.

Essential components that sustain a family, helping turn a house into a home.

And the left-over spines of the leaves are gathered and bound to become walis ting-ting – brooms – to sweep away the camachile or banana peelings, and other litter on the floor or on the lawn. This last has even been transformed into a symbol of unity for the country – inspired by the Filipino proverb Matibay ang walis, sapagkat nabibigkis. Roughly translated, though a bit far-fetched,“there is strength in unity,” but that is the essence of it.

And so it is with this sense of unity – by the food that transcends time and boundaries – that all Filipino bloggers across the country and all around the globe, as well as other bloggers and writers who have an affinity, nay, a passion, for Filipino food, are invited to join the Lasang Pinoy community in celebrating the fruit of life and the tree from which it springs, for the 24th edition of Lasang Pinoy.

Anytime during the month of February you can write about or feature a photo of anything that involves the coconut, cooked or uncooked, edible or inedible. You can write about a time-honored tradition, or create/invent a new one for the succeeding generations. You can write about the coconut’s presence in your life while growing up in the Philippines, or what it has meant for you living elsewhere. Maybe discuss how coconuts are treated in your host country, dwelling on its status as compared to how it is valued in the Philippines.

As an added feature, bloggers are requested to list at the end of your post any previous post/s, if any, involving the coconut. If you find you cannot come up with anything on coconuts for this month (which I dare say is impossible!), you can submit the list of previous posts as your entry.

Non-bloggers are very much welcome – you can ask any of your favorite Pinoy blogger to host your article. Or you can email it to the host at sweet(underscore)bucaio(at)yahoo(dot)com, but just make sure to send it by February 22.

Bloggers can post their entries anytime during the month of February (which includes any post before this announcement), then notify the host about your post/s via an email to sweet(underscore)bucaio(at)yahoo(dot)com with the subject LP24. A round-up of all posts to close the event shall be posted in the host's blog by the first week of March.

Please use the icon above, courtesy of Mang Mike, to mark your post/s, or display it on your sidebar for the month. Please also link this announcement so that we can have maximum participation.

So let’s start using those coconuts!

LP 24: Loco Over Coco hosted by Kai at Bucaio.

Lasang Pinoy 23: Crockpot Cooking

2008-01-13T20:49:00.000+08:00

It's the tool for lazy cooks everywhere, an electric pot that cooks at low temperatures- meaning that you literally "set it, and forget it"! The crockpot, or slow-cooker, is designed to cook food over a period of 8 to 12 hours, so you can turn it on before leaving for work, and come home to a house smelling of pot-roast....mmmm.

It was my husband who introduced me to the crockpot. He uses it for everything from adobo to oatmeal (saw it on Alton Brown) to chocolate fondue. Yes, I know I'm a lucky girl. Anyway, we have two now- and they're definitely two of the most used appliances in our kitchen.

This January, the theme for Lasang Pinoy is Crockpot Cooking, and I'm pleased and excited to announce that I'll be hosting it on my food blog, Super Sarap.

I do hope you'll join in- and even if you don't have a crockpot or slow-cooker of your own, just use a regular pot to cook something over very looooow heat!

Please submit your entries by January 31, 2008 at midnight (Manila time). Email me your links, posts and images at lorraine AT supersarap.com.

LP 22 - Rice to the Challenge

2007-12-05T17:57:00.000+08:00

UPDATE: THE LP22 ROUND-UP has been posted. Thanks to everyone who participated!

The theme for this month of Lasang Pinoy is Rice! I'm sure with the holidays coming up that there will be rice dishes a plenty. So if you have a rice dish to share, email the URL to your entry to me at jmomblogs[AT]gmail[DOT]com or leave a comment at my blog.

Please have your entries up by December 31, 2007. I plan on posting the round up on the first week of the new year.

Read the full announcement here.

Lasang Pinoy 21, the Anniversary Edition Roundup!

2007-11-06T19:38:00.000+08:00

Linky here!

Lasang Pinoy 21, the Anniversary Edition: Cooking for Heroes

2007-10-18T10:38:00.000+08:00

Did you know that Katipuneros would tuck tapang kalabaw inside their belts and the linings of their saya for a quick lunch in the line of fire?

Would you serve lapu-lapu to Magellan's nemesis and would this chieftain be queasy that it bears his name?

What if Gabriela Silang's troops won against the Spanish in 1763, what would you serve for the victory party?

The anniversary edition of Lasang Pinoy tackles on food that we want our national heroes to eat--while writing a novel, or hiding in the jungles of Sierra Madre, or (forgive me for being morbid) the last meal before the execution.

The rule is quite simple--pick your national hero (not your personal hero such as your mom or the fireman), and you can state the reason why you picked this person, then imagine yourself cooking at his or her behest (and for free). You can start off with this list or this one (but don't limit yourself!).

And as with previous LP's, your entry should be submitted by October 31, 2007 at 12midnight Manila Time. Roundup will follow afterwards.

Non-bloggers are invited to join, as long as you love food, glorious food. Articles and images can be sent to the email below.

Links, posts, images (preferably high-resolution) can be submitted to cookingforheroesATgmailDOTcom.

Be free with your imagination! Let freedom simmer!

The Round-Up: LP 20, Binalot - All Wrapped Up!

2007-08-04T08:44:00.000+08:00

The "wrap-up" for LP 20 is posted on www.unofficialcook.com and will remain a sticky post for the rest of the month.

Lasang Pinoy 20: Binalot, All Wrapped Up!

2007-07-12T21:07:00.000+08:00

On behalf of Filipino food bloggers everywhere, we are proud to announce Lasang Pinoy 20: Binalot, All Wrapped Up!

There are a myriad ways of preparing Filipino foods and a favorite is wrapping in leaves. The dish is oftentimes referred as "Binalot" and while it usually means picnic lunches, Philippine cuisine does have a thousand and one sweet and savory recipes that uses this technique of food preparation. It gives you a peek of the Filipino's practical nature, ingenuity, creativity and propensity to have fun, wherever and whenever.

As in most Southeast Asian countries, the most common leaf used is the banana leaf. The banana leaf is huge with a thin wax outer layer that makes it perfect for wrapping even the sauciest of dishes. Another common leaf we use is the coconut leaves woven or folded into various shapes and sizes.

But Filipinos don't stop at leaves. There's fresh bamboo cylinders, then there's crepes and wontons, an influence of the Chinese population in the Philippines. Whether the wrap is thrown on the grill over hot live coals or the fire itself, or perhaps boiled or steamed, the natural wraps lends its own distinct aroma and flavor to the dishes encased within. The whole experience of unwrapping a dish while all the steamy goodness and aromas fill your nostrils is definitely half the fun.

The possibilities are just endless. Instincts also tell me there must be more wraps out there being used for "binalot" recipes than we know of. It's probably as many as the 7,100 islands of our modest archipelago in the South China Sea and Pacific.

Perhaps you'd like to feature the technique of folding and wrapping, that will definitely be interesting to readers from all over. Or maybe you have the best recipe for lumpia wrapper or your very own Filipino-inspired wrapped concoction using your own wrapper idea, that's certainly welcome.

Whichever you choose to write about on your blog, or someone else's blog, (this one included) Lasang Pinoy only requires you submit your Filipino or Filipino-inspired entries to the current host or the Lasang Pinoy Team with your name, blog name, and the link to your entry. For quick identification, please title your emails LP20: Binalot. For your entries, please use the LP20 icon shown here. As always, it was creatively designed by LP pioneers, Iska Montero and Mike Mina. Thanks for everyone at Lasang Pinoy for your support.

For this edition, entries will be accepted starting today through the 1st of August 2007.

Unless the host gets all wrapped up in some unforeseen circumstances, we are hoping to release the round-up feature within the first week of August.....then we'll call it a wrap!

Let's get rolling and wrapping!

Lasang Pinoy 19: Barrio Fiesta Round Up

2007-07-12T11:10:00.000+08:00

Come on over and take a peek.

Lasang Pinoy 19: BARRIO FIESTA [ Eat Til You Drop! ]

2007-06-14T13:53:00.000+08:00

The Philippines is home to some of the world’s most colourful fiestas. Fiestas have been an integral part of the Filipino culture and communal existence whether in good or bad times --- since time immemorial.

Traditionally, a fiesta always starts with a celebratory mass in the church honouring a patron saint of the barrio, town or city followed by a prusisyon (procession) or parada (parade). Participants are in high spirits. They dance and frolic to the beat of the marching band’s music in celebration and as a gesture of appreciation for all blessings received during the year as well as blessings yet to be received in the days to come. Along the procession or parade route, town folks and spectators would watch in awe the colourful pageantry normally seen only once a year. And as what has been traditionally practiced, the procession would always end where it all began --- the church.

In the past, after the procession, traditional Filipino games like the karera sa sako (sack race) and palo-sebo (greased bamboo pole climbing) are played in the town’s plaza that is usually located in front of the church. Traditional folk dancing is also the main form of entertainment. Today, these traditional activities have been replaced with modern-day events and entertainment programs like variety shows featuring celebrities and artists, singing competitions and even beauty pageants. In some parts of the country, spectators are treated to a mélange of both traditional and modern entertainment.

And since food is an important part of the Filipino culture, no celebration would be complete without fiesta dishes served like the ubiquitous lechon baboy (whole roasted pig), other savoury regional dishes and sweet treats like kakanins (native cakes) indigenous to the place celebrating a particular fiesta. Everyone participates --- spends and feed others, when they can. Others are more than welcome to partake in the feast, eat and indulge til they drop!

Moving on . . . For the 19th Edition of Lasang Pinoy Food Blogging Event, let’s talk about food we normally associate with fiestas. Blog about timeless and traditional family recipes that have been the hallmark these celebrations or how in the passage of time these dishes have evolved into unique culinary treats.

What is Lasang Pinoy?

Lasang Pinoy, which could mean ‘tastes of something Filipino’ or short for ‘the Filipino taste’ is a monthly food blogging event to promote Filipino food. It is a product of e-mail brainstorming sessions of several Filipino food bloggers who thought it was time for a Filipino event in the tradition of Is My Blog Burning. The blogger organisers of Lasang Pinoy and participants strive to make the events reflective of Filipino culture.

Who may participate?

All Filipino food bloggers are highly-encouraged to join the event, be they in the country or abroad.

Non-food bloggers of Filipino ancestry are also invited; no matter how many generations they have been out of the country or who have never been to the Philippines but still identify themselves as Filipino [or part Filipino, married or related to Filipinos].

Entries from other Filipino food and culture enthusiasts are very much welcome. Non-bloggers may also join as long as their entries are hosted in any blog.

How to participate?

All entries must be submitted by 30^th June 2007 at 7:30 pm, Manila time. A round-up will be published shortly after.

For entries [or further quieries], you may send an email to lasang.pinoy@gmail.com with your name, address, the name of your blog, and the permalink to your entry. Please indicate in the subject field Lasang Pinoy 15 [’Entry’ or ‘Query’] for all correspondence to facilitate identification. Or you may also post it via the comment section of this post. For non-bloggers, you can email your article and photo, if you have, with the same particulars. We would be more than happy to host it in one of the sites.

By the way, we’d like to mention/remind the important fact that Lasang Pinoy was created to promote Filipino food! Therefore, as a challenge to everyone, we would love for those of you who have never tried Pinoy food before, to maybe try one of the recipes that I’ve already posted here, or visit one of the Filipino food bloggers site listed here, and here, and here too, find a recipe you like, play around and have a ball with it! After all, it’s fiesta time!

*** Please visit ANG SARAP, this month's HOST for the 19th Edition of Lasang Pinoy called BARRIO FIESTA. ***

Lasang Pinoy 18: Oh My Gulay!

2007-05-15T09:54:00.000+08:00

Vegetables. Some of us have a love affair with them, others have a love-hate (or hate-hate) relationship with them. One sure thing we all have in common is: We were all made to eat vegetables. We all started out with mashed peas and squash, were scared out of our wits with the bitterness of the wrinkly ampalaya (bitter gourd), and wondered how many more vegetables we should eat. The Bahay Kubo song had the answers, of course!

We all have a vegetable story to tell and a vegetable dish recipe to share. That is why I am very eager to be hosting and inviting you to join Lasang Pinoy 18: Oh My Gulay!

Read the full announcement here.

06/01/07 UPDATE: The round-up is now up! See it here.

Lasang Pinoy 17:EGG'S A DEAL! is ON

2007-05-06T16:45:00.000+08:00

After a short hiatus Lasang Pinoy is back.

To celebrate its "resurrection," we decided to relaunch within the week after Easter Sunday. After a series of false starts and consultations with the Lasang Pinoy peeps, it was decided that the secret ingredient for the 17th edition is ... ta..ra... ra ...... The EGG.

The egg in various cultures symbolizes fertility and rebirth. From a Philippine context, the egg is very much part of culture and history. First thing that comes to mind is The Balut. It is something we always claim as our own. It specifies us from other cultures ,though not exclusively. Vietnam has it similar delicacy called Vit Lon. More than that, the fertilized duck's egg is also an eaten object of bravado, virility and Pinoy machismo. Because it takes a certain amount of guts to eat, we love to taunt our foreign friends' comfort zones by challenging them to feast on boiled "aborted" duck's embryo. Balut is often eaten after dark with beer. The Pinoy "barako" who consumes it is said to acquire certain powers when doing a most pleasurable ritual, legit or not, in a darkened four-cornered room. This, even if the V pill came with the same claims.

Read the full announcement . . .

Lasang Pinoy 16: PINOY HOLIDAY FOOD GIFTS

2006-11-30T18:25:00.000+08:00

“It’s that time of year, when good friends are dear, and you wish you could give more than just presents from a store . . .”
Another year, another Christmas will soon pass our way. For those of us who have celebrated this - year after year after year, for soooo many years…aren’t we tired of it?

HECK NO! This is the month that most of us look forward to - the whole year! The magic that comes with Christmas, somehow washes off our negative vibes, rejuvenates our “happy” hormones, and pushes us to tirelessly prepare for the numerous celebrations. And like everywhere else in the world, this is the time to bond, the time to give, the time to share.

For the 16^th Edition of Lasang Pinoy Food Blogging Event that ALA EH! is proud to host, we tackle the challenges of gift-giving – PINOY HOLIDAY FOOD GIFTS in particular. The challenge of gift giving turns holiday cheer into holiday fear for many. Gift etiquette and choosing the perfect HOLIDAY FOOD GIFT stumps even the savviest of shoppers. What you should give and whom you should give to are two questions sure to cause hours of deliberation and, finally, preparation and cooking - if you have to do it yourself!

Read Joji's LP16 Announcement here . . .

Lasang Pinoy 15: RECYCLED, RELOADED!

2006-10-14T23:33:00.000+08:00

Pinoys [or Filipinos] passion for food more often than not ends up with cooking more than what is required — with leftovers finding their way into freezers. And as conscientious as we Pinoys always are, these leftovers become creative and delectable culinary delights when whipped-up differently from how they were originally cooked.

In the Philippines, when you get replies of “panga” or “pangat” to your question of what’s on the table for lunch, dinner, or merienda, it only means one thing: recycled leftover food!

What does “panga” or “pangat” mean?

Check out Mike's announcement for Lasang Pinoy 15.

Lasang Pinoy 14: A LA ESPANYOLA!

2006-09-26T23:09:00.001+08:00

When I was growing up, eighty percent of our meals considted of dishes of Spanish origin: mechado, asado, menudo, embutido --- you get the drift. Once in college, I would playfully tell my mom that I will be boycotting dinner if we have to eat another "ADO" dish yet again.

"Ado" was my term for Spanish-influenced foos since most of these dishes end with such letters. I carried on with the boycott threat for a couple of years and to my delight, my mom usually heeded. These days, "Ado" foos has not only provideda welcome respite but has expanded my repertoire of dishes at home.

Therefore, Lasang Pinoy 14 aims to remi9nd us about the rich Spanish influences in our Filipino cuisine. Let's hear it for Lasang Pinoy 14: A La Espanyola!

Guidelines:

All Filipino food bloggers are highly-encouraged to join the event, be they in the country or abroad. Non-food bloggers of Filipino ancestry are also invited; no matter how many generations they have been out of the country or who have never been to the Philippines but still identify themselves as Filipino (or part Filipino, married or related to Filipinos). Entries from other Filipino food and culture enthusiasts are very much welcome. Non-bloggers may also join as long as their entries are hosted in any blog.

All entries must be submitted by September 30th at 7:30pm EST (New York City time). I will post the round-up shortly after. You can send an email to me at chefpurplegirl@gmail.com or to lasang.pinoy@gmail.com with your name, address, the name of your blog, and the permalink to your entry. You may also post it via the comment section of this post. For non-bloggers, you can email your article and photo, if you have, with the same particulars. Please indicate in the subject field Lasang Pinoy 14 Entry to facilitate identification. Please also include this tag Lasang Pinoy 14 at the end of your post, to ping Technocrati.

Lasang Pinoy, which could mean ‘it tastes of something Filipino’ or short for ‘the Filipino taste’ is a monthly food blogging event to promote Filipino food. It is a product of e-mail brainstorming sessions of several Filipino food bloggers who thought it was time for a Filipino event in the tradition of Is My Blog Burning. The blogger organisers of Lasang Pinoy and participants strive to make the events reflective of Filipino culture.

Posted on behalf of LP14 Host - PurpleGirl.

Steal Lasang Pinoy 14 icon here . . .

Celebrating Lasang Pinoy's First Anniversary

2006-09-05T08:54:00.000+08:00

I wrote an article about Lasang Pinoy's first anniversary that was published in What's On & Expat [ 3-9 September 2006 issue, Vol. XXV No. 35 ].

What's On & Expat is a weekly newspaper for expats in the Philippines and is circulated in major hotels, restaurants, and diplomatic missions.

The text that follows the scanned image of the printed version is the original draft which was edited for length due to last-minute space limitations.

The printed version also has two screen caps: one of Stef's blog, and the other of Karen's.

HAPPY FIRST ANNIVERSARY to everyone at LASANG PINOY!

Read more about this here . . . .

Lasang Pinoy 1st Anniversary: Definitive Pinoy!

2006-08-15T13:49:00.000+08:00

Stef is hosting the first anniversary of Lasang Pinoy! Here are excerpts from the announcement:

For this month’s theme, I am inviting all of you who love Filipino food to find one (or two!… or three!) dishes that for you DEFINES what being Pinoy is all about.

The usual:

Post a link to your entries by 31 August 2006 (your timezone) in the comment section here, or send an e-mail with your permalink and location to lasang.pinoy@gmail.com. If you don’t have a blog and would like to participate, just e-mail us and we’ll be happy to host your entry. I’ll do a roundup shortly after August 31st. This announcement may be completely posted on any blog or forum.

Join us and enjoy! Kain na tayo!

Lasang Pinoy 12: Distinctly PINOY with a TWANG!

2006-07-16T03:10:00.000+08:00

Twang is used to describe a mild accent or a pronunciation common to a certain group of people. It can be used in many forms, basically as a word for describing certain sounds.

Twang can also be defined as a persisting flavor, taste, or odor.

I am honored to host the 12^th edition of Lasang Pinoy. After almost a year of rolling down memory lane sharing our thoughts on Filipino food experiences, let’s take off and get a head-start on putting some flare into our palate. With this month’s theme, Distinctly Pinoy with a Twang, we look forward to a staggering array of Philippine specialties infused with international punch!

Are you up for this challenge? Check out essenCes for the rules of this battle! Post all entries on or before the 31^st of July, 2006 and shoot me an email with your name, website and permalink of your entry to lasangpinoy@gmail.com or cesanciano@gmail.com.

Feel free to upload this 3D button designed by my husband, Marco and approved by LP’s design team of Mike and Iska.

Pinoy or non-Pinoy, you are most welcome to participate! Let’s push the Pinoy palate to the boundaries of taste!

UPDATE: The round-up is here!

Lasang Pinoy 11 - Summertime Coolers and Memories of Summer

2006-06-18T11:44:00.000+08:00

The last topic of Lasang Pinoy 10, Food Memories From Your Childhood evoked so much from our consciousness that it didn't seem enough; 'Bitin', we would say. As Chef Sam mentioned in his roundup of LP10, it seems that many of us savored most the flavors of our childhood summers. So to continue on the same vein, the next round of Lasang Pinoy extends our reminiscing mood to include our memories of summer and the cooling flavors that made it even more enjoyable. With summer just waning in the Philippines and the tastes of summer still fresh on the palates; and with summer advancing on this side of the hemisphere and many of us have started dusting off our grills, what better time to write about summertime!

We invite you to join us on this round and share your favorite summertime food. It doesn't have to be a typical Filipino recipe, it only needs to be touched with Pinoyness. As we who are now living outside of the Philippines can attest to, we assimilate but we add our own flavors to the mix. I do this all the time with my girls. We may be cooking something that is typically of this region, but the flavors of my Filipino upbringing can't help but creep into everything we do in one form or another. A sneak preview of things to come is in my blog. I look forward to your memories of summer and your cooling ways.

Post your entries in your blogs by the end of the month, June 30th and submit your URL to lasangpinoy-at-gmail.com or to jmomblogs-at-gmail.com. If you don't have a blog, just email me or Lasang Pinoy and we will host your posts for you.

Feel free to download the buttons for this round and use it on your sites. Thank you to Iska and Mike for designing these beautiful buttons.

Lasang Pinoy 10: Food Memories from Your Childhood

2006-05-14T11:43:00.000+08:00

Lasang Pinoy 10 Official Announcement

Chef Sam de Leoz is hosting Lasang Pinoy 10th Edition! It's always fun to reminisce about our childhood memories, especially the food-related ones! Your job now is to blog about *your* food memories from your childhood.

When you've got your entry ready, leave a comment here or at Chef Sam's blog, or send an email to lasangpinoy@gmail.com with your:

Name
Blog Name & URL
Location
Blog post Permalink

on or before the 31st of May. Chef Sam will be doing a round-up a few days later. If you do not have a blog but want to participate, e-mail or comment and one of us will be happy to host your entry.

All Filipino food bloggers are highly-encouraged to join this event, be they in the country or abroad. Non-food bloggers of Filipino ancestry are also invited; no matter how many generations they have been out of the country or who have never been to the Philippines but still identify themselves as Filipino (or part Filipino, married or related to Filipinos). Entries from other Filipino food and culture enthusiasts are very much welcome. Non-bloggers may also join as long as their entries are hosted in any blog.

Put on your thinking caps, or should I say get into your time travel machine?

Update: The round-up for Lasang Pinoy 10 is now online.

Lasang Pinoy 9: Lamang-Loob, Odd Cuts & Guts

2006-04-04T07:31:00.000+08:00

pabulum.ext212 is sponsoring April’s Lasang Pinoy, which I’ve given the title of Lamang-loob: Odd Cuts and Guts.

In Tagalog, laman [la’man] translates to “contents,” and loob [lo’ob] means inside–I want to feature the contents inside of an animal, or what is commonly referred to as offal. Using the “waste” parts of a butchered animal has always been part of the human diet. Growing up in the Philippines, our parents told us that offal protected us from being ill and whenever my non-Filipino friends travel back home with me, my relatives tell them that offal’s good for “many children.”

Offal doesn’t have to taste or smell funny. When cooked right–and I mean cooked right, not cooked through–offal can be delicate and savory. One challenge I am posing to participants is to break out from the norm; feel free to use different ingredients with your offal, but try to keep the Filipino essence intact by using traditional cooking techniques you’ve learned from childhood memories and family recipes.

So go ahead and visit your favorite butcher, ask for the odd cuts and guts and create your own kitchen adventure!

Lasang Pinoy 8: Kusinang Bulilit, Lutong Paslit!

2006-03-09T13:58:00.000+08:00

Kusinang bulilit, lutong paslit! Children’s kitchen, cooking by children! So what would this be all about?

For this month, LP8 would be about how we were encouraged by parents (or grandparents) to become little chefs in the kitchen or vice versa. How our parents get us involved in mealtimes to help us develop our positive attitudes about food; how we become the foodies that we are. How we involve children, nephews, nieces, cousins as they ‘play with food.’ About childhood food memories. How the family food traditions were handed down to an extra pair of little hands. The story behind our kiddie edible experiments.

Check out the guidelines and the round-up!

Lasang Pinoy 7: Gising na! ALMUSAL!

2006-02-10T00:43:00.000+08:00

This month's Lasang Pinoy will be all about breakfast! :)

Almusal means breakfast and it's an essential part of every Filipino's day. At least before life sneakily speeded up its pace to "breakneck" and McDonald's had a drive-thru. It's the fuel we need to start a day of hard work...whether it be tilling the fields or trudging through the corporate jungle. Almusal is usually a hearty affair, complete with rice and meat (or fish)...sometimes even more than one kind! Now, with everyone and his brother busy with a million and one things, a traditional almusal is sometimes left by the wayside, traded in for a quick coffee and a random something bought from your friendly coffee conglomerate on the way to work.

This month, I'd like to honor this very important part of our day, and our lives, that can give us the super powers we need to take on days fraught with tasks and errands and the 101 things we all do. So, gising na! (That means, "Wake up!") Slow things down one morning and enjoy the special almusal that I know you deserve.

Check out details at 80 Breakfasts!

Here's the round up!

Lasang Pinoy 6 : Let's wash it down with booze! !

2006-01-20T00:39:00.000+08:00

We're on our sixth month, can you believe it? Six months means means we've had at least a hundred posts on what Filipino food means to those who grew up eating it. Six months also means half a year till our anniversary. It almost leaves us breathless. How wonderful but this is also making some of us tense!

To unwind and to open the year's events, for January, we just have the perfect theme! This also comes right after the stressful holiday season of shopping, entertaining, travelling and yes, eating!

What better way to do this than to sit back and chat with friends, perhaps with a bottle or two of our preferred spirits.

Ting Aling has this to say:

So what exactly is a pulutan? Well, out of curiosity, I googled it but even wikipedia did not describe the way I have known pulutan to be. I shouldn't say that. It is a finger food alright but I am sure there is more to it than a finger food, literally. Maybe we should add to wikipedia's with an intimate description of it.

So how do we proceed? Head to World Class Cuiscene to read the announcement for Lasang Pinoy 6: Let's wash it down with booze!!

Don't forget, the deadline's on the 31st (this month, January)!

Lasang Pinoy 5: Pinoy Christmas Around The World

2005-12-14T11:18:00.000+08:00

Lasang Pinoy is in a celebratory mood with the First Christmas Edition of its monthly Pinoy Food Blogging Event.

The word Pasko [Christmas] conjures up a thousand meanings to Pinoys [Filipinos] as well as to other people all over the world. In the Philippines, also known as the “Land of Fiesta”, Pinoys have a rich Yuletide tradition and they have found a myriad of ways in expressing joy and gratitude during this festive season. It is also believed to be the longest unofficial Christmas anywhere in the world.

Mike at LAFANG, is honoured to host this month’s event aptly themed, PINOY CHRISTMAS AROUND THE WORLD.

Let’s count some of the ways here, how we Pinoys celebrate the most joyous season of them all . . .

Update: The round-up for PINOY CHRISTMAS AROUND THE WORLD is now online.

Lasang Pinoy 4: It's All Pinoy Soul Food

2005-12-06T11:07:00.000+08:00

For November, Lasang Pinoy talks about the wide range of Filipino food that we cook again and again not only for their incomparable flavor, but also because they feed a hunger deep in our very being: a longing for home, a pining for family, a yearning for the company of people who have since passed on, or a simple need to remember the past. We may not have a word for it like the African Americans do, but there is sucn a thing as Pinoy Soul Food.

A total of 33 entries in 26 particpating blogs can be found here.

Asian Journal: Pinoy-Style Thanksgiving

2005-11-26T14:49:00.000+08:00

Guess who's coming to dinner or guess what's coming to dinner?

Though not a Filipino holiday, we take note of Thanksgiving since Fil-Ams are celebrating it. There's at least one family who documented their dinner for us and the whole world to see.

Read how Stef's children ran around the house shouting "We're famous! We're famous!" perhaps just like how their mom excitedly tells us Yay! We made it!

Recipes are also online. Find them in her post A Filipino Thanksgiving on Beyond Adobo.

Sassy Lawyer: The fine art of culinary blogging

2005-11-22T05:05:00.000+08:00

Oh, here's a revelation! Connie a.k.a. the Sassy Lawyer who's also a Pinoycook says she's "not one to go gung-ho over group projects" since she prefers being on her own, until last August when Lasang Pinoy was launched.

What made this one sassy lady an advocate of this online project? Read about The fine art of culinary blogging in her Manila Standard Today column. Once again, that's Lasang Pinoy on print media, alright.

Also read the comments on Sassy's blog.

Lasang Pinoy 3: Pinoy Streetfood

2005-10-28T19:33:00.000+08:00

Lasang Pinoy 3 is all about the food sold in and along Philippines streets, a cornucopia of streetside delights that sometimes borders on the exotic, but nevertheless an always available and easily accessible form of snacks, pantawid gutom, mini-meals, food adventure, and most often than not, a way to rebel from parents wary of hepatitis being picked up by their children.

A total of thirty-six entries in thirty-two blogs participated in the event, with the links here.

Lasang Pinoy 2: Cooking Up A Storm

2005-10-02T00:57:00.000+08:00

The second edition of Lasang Pinoy is all about food we associate with the bagyo (typhoon/storm) season. Contributors were encouraged to come up with food related posts about the food they had during storm-lashed days which is quite frequent in the Philippines during the wet season.

The event gathered a total of 24 Filipino food bloggers from around the world who relived their childhood memories of devastating typhoons in days past.

PINOYexpats: Food for Our National Soul

2005-09-30T03:52:00.000+08:00

Context... context is key. That is what I try to remember when working on food and culture topics. In trying to learn more about Filipino food, it is amazing what our neighbours, our former colonisers and those we have had trade relations with can teach us. One of my on-going curiosities is to know what food concepts we share with Indonesians. So far, I haven't found a dialogue partner but I'm sure I'll there will be one in the future.

I also wonder about food and national identity. For the September issue of PINOYexpats, Ruth invited me to write about some of these. Here is the link to Food for Our National Soul. I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I did writing.

Newsbreak: A Taste of Culinary Identity

2005-09-15T16:44:00.000+08:00

What does Lasang Pinoy have in common with what make it to the Lifestyle section of a weekly Manila news publication? Well, even with the Ninoy Aquino Day edition, we never really thought about it but when reporter Charlene Dy e-mailed Karen for an interview for what she thought was "a great platform for Filipino bloggers as well as an interesting intersection of food, technology and political culture" - we realised that yes it was!

Charlene's Newsbreak article A Taste of Culinary Identity is also online. Find it in between Bird Flu and the Kamikaze Memorial. Now doesn't that make this project relevant?!

Lasang Pinoy I: Ninoy Aquino Day Round-Up

2005-08-21T23:20:00.000+08:00

When we launched the event, we had no idea how it would be received. A day into the deadline, we had the sufficient numbers but those were from the blogger organisers themselves. The night before we were supposed to post the round-up, Stef and I decided to wait a bit since submissions were pouring in like we never expected! Every now and then, Stef would even e-mail me with an entry she found somewhere.

Overwhelmed is an understatement! This is a reception beyond our wildest dreams. Thank you to all participants and to the organisers too! We hope to see you in the next events!

The Lasang Pinoy Ninoy Aquino Day Round-Up co-hosted by Karen and Stef is now online!

On The Pilgrim's Pots and Pans

Launching Lasang Pinoy on Ninoy Aquino Day

2005-07-30T08:26:00.000+08:00

Food embodies the culture from which it developed. To know a culture, one can start with food. The past year has seen the food blogging community grow tremendously. Each month, I look forward to the Is My Blog Burning? events which reveal some facets of other cultures through their food and eating habits. The sub-events have grown in number, with themes based on ingredients, aesthetics or culture.

A lighthearted discussion of the above, among others, between Filipino food bloggers has kindled the desire for Filipino food to make its mark on the world culinary map. Thus was born Lasang Pinoy, which could mean it ‘tastes of something Filipino’ or short for ‘the Filipino taste’.

Launching Lasang Pinoy on Ninoy Aquino Day

The year 1983 was a turning point for the Philippines. On the 21st of August was the culmination of a man’s fight to gain his country’s freedom. The day Sen. Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino, Jr. died, Filipinos everywhere were at last emboldened to find their voice to break from the shackles of fear. Ninoy joins the ranks of our greatest heroes in giving us the legacy of our freedom. On his 22nd death anniversary, we celebrate his heroism and dedication to the Filipino nation. In him we have a modern-day hero whose self-sacrifice is worth emulating especially during these days of instability.

For their part, Filipino food bloggers the world over will launch on Ninoy Aquino Day the first Lasang Pinoy Food Blogging Event which aims to bring attention to Filipino food. Just like how Ninoy had much faith in the Filipino, enough to die for us, we are proud to be Filipinos.

Entries should be about food the participant associates with the years (1982-1986) immediately before and after 1983. It could be about food Ninoy ate in prison, family dinners while watching President Marcos on TV or listening to Radio Veritas, food eaten during blackouts or in rallies and the like. (This applies to anyone on either side of the political fence in those days.)
However, for participants who were away from the country at that time, or too young to remember 1983, entries can be about any food they associate with the Philippines or Filipinos and what makes them proud to be one. Tell us what your parents say about Ninoy and his times. Creativity is highly encouraged.
For those who identify themselves as Filipino but believe they do not know what Filipino food is, thoughts on this issue are highly encouraged to be written about. The Filipino is still on a quest to find his/her identity, food included.

Entries have to be posted on or before 18 August 2005 (your own timezone) and the round-up will be posted online by 21 August, Philippine timezone. This announcement may be completely posted on any blog or forum. It would be very interesting to read a blogger discuss the topic with his or her regular readers. However, permalinks of the entries should be e-mailed to lasang.pinoy@gmail.com with the blogger’s country of location. Bloggers who post this announcement are also kindly requested for an e-mail for coordination purposes.

Note: Lasang Pinoy will hopefully be a regular event. Thanks to Ting Aling for coming up with the title and Dexie for the event buttons!

Update: The round-up is now online.

Introducing Lasang Pinoy!

2005-07-09T08:07:00.000+08:00

Lasang Pinoy, which could mean it ‘tastes of something Filipino’ or short for ‘the Filipino taste’ is a monthly food blogging event to promote Filipino food. It is a product of e-mail brainstorming sessions of several Filipino food bloggers who thought it was time for a Filipino event in the tradition of Is My Blog Burning. The blogger organisers of Lasang Pinoy and participants strive to make the events reflective of Filipino culture.

On 21 August 2005, Lasang Pinoy (LP) was launched to coincide with Ninoy Aquino Day.