DINE Philippines seminar series at Zamboanga City

Celebrity chefs and food industry experts will share their insights on Filipino competitiveness, as reported by ABS-CBN.

(From left) Johnlu Koa, Adolf Aran, Amor Maclang, Homer Nievera and JJ Yulo at Davao's DINE seminar (via ABS-CBN)

In collaboration with the Zamboanga Chamber of Commerce and Industry Foundation and the Zamboanga State College of Marine Science and Technology, DINE Philippines expects more than 600 participants from food and hospitality business owners and executives to the academe... ABS-CBN

A Taste of Home: Filipino Food for Gilas Pilipinas in Miami

Filipino community in Miami treated Gilas Pilipinas with Filipino food plus unli-rice, reports GMA News.

Ask any Filipino abroad what he misses about home, and one of the first answers would most likely be: the food... GMA News

The Rise of Emperador "Brandy"

As of June 2014, Emperador captures 47.7 percent share of the market by volume according to a Malaya article.

Tanduay and Emperador (via Malaya)

About 20  years ago, Tanduay Rhum ruled the alcoholic drink markets of Visayas and Mindanao. Ginebra San Miguel was king of the gin market in Luzon. Beer demand was highly dependent on the price of copra in coconut regions. When prices of copra are high beer sales go up. Demand for cheaper gin takes the back seat... Malaya

A Kropek History

Kropek traditionally originated from Indonesia and Malaysia, according to this article from Pepper.ph.

Kropek origin (via Pepper.ph)

Although kropek is now a prized ingredient in the Asian fusion scene, it’s actually been around longer than even some of the most old-school Filipino dishes. Before the Spaniards arrived in the 16th century, Malay settlers from the neighboring islands washed up on our shores, and assimilated themselves into the local population. One of their chief contributions to pre-colonial society was the recipe for a light, fluffy cracker made with crushed shrimp heads and flour that was left to dry under the hot, tropical sun for maximum crispness... Pepper.ph

Filipino Food Truck at the Victoria Street Food Festival

Mama Rosie’s Food Truck serving lumpia and barbecue at the Victoria Street Food Festival as featured on Times Colonist. 

Mama Rosie's Pork Skewers (via Mama Rosie's Food Truck)

Sometimes Rosie Garcia finishes work at 11 p.m. Other times at 2 a.m. Sometimes she sits, or maybe she’ll stand. Hours go by. There’s no stopping once she starts making spring rolls for her Filipino food truck... Times Colonist

Filipino Food at SONA

Filipino food and pasta dishes will be served as refreshments to guests during the State of the Nation Address, reports ABS-CBN.

State of the Nation Address (via Wikipedia)

The Plaza will be the caterer again this year, and they are expected to serve various dishes of ham, pan de sal, kakanin, pancit, calamansi and dalandan juices... ABS-CBN

Universal Robina buys New Zealand food firm, Griffin's Foods Ltd

Universal Robina buys Griffin's Foods Ltd for $609 million, according to Reuters.

Universal Robina and Griffin's (via Rappler)

SYDNEY/MANILA, July 21 (Reuters) - Philippine snacks and beverage manufacturer Universal Robina Corp is buying New Zealand rival Griffin's Foods Ltd from Australia's Pacific Equity Partners (PEP) for NZ$700 million ($609 million), continuing a global rush to buy Australasian food companies... Reuters

San Francisco's Fil-Am Fiesta to spotlight Haiyan recovery during parade

This year's Pistahan Parade and Festival theme is “Viva Visayas,” as reported by the Philippine Daily Inquirer.

Pistahan Parade and Festival (via the Philippine Daily Inquirer)

SAN FRANCISCO, California – The popular Adobo Cookoff returns, along with the Balut-Eating Contest, Filipino cuisine and desserts, cultural exhibits and live performances on two stages will highlight the 21st Annual Pistahan Parade and Festival on Aug. 9-10, 2014 at the Yerba Buena Gardens on Mission and 4th Streets... Philippine Daily Inquirer

Filipino Food and Culture at Denver's Dragon Boat Festival

Art performances by Filipino artists and Filipino food are some of the main features of this year's festival, according to The Denver Post.

Dragon boat race (via The Denver Post)

Dragon boat racing is a sport that's 2,000 years old, and it's coming back to Denver at the annual Colorado Dragon Boat Festival July 19-20 at Sloan's Lake Park... The Denver Post

Of Ice Cream and Barquillos

"...barquillos and sorbetes are inseparable" - Jun Belen

Ice Cream and Barquillos (via Jun Belen)

When I was little, the old Magnolia Ice Cream House along Aurora Boulevard was, without a doubt, the happiest place on earth. No other place to my mind came close... Jun Belen

"Kulinarya: A Taste of Philippine Cuisine" at North Brooklyn

Filipino Chef Minnie Puno serves a modern take on Filipino cuisine according to Greenpoint Gazette.

Chef Minnie Puno (via Greenpoint Gazette)

Every two weeks or so a group of people gather in a tastefully decorated Williamsburg home to sample authentic, home-cooked meals mostly commonly consumed in the Philippines, but in true North Brooklyn fusion fashion, prepared with a twist – a Spanish twist at that, building on the colonial heritage of the nation on the South East Asian island nation... Greenpoint Gazette

Watch Americans Try Filipino Street Food

BuzzFeed staff samples turon, kwek kwek, fishballs, isaw and kikiam.

Most of the taste testers like kwek kwek and turon.

Chef Lau on starting small and understanding your market

Chef Lau attributes "passion, hard work, perseverance, use of technology and support of competent and credible people" to his success in restaurant business, as reported by the Business Mirror.

Chef Roland Laudico (via Business Mirror)

CHEF Roland Laudico, more popularly known as Chef Lau, is one of those culinary geniuses enjoying “rock star” status in the country... Business Mirror

Top chef at Harvard Faculty Club, Rolando Abaquin is from Bicol

He serves a current club favorite, "Makati Style Chicken Skewers," that uses banana ketchup as marinade, reports ABS-CBN.

Abaquin said that the faculty club serves other Filipino dishes, "We serve adobo. We also do noodles and lumpia, but we don't use much pork, we use chicken."... ABS-CBN

Chef Claude Tayag tries Cebu's latest food craze, tuslob buwa

Tuslob buwa's ingredients, as featured on the Philippine Star, include pusó, pig’s brain soup, chopped onion, mashed chicken liver and salted alamang, or shrimp paste.

Tuslob-Buwa (via The Philippine Star)

A designated “cook” heats up a small wok on a portable butane stove, pours a little oil from a squeeze bottle, then sautés the onion, adds the salted alamang and liver, and some soy sauce for good measure. The brain soup is then poured over the sizzling wok, made to simmer until the milky-white soup is reduced into a puddle of bubbling oil (buwa in Cebuano) with a creamy brown paste forming at the bottom... Philippine Star

The snails (taklong) sisig of Capiz

ABS-CBN features snails, locally known as taklong, made into sisig.

Snail Sisig (image capture via ABS-CBN)

Sisig is one of the most popular Filipino dishes, whether as appetizer for a night of drinking or the main course on the dinner table... ABS-CBN

Filipino Cuisine Showcased in Swiss Restaurant Buffet

Filipino dishes was featured on Swiss restaurant, Eicholz, last June 28 as reported by the Department of Foreign Affairs.

Philippine Independence Day - Switzerland (via the Department of Foreign Affairs)

A Swiss restaurant in Berne named Eicholz featured a Philippine buffet on June 28 to celebrate Philippine Independence Day. It was well received by both Bernese and Filipino guests.  The atmosphere was a Filipino fiesta with typical Filipino delicacies and desserts served to the delighted guests... Department of Foreign Affairs

Asian Food Channel Renews Cooking Competition

The second season will have 13 episodes according to TVASIAPAC.ws.

Amazing Food Challenge (via Asian Food Channel)

SINGAPORE: The Asian Food Channel (AFC) has ordered a second season of The Amazing Food Challenge: Fun in the Philippines after its successful first run earlier this year... TVASIAPAC.ws

The ritual of cooking rice

Jun Belen's on the ritual of cooking rice as published on his blog and on Business World.

Rice (via Business World)

The quiet click of the rice cooker is music to my ears. It is unassuming, almost unnoticeable unless, of course, you wait for the flip of the switch with steadfast anticipation, like I always do. The click heralds good news. It means the rice is ready. The meal can now commence. The meal is now complete... Business World

Paul Qui and Deana Saukam: The Creators Behind the Best New Restaurant in America Talk Travel

Andrew Harper staff interview Paul Qui and fiancee Deana Saukam.

Paul Qui and Deana Saukam (via Andrew Harper)

ANDREW HARPER STAFF (AHS): You were born in the Philippines but have spent most of your life here in the States. Where do you draw your inspiration from cuisine-wise and culture-wise?

PAUL QUI: Right now, I’m pulling a lot from my Filipino heritage. It’s something that I haven’t really tapped into in the past working at a Japanese restaurant. But it’s something that I’m really starting to dig into... Andrew Harper