#I also want puto (the filipino kind)

[stellamancer]

I desire a warm pastry. I think it would do me good.

[kairiscorner]

ok, i'll be out with it, ako'y isang pinoy RRRGHHHHH tagalog is so fucking hard, help so i kinda had an idea to cope with my shitty filipino exam scores:

(also i'm sorry for the crappy spanish, please correct me on it if you'd like!)

miles morales x filipino reader

YOU WOULD MAKE HIM LISTEN TO IV OF SPADES, THEIR SHIT IS FUCKING FIRE, your songs with him are "mundo" and "come inside of my heart"

miles would sing "come inside of my heart" out loud when he's listening to it on his headphones, especially when he's alone in his room, it's in his playlist now bc of you.

YOU'D MAKE HIM LISTEN TO ERASERHEADS, you probably knew them bc of your parents, your favorite song to listen to with him is "ang huling el bimbo" (umiyak ng malala)

and ben & ben........ ARAW-ARAW IS Y'ALL'S SONG, CHANGE MY MIND

if you're like me, you have no two braincells that understand how to use tagalog or use its tenses properly, but you aren't used to using fluid english that well, so you speak taglish.

being part puerto rican and learning some spanish from his mom, i think you and miles would understand each other a little when using tagalog or spanish.

you both fear the slipper.

when you first met his parents, JUSME, THEY LOVED YOU.

they didn't understand at first what the "mano po" meant, but you explained it was a sign to accept blessings from your elders, and you always called them "tita" and "tito", which rio LOVED OMG.

"Entonces, ¿cuándo vas a invitarlos a una cita? (so, when are you going to ask them out on a date?) " rio would always ask miles this when you were around, and he'd be choking on air or clearing his throat and just laugh it off.

when you offered them rice cakes once, rio asked what they were called, and she almost choked when you said "ah, puto po"

"¿ESTO SE LLAMA COMO? (THIS IS WHAT?)"

jeff wanted more puto, but rio'd pinch his ear when he'd say "puto", she knows it's the name, but she feels kinda weird about it. she accepted it, but still sometimes cringes at the name (I'M SORRY, THAT'S THE NAME)

NOW IF IT WERE YOUR PARENTS (basing off my experience as a filipino so sorry if it's not like yours :'>) THEY'D BE TEASING YOU ABOUT HIM ALL THE DAMN TIME

"ano, jowa mo na ba siya? or ano..."

"nako, ikaw ha, mag-aral ka muna bago ka makipagjowa sa morales na yan"

"aalis ka? sino kasama mo? wala ba doon si morales? ay nandoon, edi sasamahan kita nak."

your parents wouldn't really have a problem with miles, they'd think he's a nice kid, they'd just watch your every move with him as long as he's in your house.

also, i think, you would teach him swear words in tagalog :>

you'd troll him to say "putangina mo" (now don't say this non-filipino readers <333) means "have a good morning"

he tried it on your parents

yeah they didn't like him after that, until you cleared it up and got reprimanded for teaching him the wrong stuff TT

either way, miles would love to learn more about your culture as a filipino, he thinks it's super interesting. you made him want to revisit his puerto rican roots and learn some more spanish when he realized some words you taught him (including the swears) were similar to words in tagalog.

you also wanted to learn a lot more about him, his family, and his roots--so you two kind of exchanged cultures to better understand each other <:)

[cheerstotheelites-if]

Filipino desserts the ROs would like and recommend to MC?

As always, food pictures under the cut in order of RO.

Weylyn: Banana cue. You heard that right. We BBQ-ing bananas, but don't worry they're caramelized in brown sugar. The bananas are thicker, since they're the saba kind (short, thicker and more sour bananas that are usually used for this). It's a streetfood and snack, but hey, my man likes the sweet and sour contrast with the cronch from the sugar.

Fleur: Maja Blanca (Coconut Pudding). Never a huge fan of sweet desserts, Maja Blanca just hits the right spot for her. It's coconut pudding that has corn kernels in it and toasted coconut bits ontop. Good stuff, especially served cold.

Zephyrine: Halo-halo (Mix²). It's in the name. One of the most famous Filipino desserts, and girlie likes all the variety and stuff you can put in there. Typically shaved ice with milk, then whatever toppings and fillings (beans, nata, jelly, ube ice cream/jam, leche flan etc.). Girly loves the variety.

Eliseo: Puto Bumbong. I know you Spanish readers know what "Puto" means, but hear me out. Often a holiday dessert, it's a steamed purple rice treat served with shaved coconut, butter, and sugar! It's simple, it's sweet and chewy (and also because it's the author's favorite dessert), and it's a comfort food to him.

Cooper: Taho. Tofu! Another streetfood or snack, but my boi loves the sweet syrup and small taro balls with the silky tofu. Can be served cold or hot, whatever is your preference, but Cooper will most likely tell you to eat it cold.

Ophelia: Buko pie. Coconut pie. What more can I say? Good stuff with creamy Buko filling and Buko shavings. Much recommend if you want a pie that isn't too sweet, nor too sour and has texture and bite.

[mrskodzuken]

Part 1 | Part 2

wc: 1398

tags/warnings: FLUFF, delicious Filipino food, Kenma being a flirt smh, YouTuber!Kenma, some choking (the sfw kind), Nekoma VBC + Akaashi as surprise guests.

note: my second entry for @lumpiang-toge’s “Piliin Mo Ang Pilipinas” Filo Server Collab Event. See end of post for additional notes.

Location: at Y/N's family's ancestral house, somewhere in the Philippines.

Time: around 2 pm, GMT+8/Philippine Standard Time

"Hello, homies, what's up? This is your favorite gamer cat boy, Kodzuken, speaking!"

Kenma starts his spiel in front of the camera that was perched atop a tripod; behind it several of your family relatives and some nosy neighbors are watching—gawking, more like it—the two of you shooting a food vlog for his YouTube channel.

"Please subscribe to my channel, hit the Notification Bell button to be updated with my upcoming streams and Like this video!"

"...aside from teaming up with Filipino clothing brand Pencilshoppe for their new summer fashion wear, I want to meet also my cutie Y/N's family—"

Camera cut over to your parents who are smiling on the sidelines, your tatay (father) waving lol

"—and say hello to my beautiful and lovely wife-to-be, Y/N-chan~" he looks at you, his golden cat-like eyes softly smiling, his hand grabbing yours as you come closer to him, blushing.

"Kenmaaaaa—!! Stop it, it's so embarrassing…”

Notice a few single ladies gasping, sobbing and fainting on the spot behind the camera as Kenma cutely kissed the back of your hand.

"So, Y/N, what are we doing today?"

You show him your cocky smile and, doing a That's My Boy pose (hand pointing like a gun) at the camera, wink.

"Well, we're doing some food tasting, featuring some of the Filipino foods I've grown up eating during my childhood, since a lot of you guys requested that Kodzuken’d try eating Filipino cuisine."

Kenma eyes a smorgasbord of food beside you, his eyebrow twitching a bit at the unfamiliarity. He spots some eggs; maybe they're hard-boiled, he hopes.

"W-well, that's a lot to dig in, Y/N... think we could finish them all?"

You chuckle a bit. "Of course not, silly! We're not trying to eat them all. Just a small portion of each!"

He sighs in relief. "Thank goodness~ I thought you're trying to kill me by feeding me with so much food. Maybe you should invite Kuro or Bokuto-san instead, kitten," he lamely jokes, while you shake your head hopelessly. "Okay, shall we start?"

You shuffle your notes written in the 1/8 index cards you're holding and read the first comment.

"From UN (username) lovely wind: 'Hi Kodzuken I'm a big fan of yours from the Philippines!! And I'm really thrilled that you're coming here!! EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE-‘" Kenma's turn to chuckle as he finds your reading the comment amusing and cute.

"’-please try lumpiang shanghai and some cuchinta with lots of grated coconut! They're really delicious! Puto bumbong also, but it isn't Ber months yet :( Hope you'll like them~ btw, Kuya Kodzuken, why are you sooooo cute~!? Grrrrrrrr can I kiss you on the cheeks please? Wag po sana kayong magselos (Please don't get jealous), Ate Y/N huhu love you both! Heart heart!!’"

Your boyfriend's eyes get a bit wider hearing the last part, his cheeks showing some red.

"Um, w-wow... you find me cute, lovely wind? Thanks~ and yes you may kiss me on the cheeks."

He smiles, but suddenly pouts a bit, raising one brow knowingly.

"But how can you kiss me on the cheeks when you’re nowhere to be found? Hm?"

What a flirt, you think to yourself while staring at him. "Kenma babe, you... ugh~ I'll do it! For lovely wind!”

You scoot over your seat beside Kenma, a few female neighbors squealing in the background, and lean forward towards him, eyes closed, your lips pursed and ready to kiss his cheek.

Only for Kenma to turn his head in your direction and catch your lips with his, sealing with a kiss.

Galawang Hokage. Galawang Kodzuken 😎

There's an uproar behind the camera.

You try to hide your flustered face on cam and on your Puddinghead’s observant eyes, resting your head on Kenma’s shoulder.

“I hate you, kitten…”

“I love you too~”

Fast forward a few moments—

“Itadakimasu~!”

You place some plates on the table in front of the both of you.

“This is called lumpiang shanghai.” You point at the stack of fried and golden-brown-colored stacks of log-like rolls on your right.

“Lumpiang shanghai, sometimes called Shanghai rolls, is a Filipino deep-fried appetizer consisting of a mixture of giniling (ground meat) and minced vegetables, wrapped in a thin egg or rice flour crêpe and shaped into logs. These are usually partnered with a banana ketchup dip and always served during special occasions like birthdays and fiestas.”

“And this,” you motion to a plate of grated coconut-dusted, orangey-brown cup-like circles on your left, “is called puto cuchinta, or simply cuchinta.”

“It is a type of steamed rice cake made from a mixture of tapioca or rice flour, brown sugar and lye, enhanced with yellow food coloring or annatto extract, and steamed in small ramekins or plastic molders. These are best served as an afternoon snack or merienda, topped with freshly grated mature coconut meat.”

“Ano, which one do you want to try first, kitten?”

“The cu...chinta one, please.”

You smile at him, before you fork a piece and hover it in front of Kenma’s curious face, your other hand cupping below just in case it might fall from the fork. “Here, kitten, say ‘ahh~’“

He tucks some of his long ombre hair on his ear and leans a bit forward, opening his mouth—”Ahh~”—and chomps on the cuchinta.

You also take a small bite on another piece, chewing on the soft and chewy rice cake slowly before swallowing. “So, how was the taste?”

Kenma swallows the cuchinta inside his mouth, his eyes on the plate of lumpiang shanghai in front of him, thinking about something.

“Chewy, a bit sweet though, but simple compared to what I used to eat back home.”

“Hmm... yeah, you’re right. But eating these kinda reminds me of my childhood years, when me and my siblings waited for the roving kakanin vendor to cross in front of our house and buy cuchinta at a cheap price. Ahh~ brings back memories...”

Kenma rests his hand beneath his chin and looks admiringly at you, grinning. “Mhmm... I wonder if you looked cute as a child?” He then turns to ask your parents if they still keep some pictures of you as a child.

“KYANMAAAAA-!!!”

Fast forward to a few minutes again-

“Y/N, let’s play the Pocky game with these Shanghai rolls!”

Blush creeps again on your face as you suddenly choke on your water. “W-what!?”

There goes that smile again. He picks up a roll and waves it gently. “Since these rolls are of the same length as that of a Pocky stick, let’s do this, kitten~”

“No, Kenma, don’t play with your food, please! And they’re big, too! We might choke on them,” you mumble.

Your boyfriend pouts at your response. “Ehhh~ that’s a bummer. Well then, I’ll choose some girl from the audience to pla-”

“FINE, I’LL DO IT!”

“Sure you’ll do~” Kenma then hovers one end of the lumpia roll near your lips while looking you in the eye. “Now, be a good girl, open your mouth and say, ‘Ahh~’“

A vein twitch on your forehead. "A-ahh..." You oblige while he puts one end of the roll past your lips, smiling devilishly. Kenma then leans a bit and says, “Itadakimasu~ ❤︎,” before biting the other end.

I swear to the gods, when we fly back home to Japan, makikita mo (you'll see), Kozume Kenma!

Bonus:

Seeing the famous Japanese YouTuber Kodzuken choke a bit while doing the Pocky Game with his Filipino girlfriend using lumpiang shanghai instead of the usual Pocky is a sight to behold amongst his friends and former Nekoma VBC alumni, along with his manager Akaashi Keiji.

They make a surprise visit one Saturday afternoon (about a week after both of you came back from the trip) at your and Kenma’s shared house, armed with cans of beer and some food, while you, as your boyfriend’s video editor, are busy editing the clips you filmed during your trip to the Philippines. And what a nice timing, for they see how Kenma slightly gagged on that blasted Shanghai roll.

There are a myriad of reactions, ranging from wailing (Yamamoto, as usual) to embarrassed (Akaashi and some of the former first-year Cats) to laughing like a hyena (Kuroo, period.)

.

.

“Stop laughing, Kuro.”

DO NOT REPOST/EDIT WITHOUT PERMISSION. PLAGIARISM IS A CRIME, KIDS. LIKES ESPECIALLY REBLOGS ARE HIGHLY APPRECIATED. ALL WORKS © MadKittyBlossom - 2021.

author’s notes: we all know that Kenma having a low appetite is Haikyuu canon. And I’m here to shove feed food to him, whether he likes it or not. This is kinda revamp(?) of the fic drabble wip I’ve planned on doing, that involves him eating frog meat for the first time, but in a food vlog drabble setup. Ish. Hope Kitten doesn’t have any food allergies or something ^^;; Also I borrowed the idea of Akaashi being Kenma’s manager from @/cozy-neko and their Kenma series fic, “The Cherry On Top”; please read it it’s *chefs kiss* 😚

additional notes: these are what lumpiang shanghai (left) and puto cuchinta (right) looked like—

special thanks to: my lovely and wonderful moots @lumpiang-toge @love-amihan @keiyoomi @antisocia1-butterfly @mariyeahh @mxtcha-tea @haikyutiehoe for beta-reading the first part; also thanks for your pa-shout out + suggestion @love-amihan (UN: lovely wind) 😘 *HEADPATS + HUGS + KISSES TO Y’ALL ♥️ *

[themagical1sa]

…so, you’re a Filipino transfer student at U.A.?

Well, I hope you’re ready for what you are about to face in U.A. Japan is a completely different place from your home country, the Philippines, so you may expect a big cultural difference between your people and Japanese people.  Japanese people are often known to be kind as long as you respect their traditions and culture in general... so you should be fine.

Anyway, you have been recommended into the school for your commendable hard work, resilience, and strength; then again, you’re a determined Filipino after all. You have the same start line as Shoto Todoroki and Momo Yaoyorozu! :D

Alright, with that said… what’s it really like?

Oh, the first time you appeared?

Everyone was in shock.

I mean, it’s not like they were expecting a foreign transfer student to be part of their class!!

Mina Ashido is definitely the first person who wants to be your friend. She’s not only intrigued by where you come from, she also wants to get to know you better as, well, you!

Izuku Midoriya had a lot of questions for you. What was the Philippines like? How did you survive tropical storms? Why did you move to Japan?

He’s a little overboard sometimes about it and he’s always apologizing profusely over it. He’s just a Very Curious Bean by default 😅

Denki Kaminari totally flirts with you. A lot. He’s attracted by your beauty as a dalagang Pilipina (Filipino maiden). He can’t help it.

oh Lord I can imagine him saying something along the lines of “if it’s true that the Philippines is the Pearl of the Orient, and you’re from the Philippines… then you’re a precious pearl yourself!”

watch him accumulate pick-up lines for you

bonus points when he starts learning the Filipino pick-up lines for you 🙈 man’s whipped. A for effort

If we’re going with the idea of Hanta Sero being part Latino… then alright! You two are the Hispanic kids of the class now.

[ok but like here’s the thing: Filipinos are Asians + Pacific Islanders + Hispanic so ??? wack]

[ANYWAY]

overall it’s actually super fun!! they love you anyway ����❤💛🤍

you make the class Pastillas de Leche sometimes. they love it. Rikido Sato asks you about how to make it at some point. you both end up making sweets from your home together.

You and Rikido make puto/rice cakes together! You both are always putting a new twist to them and the class absolutely love your baker dynamic

to come to think of it, some of our desserts are made of rice — that’s exactly why they’re called kakanin, from the Filipino word for rice, kanin.

yeah I guess ang Pilipino ay kanin (a Filipino is rice) LMAO

you usually make your personal favorite kakanin with Rikido Sato and he picks up some things out of what you make in his baking, actually

one time he made up his own spin of kakanin and it was... actually impressive!

hm. speaking of cooking

we know how Katsuki Bakugo cooks sometimes, right...?

he catches you in the middle of cooking Afritada once and he...

...he was shocked you can even cook, actually HAHA

I guess you can say he was intrigued. He’s never seen Filipino food before so watching you make Afritada was An Experience™

it takes some time until he starts helping you out HAHA

overall... it’s all good with Class 1-A! you can definitely enjoy your time in U.A. with them :D

Post-Script ———

Hello! This was originally uploaded on the 12th of November 2020, two months before Nakakagigil ka! was first uploaded. This was written during a time when I was struggling to write the aforementioned fanfic and my brain absolutely refused to write with me. I had other ideas like this going on so I had to write this one down before my brain could torture me into it haha

Anyway! With that said, I’ve made some revisions and additions from the original upload. I will admit that there were some things that were not worded well so I fixed them here.

Thank you for reading! I hope you enjoyed reading this 💕

[amajikilvr]

warm aromas - tamaki amajiki

word count 1.9k

reader type filipino , gender-neutral

premise tamaki gets a taste of your cultural during a first date

For the record, you weren’t terribly nervous about this date. At least not any type of uneasiness worth noting. It was a fluttery kind of anticipation that shot your butterfly-filled stomach into your chest, all the way up your throat, and then finally falling back down before repeating and repeating. More than anything else, you were excited.

It was just Amajiki, after all. Well, he wasn’t just anything. Amajiki was a beautiful kaleidoscope of oddities that you had yet to have the pleasure of discovering. For now, you simply knew him as the tender boy in your class with immense talent and heart.

You considered him a great friend and had been willing to take a leap of faith in an effort to pursue something more. And it seemed like your bravery was paying off so far.

Walking into the warmly lit restaurant, you took a deep breath of the aromatic atmosphere and felt your heart jump and shake as Amajiki’s sweet face came to mind. You couldn’t see yourself ever forgetting the way his complexion had brightly glowed like the surface of a fresh cherry when you asked him out after class.

The familiar older woman working at the front waved and greeted you by name and you did the same with a notable extra twirl in your step. She raised an eyebrow at you, aged forehead wrinkling in amusement.

Needless to say, not even a sudden run-in with your worst enemy would’ve been able to take your good mood down a single notch.

And there he was, already sitting at a back booth that was tucked away and hidden from the majority of fellow patrons, which didn’t surprise you in the slightest.

You grinned and held back a squeal as you plopped down in the seat across from him. “Hi! Hope I didn’t make you wait too long.”

Amajiki immediately shook his head, indigo tufts of hair bouncing comically. You wanted to just reach out and ruffle them.

“Y/L/N! You didn’t! I was just early, sorry. I was so worried about making you wait for me. Sorry.”

“Aw, that was sweet of you, Tamaki.” You watched his cheeks flush at the use of his given name. Hesitantly, you let your hand hover over his. “Can I?”

“O-oh, yeah.” His face went pale before gradually going an even darker shade of red crimson.

You leaned forward and gently grabbed his hand, a little shocked to feel it trembling. “I’m really happy to be here, you know. Especially since it’s with you.”

Amajiki gulped before taking a long steady breath. His lips curved into a small smile as he made tentative eye contact with you for the first time.

“Me too… Y/N.”

“So, have you ever tried Filipino food before?” You asked after a moment of comfortable silence between you two, still relishing the feeling of his hand in yours. “Hado-san told me you were an adventurous eater…”

“I guess I am. My quirk kinda relies on a diet with plenty of variety. I’ve grown to really enjoy trying different kinds of food, practicality aside.” He paused, clearing his throat, and glancing away. “No Filipino food yet, though.”

“Well,” You gave his hand an experimental squeeze. Amajiki’s breathing went shaky in response, but he squeezed back. “I think you’re really going to like it.”

You’d discovered this restaurant after searching the Internet for somewhere in this city that served authentic Filipino cuisine. Finally, you found this nice family-owned place with delicious food, albeit you still preferred your mother’s cooking, but that was a given.

“Then I’m excited.” Amajiki gave you another wobbly smile. “Not that I wasn’t excited before. I was up all night thinking a… Oh, that’s embarrassing…”

You laughed softly, not at him, but hoping to reassure him. “No, that’s actually cute.”

Tamaki’s eyes went wide and instead of the blush returning, he went as white as a bedsheet. “Oh god… I’m sorry, I’m just so embarrassed. Y/N… Sorry…”

He covered his face with his free hand which was shaking significantly more by now. You were slightly concerned he might get up and run for the nearest corner.

“Tamaki, it’s okay.” You wanted to give him a quick kiss on the cheek, but you settled for squeezing his hand some more in hopes of not further overwhelming him. “It’s all good, don’t worry. I really like you.”

He opened his mouth as if to respond, but was interrupted by the arrival of the waiter who you had already grown quite friendly with over the years. You made a bit of small talk before ordering several classic dishes for Amajiki and you to sample together.

“Y/N,” Amajiki spoke up once you two were alone again. Thankfully, he had time to recover while you ordered and color had returned to his face as a result. “Can I ask you something?”

“Of course.”

“What is it about me that you like?” The last part was practically whispered and you had to guess whether you heard him correctly. “I just didn’t expect any of this is all…”

You tilted your head, smiling at Amajiki as you looked over his face carefully. He was beautiful on the outside too. His jawline was sharp and prominent, skin clear and soft-looking, and his eyes were sparkling and expressive. You could never get over the color, a startlingly deep shade that was only missing a background of stars and planets.

“Well, firstly, I think you’re very attractive.” You watched Amajiki choke on the sip of water he’d taken. He coughed a few times before silently blinking at you and you took it as a sign to continue. “You’re just so vibrant. When you’re using your quirk, you light up the whole room. You do without it too. And watching you work so hard and improve this year has been amazing. You inspire me without even trying and I couldn’t be more thankful for it.”

Amajiki made a small gasping noise, borderline a squeak, before squeezing his pretty eyes shut. He took a couple of deep breaths before sighing heavily. “T-that’s… Wow… Y/N, thank you. Thank you so much.”

He kept his eyes closed as he finished, blushing immensely again. “I think you’re beautiful… And smart. And kind. And… Oh my god, sorry, I might need a minute to just-”

“Tamaki.” You nervously brought your hand to his face and cupped his cheek. It was incredibly warm. “Is this okay?”

The response was shockingly quick. “Y-yes.”

You took another huge risk and just hoped it would pay off in the end. “Can I kiss you?”

A pregnant pause this time. Your heart was working overtime and you swore you could hear it pounding from inside your chest. Amajiki was quivering ever so slightly under your touch. You shouldn’t have asked, it was probably too much happening too fast.

“It’s okay if you don’t-”

Amajiki cut you off almost frantically. “No! I mean, yes, you can. Please…”

You gathered yourself and leaned even further across the table. First, you planted a chaste and sweet kiss on his other cheek. Going for his lips took more courage, but you did it. This kiss was longer than the other, but not by much. You didn’t care. As it turns out, Amajiki’s lips were as soft as they looked.

“Was that fine?” You asked, concerned when he still wasn’t opening his eyes. You felt a bit jittery yourself from that kiss.

They flew open at your voice. “It was great, I just need to go…”

He made a weak outward gesture and you gave him a comforting smile. You understood without him having to say it. He just needed a moment to himself after all of that.

“The washroom’s over there.”

Amajiki stood up, his hand coming loose from yours and your other hand falling from his hot face. “Thank you. I really did enjoy that, I just need a minute. Sorry, this is so rude of me…”

You shook your head sharply. “I don’t think that. Go ahead, take your time. I get it. I really do.”

“All that matters is that you feel comfortable.”

“Okay. Thank you.” He seemed relieved as he stared at you, actually gazing into your eyes, before rushing off towards the door you had pointed out to him.

Now alone, you smiled to yourself and placed a finger to your lips, still shell-shocked by the turn of events. You had actually kissed Amajiki and it was everything you’d imagined and more. Things couldn’t be going better and you two hadn’t even ate yet!

It wasn’t too long before your order arrived and Amajiki returned nearly back-to-back.

“Perfect timing,” You greeted him and took note of how he was no longer shaking like a leaf. “I might’ve gone overboard… don’t know if we’ll be able to finish all of this ourselves.”

“You’d be surprised by the size of the meals at Fat’s agency.” Amajiki chuckled as he took in the plates of steaming food laid out before you two. “What should I try first?”

You feigned being deep in thought before grinning. “Hm, just pick whatever.”

He reached for the platter of puto and you followed suit. They looked delicious, extra fluffy and topped off gooey cheese. Amajiki watched as you popped the entire thing in your mouth with zero reservation.

“They’re little steamed rice cakes.” You explained after swallowing.

Amajiki took a bite out of his and finished it soon after before grabbing another. “Mm, they’re very light. Do they always have cheese?”

“Depends, but a lot of the time, yeah.” You answered while helping yourself to a second of your own. “Hey, What could you manifest out of this?”

A mischievous twinkle flashed in Amajiki’s eyes as he raised a finger in a “wait a minute” fashion. You wanted to giggle at how his face scrunched up in concentration, but held back for his sake. After a short moment, a pair of small pale horns shot out from his purple hair.

You let out your laugh, nearly choking on puto in the process. “Nice!”

His cheeks were rosy as he scratched at the back of his neck. He looked focused once again before the horns seemed to be gone in the blink of an eye.

“Dairy products are always fun.” Amajiki stated while sipping his water. “I could’ve given myself two stomachs but I thought that was kinda gross…”

“Just a bit.” You agreed, laughing softly. “But also kinda cool.”

Next came the lumpia, a dish comparable to egg rolls. Amajiki seemed especially pleased as he took several bites out of one.

“Really good.” He confirmed with a nod. “Pork inside?”

“Yup.” You kicked him playfully under the table. “Think you could manifest one of those curly pigtails? Like in the cartoons?”

Amajiki froze like a statue midchew.

“Just kidding.” You reached over and gave his hand a quick squeeze. “Glad you like it.”

“I-I think I like you more, Y/N.”

The lunch date continued on. It was a quiet moment while you two were enjoying a hearty noodle dish when you were struck with a wave of warmth that filled you from head to toe. You felt so at home, sharing this piece of your culture with probably your favorite person ever.

Amajiki appeared utterly relaxed as he ate, cheeks tinted with a very soft pink. You noticed both of his pointy ears twitch a number of times and were puzzled before you remembered something Togata had said to you once.

“He’s done it ever since we were kids. When he’s really happy, his ears will do this twitch-thingy, but try not to point it out. He gets really embarrassed.”

It might have been the cutest sight you’d ever seen.

[haravath0t]

A Christmas Wish - Day 1

Pairing: Steve Rogers x Filipino!Reader

Warnings: fluff, an immense word count, a talk with the mom??

Hello, everyone! Finally, we have Day 1 of A Christmas Wish! I’m so happy I found a way to extend the Christmas Spirit well into the year through this request! We are uncovering a huge tradition that means a lot to me and my family as Filipinos! Many of the Filipino community are Christian/Catholic, so this particular tradition will be based on the Christian Christmas tradition for the sake of the plot and its personal meaning! I hope this is something that can be understood between author to reader! I promise, the religious aspect of this particular tradition will not be as emphasized as other parts of the culture that I will introduce! Happy readings my lovelies, and to all my Filipino readers, pasensya kung mali ng English translation ko. Ang hirap naman talaga mg translate eh 😅😅😅 huhuuuu

(italics indicate flashbacks! english translations are provided and the pictures of the foods are attached in the bottom!) 

You opened your eyes excitedly, a big smile forming on your face as you remembered a particular memory from yesterday that really made you so happy: 

You, Steve, and your family had finished putting your luggage in the trunk of the van, squeezing themselves in either of the two vans. The driver was now hours in on the road, the chaos had died down as your cousins who decided to join yours and Steve’s van were asleep. The city was long gone, as the buildings had now become hills and green fields, passing by small little towns and provinces. The once crowded and traffic highways turned into a wide empty road. 

Contrary to your cousins who fell back asleep, you were wide awake, not only from the jet lag, but also from your excitement. You were sitting in the middle of the back row of the van, earphones plugged in your ears, listening to the familiar tracks of OPM (Original Pinoy Music) and 70s/80s hits that you were familiar with from your karaoke nights with your parents. Steve was seated on the window (something you recommended him to do), looking as the green grass and hills passed by. Steve couldn’t help but smile, this was something that was so new to him, but it was something you saw as a reminder that you were actually back with your family, back in your roots, back home. It was simple. That’s what he liked most. 

“What do you think so far? We’re still a bit far from the hotel and their house, but we’re about more than halfway home,” you ask softly. Steve’s eyes left the window as he instead looks at your lovely sparkling eyes. He couldn’t help the smile that forms on his face as he easily recognizes the excitement on your face. “I already love it, doll. I really do. I can’t wait to have you and your family show us around.” He says softly yet with sincerity. You smiled excitedly and took an earbud out of your ear, kissing his cheek before you put the earbud in his ear, making him laugh. “Y/N, doll, what are you doing?” He asks softly as his eyebrows furrow. You giggle as you scroll through your list of songs that you had downloaded on your phone. “Oh, I figured… well.. If you want, we can listen to this playlist? We can try napping?” You offer, the excited smile turning in a shy one, tints of pink being apparent on your cheeks. Steve’s smile only grew as he kissed your forehead. “Yeah, I’d love that, sugar. What’s the type of music in this one?” He asks softly, securing the earbud into his ear further. “It has some Filipino music and some 70s and 80s songs that my parents love… I listened to them all the time growing up,” you reply with a smile, choosing the song “I Think I’m Falling in Love” by The Boyfriends, smiling as the familiar opening notes are being played into yours and Steve’s ear. Steve’s eyebrows raise in surprise when the music plays but smiles as he lets the tune settle into his ears. Steve subconsciously wraps his arm protectively around your body, “C’mon honey, get comfy, yeah?” You did not think twice as you lean against him, resting your head against the crook of his neck, a big smile on your face reappearing as his familiar scent fills your nostrils. A deep chuckle is felt underneath your body. “Feelin’ better?” He asks softly, resting his cheek against your head. “Mhm, much better.” You sigh happily, closing your eyes as you feel his fingers comb your hair. You smile as you drift off to sleep, hearing the lyrics “I think I’m falling in love, something’s telling me so”.

“You do realize wherever you’re goin’ I’m goin’ right?” He asks with a smile, as he swallows a piece of pandesal. “This is so good by the way,” he adds before you speak up. “I know, but this thing takes place at 4 AM in the Cathedral, Steve! That’s early! “Okay, but we go to different time zones for missions, sweetheart. This is not new, we’ll be fine, you know me,” he responds, chuckling, “besides, we can sleep in after everything.” “Fair point,” you giggle, finishing your milk and throwing the plastic cup away. You kiss Steve’s head and hug him from behind. “Well… I can’t thank you enough, honey. You are doing so much already. Thank you. My family likes you already, I’m sure” A comforting hand rubs your forearm up and down before a soft pair of lips meets the back of your hand. “I’d be very happy if your family does. Their opinion of us matters to me too.” “How’d you even know about us going to mass today?” “Your Tita Joy mentioned it actually last night over dinner, asked if we both were going to Simbang...Simbang Gabi?” Your heart leapt at the sound of Steve saying something in Tagalog, a giggle erupting from your lips. “Goodness, Steve, you’re so adorable. Come on, we gotta get ready if we’re going to the Cathedral by jeepney.” You say, kissing his head before you get your clothes from your suitcase to head to the bathroom. 

“Yes, ma’am,” he chuckles, playfully saluting you before he follows suit. 

Steve was quite happy he tagged along with you, for the town was wonderfully decorated with parols (Christmas lanterns) and a nativity scene in front of the Cathedral. Not only that, he loved seeing you focused throughout the service, watching as you were alongside your family and practicing your tradition. It was truly something beautiful to see in his eyes. 

Now, you and your family and Steve were outside of the Cathedral alongside other churchgoers, the town now starting to busy itself as the dawn arrives. There were now many food stalls outside, serving coffee and tea as well as wonderful foods to pair with the Christmas season. These included, bibingka, puto (rice cakes), suman, pandesal, and so much more. “Teka lang, Nanay, kukuha ako lang pagkain para sa atin lahat,” (hold on, mom, I’m just going to get some food for all of us) you say to your mom, her nodding in response. “Oh sige, anak. Sama mo ng Tatay mo! May pera s’ya!” (Alright, take your father with you! He has money!) She responds as you disappear in the crowd to get your guys’ share of good food. Steve only smiles at the interaction, watching as you go ahead with your father to one of the food stalls. “She’s like a kid, isn’t she?” Your mom says to Steve causing him to jump a little and only nod in response. “Yes, ma’am.” She playfully groans and waves her hand to him dismissively. “Oh, please you’re gonna call me ma’am? No, Tita will do for now,” She chuckles, making Steve relax in relief, not realizing his body had been tense. “Oh, Okay Tita.” She smiles and gives Steve a thumbs up and a nod of approval, which makes Steve smile. “You know, Steve, this whole Simbang Gabi thing is something she always has done since she was a girl. She loved it very much.” Steve smiles at this, imagining a younger you holding your parents’ hands as you make your way in the church. “It makes sense why she was up earlier than me during the Christmas season. I always wake up for a morning jog. I normally hear or see her out and about back home.” Your mom only chuckles, watching you and your father order some bibingka first. 

“Did she tell you what her motivation was as a kid?” She asks, seeing Steve shake his head. “No, I haven’t.” “Ahh, well, there’s this funny folk belief here, you see. If you attend all 9 masses, then you can make a wish and your wish will come true if that’s what God wills it to be.” Your mother explains, smiling when Steve has an “aha” moment and nods in understanding. “I think that’s beautiful,” he says, hands fumbling within the pockets of his jeans, eyes making contact with yours. He smiles even more when you show your beautiful smile before you go back to ordering from the stalls. “You really love my daughter, don’t you Steven?” She asls, looking up at the taller man. “With all of my heart, Tita,” he responds firmly and surely, which eases your mom. 

“That’s good to hear. I love the certainty. She deserves that much you know. She’s been through a lot. And… I can see the way you two look at each other. It makes me happy,” She says, sighing in content. “We’re glad to be able to have you celebrate with us. Goodness, I cannot even thank you enough for letting us fly over with you two.” “It’s not a problem, Tita,” He starts. “Family is important to Y/N, and I hope you know that she talks about you guys constantly. I can’t blame her, you all are very kind and lovely to me. It’s been a wish for her to come here for the holidays.” “Her wish, huh?” Your mom smiles. “Yes, Tita.” “What about you? You’re joining us in these, so do you have a wish?” Your mother presses on, burning through Steve’s eyes with her eye contact. Steve however, was blushing for different reasons. “I do, Tita. It’s ambitious, so let’s see.” “Well don’t be shy, tell me!” Your mom squeals excitedly, motioning to Steve to whisper it into her ear. And so he does, your mom is smiling bigger and bigger and bigger as she hears. 

“Oh, susmaryosep! (Jesus, Mary, and Joseph!) That’s a nice wish, very ambitious, I like it! I’m sure it will come true. I’m sure.” Your mom exclaims clapping her hands together in pure excitement.  “You...you think so?” Steve asks shyly, seeking for reassurance. “It’s a tough one, Tita. I’m sure you’ve heard the expression “a man out of time” being used on me. It’s a very tough thing to do, you know, to adjust to current events and current society.” He comments, scratching the back of his head. “And you are doing good, Steve. You’re an honest hardworking guy. I promise. I think when the time is right, you’ll get what you wish for.” “Well let’s see, Tita, let’s see.”

FOODS MENTIONED BELOW!!!

Pandesal (bread rolls)

Puto (rice cakes) 

Bibingka

Suman

Permanent Taglist: @world-of-aus @world-of-aus-reads​ @whew-oh-em-gee​ @tomholland-96​ @lordyitsjordy​ @letstalkaboutsebbaby​ @thee-soom-soom​ @lookiamtrying​ @vesper852​ @hailhydra920​ @buckybarnesthehotshot​ @heyiamthatbitch​​ @rodrikstark​​ 

A Christmas Wish Taglist: @faithtrustandrobbiekay​

(If you would like to be included in a tag list let me know via ask! ❤️☺️)

[asistioramon]

Lola Ising's Buko Pie: Buko you never forget

As before I would start this write-up I can say we Filipinos love to eat food and when it comes to the desert we wouldn’t let it slip away such as pastries from Cakes that make us crazy out there like with the Caramel Cake that comes out on every place, Cookies out of nowhere, not just kids who love them but also with every single people out there who still live young at heart and let’s not just forget from the Kakanin(or Rice Cake) that is popular within every Filipino, From Bibingka to Puto Bumbong, Sapin-Sapin to Biko, Nilopak to Maja Blanca, Kutsinta to Palitaw… name it and sure not just Filipinos but to people out there who love this kind of Food.

This food is one of the common pasalubong(souvenir) from simple tourist from attending to a retreat as you will ever see this one is a must-have before going home, names had established themselves quite a reputation that people comes back from their places over and over again that is surely because not just from the word of mouth but with how they made the taste differently from others as they’ve put their own signature to it.

What am I talking about? It is the famous “Buko Pie” that everyone loves and you can it have no matter how the way you want it like for breakfast, after eating lunch, meryenda commonly term as a snack that a part of everyday life of a Filipino or in any time you want. But I here got to learn of loving this food as soon as I got to taste it of my own like from having it on a common bakeshop to every food stall, there’s also a moment wherever and whenever I’m around at Binondo or nearly Divisoria that a lot of people used to go to it’s a stall that just doesn’t sell any buko pie but such buko products that you can take home the name of their store is “Buko Express”.

Recently while browsing on social media it isn’t so bad at all that what you can do the most is read with good articles and even got to hunt good things at a good price but there are times that you gotta check most especially as to how people gave it a rating and review about it, to what I got this week is with the food that I’m craving for, like for weeks it gave me the mindset of really trying it to find out for myself and that is the Lola Ising’s Buko Pie which I ordered their Buko Pie Supreme that in no time like 45mins I got it fresh hot in my hand.

Taking on the slice of Buko Pie as it is fresh hot on the table there are instances when you slice out of it the whole thing was so soft that just a thick move sure it would crumple up but that didn’t happen as I managed to get one for myself, as for the taste it is really good that wasn’t so sweet and people would love to have it like from the price range of their Buko Pie from the classic ones it got from 275 to 290 with such different variety of it and want more good as you get then you have it on the supreme side that doesn’t cost that far from the classic like from 320 to 330, not bad at all like you just add up 50 pesos more or less like from what you get on upgrading your meal on a fast-food chain but this one is a healthier one than the other.

Looking for this kind of food you can go at their

Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/LolaIsingsBukoPie

Instagram: @lolaisingsbukopie

From there you can find their contacts numbers as to how you can order their healthy and delicious

Buko Pie

This is Ramon Angelo and you witness one of my #Monbites

[solestarlet]

MUNDAY THINGS 

repost, don’t reblog!!

TAGGED BY: @jonesiisms ! 

BASICS:

name: bee ! 

pronouns: she / her / hers ! 

sexuality: uh ... am i supposed to know ? i guess i'm pretty pan, because i legit just love everyone and anyone. 

zodiac sign: gemini ! 

taken/single: in love with tom holland ? 

THREE FACTS:

⭐. one of my many claims to fame is that i auditioned for adrian r'mante ( the guy who plays esteban on suite life of zack and cody -- you know that guy ) the day after my senior prom. the monologue was about guitar hero ( lol ) and i honestly had the time of my life because they played the high school musical soundtrack in the waiting room ? didn't end up doing the program because, well, my parents, but... i got a picture with esteban, so everything's a - okay.  

⭐. i love rice ? i mean, that's no surprise because i'm filipino, but... rice based desserts, like biko and puto bumbong and mango sticky rice and that sort of thing... those are my most favorite things on the planet. i could eat them forever and ever and be perfectly satisfied -- too bad that they're so hard to come by in my neighborhood in new york !

⭐. explaining where i come from is really hard ? i was born and raised in hong kong for eighteen years, but my parents are both from the philippines too, and now i live ( and am very settled ) in new york, and i've spent a lot of time in northern california too... so, i kind of belong to all four places ? i'm a true third - culture kid. 

RP EXPERIENCE:

how long: oh, god, like... seven years now ? 

platforms used: tumblr only. i know, wow ! 

best experience: writing with amazing people ! and meeting really great friends. i actually met one of my best friends, kaela, right here on tumblr ! so, you never know ? i'm honestly really happy that i've found so many wonderful friends on tumblr. 

MUSES PREFERENCES:

female or male (or otherwise): I enjoy playing both, but in the past year or so, mj has been my main muse. i have played several males, though, especially in the broadway community ! 

multi or single: single, for sure ! my mind is too much of a mess to keep up with a multimuse blog, to be honest. 

WRITING PREFERENCES:

fluff, angst or smut: fluff and angst !! i mean, i like all three, for sure, but i don't have as much experience with smut 'cause i'm a real awkward turtle... but mj wants that lovin', y'know.  

plots or memes: i honestly love both ! plotting and yelling about headcanons is my favorite thing in the world, but i also just love getting lots of memes ? plus, memes are super fun !  

long/short term replies: long replies, for sure ! i'm all about writing a shitton. i mean, short replies are great too, and they definitely take less time, but... i kind of just tend to write... a lot.  

best time to write: whenever i have a moment to myself, honestly, usually with my headphones on and blaring either some random documentary or some broadway cast recordings, because... inspiration.   

are you like your muse(s): mj and i are similar in many ways -- i mean, we're both super into musical theatre, we're both ( at least, in my interpretation of mj ) filipina - american and very proud of it, we're both pretty feisty, we both have a lot to say. but, mj's definitely far more confident than me... she's willing to take more risks ;; she's unapologetically herself. she's a lot more daring. we've had very different lives and upbringings, too. so, it's interesting to play mj, because even though we have some similarities, because mj has a lot of qualities that i don't personally have, and that's kind of fascinating. 

TAGGING: @redheadarcher / @dislikespeople / @solehero / @soleheir / @fantcstic / @meeelike / @favdream / @queenmiko / @csborn / @trveheroine / @jewelthieved / @newjerseyshero / anybody who wants to, honestly ! 

[tiny-hansen-au]

(Cartun) there is a filipino song called ‘Titibo tibo’ by Moira Dela Torre, and I couldn’t resist to imagine Jared singing it to Evan. Also, do you know any kind of Filipino foods? I’ve been searching.

I just listened to it, it’s so cute!! Even if I don’t fully understand it lol i need to learn more Tagalog

AND I GOTCHU ON FOODS!! Most of these foods I usually only eat during parties and special occasions and whatnot, both in America and when I visit the Philippines, but I still love to eat them! 

Disclaimer: my mom absolutely refuses to teach me how to write Filipino or Bisaya, she thinks i should only know how to speak them, so @any actual Filipino speakers: forgive me if i spell something wrong

This isn’t Filipino only, but first off, we basically eat rice with everything. We’ll have it breakfast, lunch, and dinner, any time really. I like to eat it with eggs and ketchup in the morning tbh (This may not apply to every Filipino tho, this is based on my experiences and some jokes with family friends about being Filipino)

Very important imo: lumpia. Lumpia is basically an eggroll, and i LOVE it. It’s also the first food that runs out during parties which makes me v sad, but it’s super good so i dont blame people. There’s also puto, which i really dont know how to fully describe it. it’s sweet and squishy and it can be a bunch of colors from what i’ve seen. it’s yum.

there’s also pansit, which are these noodles with a bunch of vegetables in them and some meat, but it’s good! also!! spaghetti with cut up hot dogs instead of meatballs is a thing, and it’s super good! also in the Philippines, there are these hot dogs that are kind of different from American hot dogs, and i think they’re better tbh

during parties there’s also usually lechon, which is p much the same as the Hispanic/Latino dish (idk which culture it is, i only learned a couple years ago that there’s a Spanish speaking culture that also has lechon)

halo halo!! it’s like this…. ice cream smoothie thing??? idk how to actually describe it, it’s a dessert tho. also there’s ube flavored stuff!! raw ube isn’t that good by itself, but like, ube ice cream is amazing!! and ube flavored stuff is super yummy!!

this isn’t really eaten at parties (at least to parties i’ve been to) but adobo is also p good! my dad cooks it whenever he can!! there’s different kinds of adobo, but my dad mostly cooks chicken adobo, i can’t remember what other meats you can use for adobo, but yeah.

extra stuff: peanut kisses, boybawang(idk if i spelled that right), mango stuff bc Filipino mangoes are amazing

there’s a bunch more, but i either don’t know what it’s called (like i wanted to talk about this banana thing my mom makes sometimes, but i can’t remember what it’s called and she’s busy rn so i can’t ask her), i just haven’t tried it yet, or i just can’t remember it rn.

sorry for rambling lmao XD

[kairiscorner]

I sort of have an idea for an imagine. What about a Filipino!reader where she loves to eat and her favorite is puto(the spiders probably always see her eating). So one time somebody like Miguel asks her what she was eating and she says "puto" with a warm smile and all and then Miguel is just baffled 😨 (you add like the other spiders who understand spanish in the scene).

The thing is puto is literally a cuss word in Spanish-speaking countries. It can either mean a rude word for a coward, a prostitute, or a slur for a gay man. And puto in Filipino is just rice cakes 😋.

And so Miguel and the others thought you were cussing him when in reality you were painfully oblivious and unaware. And miscommunication and culture clash/shock.

Also, pasukan sa eskwelahan na naman 😭😭.

LOL HI POOOOOO, for real, nasa bakasyon mode pa me mgee, also omg that reminds me of the cute ass yt short i saw of a filipino mom teaching her kid about the dessert in front of her colombian dad LMAOOOOO i love it and I HOPE YOU LOVE THIS <333

(reblogs are greatly appreciated, it helps get my content out there! if you guys like what you see, please reblog it too <:D)

you said... what? — miguel o'hara x filipino!reader

you were happily snacking on your favorite childhood classic snack, a steamed plump rice cake that you bought from your home dimension before heading over to HQ. as you were just minding your own business, stuffing your face with the delightful treat, miguel had noticed you being at peace eating. he looked at the box of assorted colored rice cakes, some were white while others were purple, with some having bits of cheese on them.

"whaddya got there?" he asked as he looked at the rice cakes you had with you. you stopped biting into the food and looked up at miguel with a bright smile. "ah, my favorite dessert snack from back home in the philippines." you explained. miguel nodded as he looked at you. "what's it called?" "ah, puto." you answered him with a sweet smile, which starkly contrasted with miguel's contorted wince. "um... come again?" he asked you in a softer voice this time. "ah, i said it's called 'puto'." you repeated, but miguel staggered backwards a little as he was still in disbelief that he heard what he thought he heard. you handed him a piece, asking him to try it. "i love having some puto in my mouth, y'know? it fills me up just right after a long day." you said with a sigh of contentment as you dug into the rice cake again, smiling widely as miguel looked at the snack and back at you, unsure if he's comfortable with saying the snack's name.

he took a bite and could agree with you, the snack certainly was delicious... though the name kind of made miguel a little taken aback. he does respect that you and your people call it as it is, he'll just remind himself it isn't a dirty word, it's the name of this quaint little dessert that you loved dearly in this context. but if he's being honest right now, he doesn't wanna think at the moment, he just wants to savor the goodness of this snack you really love with you, regardless of what it was named.

[h-filia]

Pinoy Culture: Food (Ang Sarap!)

First of all Jollibae

Nah, there’s more to Filipino food than Jollibee (although you HAVE to try it that restaurant chain is BOMB). Actually, Filipino food is a whole palette of color and variety. Now you may think the typical “Asian” food would be noodles or spicy stuff and curry, and yes, we have those things. But personally, I think that Filipino cuisine is very different.

And we take pride in that, too. Honestly, I think we take our food way to seriously (I mean, refer to this gem I found while scrolling through the #aph philippines tag. Yeah.)

Street Food

Take a stroll through Manila and you’ll find vendors everywhere. Foods of all kinds, fresh from the grill and sold at about 90 pesos ($2 dollars at least.)

And if you ask me what I think is most recognizable as a street food I’d say sisig, which is basically pig’s head and liver sizzled and put on a stick (our version of barbecue I guess):

Don’t let that last part make you puke though, It’s pretty good actually! I mean if you really want to find something puke-worthy just try balut, cuz only the bravest of tourists have survived that notable street food. Very notorious.

Then there’s it’s more-or-less cousin food, Isaw, which is basically chicken or pork intestines (don’t worry it’s good and cleaned anyways.) 

If you like barbecue you should also try banana cue! It’s like barbecue but with bananas. Obviously. It’s deeo-fired banana slices topped with caramelized brown sugar, and it’s delicous.

National Dishes

I can talk to you all day about this topic (alas, I’ve grown up with these dishes!)

Because there’s no cooking like Filipino mom cooking, right?

Sinigang

This is a favorite amongst my little sisters (me not so much but this is very popular so). Sinigang is a famous soup dish with pork and water spinach. What makes it special, though, is its sourness. It gets its sour flavor from fruits like guava, tamarind, green mangoes, etc. A perfect family dinner.

Pancit

Pancit is not just famous in the Philippines, many foreigners enjoy it as well! Whenever a person asks me if I’m Filipino their next question is always “Do you know pancit?”

It’s a rice noodle dish, basically. After the Chinese introduced it we made it our own. The term “pancit” comes from   便 食, which means “convenient food” (I’m sorry if this translation is not correct DX !! This is what my sources mentioned.)

Pancit is a food you’d typically eat on birthdays. Tradition goes that eating noodles signifies good health and long life. 

Lumpia

Filipino spring rolls, yay! The main ingredients are pork, shrimp, and/or vegetables, wrapped in Lumpia paper. They’re especially good with Thai chili sauce.

Desserts

Halo-halo

You don’t have to look very far in the Filipino community to learn about halohalo. It’s fricking legend. And when I say legend, I mean - this is every Filipino’s CHILDHOOD. 

Halo-halo literally means “mix mix”, and, if you haven’t guessed, it’s a mix of ice cream (usually purple yam), beans, gelatin, evaporated milk, coconut, jack fruit, sweet bananas, caramel flan...the ingredients could go on.

It’s a fine melting pot of the cultures that have influenced the Philippines: the Chinese, Indian, Spanish, Malay, even American.

Puto

No, this isn’t a Spanish curse word. It’s a dessert. It’s a steamed rice cake usually served as a snack, or at times, a dessert. Some believe it has its origins in the Indian food puttu.

Buko Salad

Buko salad is a fruit salad with a Filipino twist. Instead of just regular fruit, young coconuts mixed with evaporated milk, heavy cream, and fruit cocktail are chilled and put in a bowl, then topped off with fresh fruit.

Conclusion:

While there are much more dishes I could’ve shared with you in this post, these are just a few handfuls I picked out that were notable and prevalent in Filipino cuisine. Thanks to many years of colonization and the ancestors that first made our dishes what they are, we now have a vast array of colorful foods to offer the world. 

-thanks for reading!

                   Corinne, hub ambassador to the Philippines

[purplesurveys]

703

What was the brand of your first ever cell phone? It was a Nokia. What are your 3 favorite internet sites? Mmm at the moment it would be Twitter, YouTube... and Twitter? Hahaha I don’t typically go on a bunch of sites these days.

Do you have a favorite pair of blue jeans? Describe them. Yeah my current favorite are my mom jeans. They’re high-waisted, fit but not skinny, they’re basically really comfy to wear and they go well with every top. What profession do you respect? All jobs are worthy of respect but at the moment I particularly admire the frontliners from doctors and nurses to grocery clerks to janitors. All fucking badass in their own ways. Have you ever been the recipient of a practical joke? Minor ones in the past. Was never a fan.

Have you ever ate something you've dropped on the floor, if so what? Yep. I always eat food I drop on the floor/ground but the one time it ended up being nasty for me was when I dropped a couple of siomai, picked them up and ate them, and they turned out to have a bit of gravel already D: Would you consider being an Uber driver if you needed to make extra money? Yeah why not? The job sounds pretty cool honestly. I’d love to earn money just by driving and still helping people in the process. How do you know when you're in love, what's the main sign? I stare. I do it secretly, but I still stare. That or I act increasingly aloof around them. Have you ever gotten anything autographed, if so by who & what was it? I didn’t watch them put an autograph on it but I’ve bought something that was personally signed at some point. I got a signed AJ Lee poster that was being sold on WWE Shop. Do you prefer Walmart or Target? I wouldn’t know which one is better or has more stuff. What do you long for? Restaurant food. Window shopping. Taking strolls at the mall. DRIVING. If you could be a personal assistant to anyone, who would it be? I wanna say Beyoncé but I feel like I’d just be intimidated by her? Lmao  so I’d go with Chrissy Teigen. I want someone who’s gonna be as clumsy as I am. What is the most important thing you can do to improve yourself? Go to a therapist or psychiatrist, for a start. What makes it hard for you to keep your focus? Usually it’s social media. When I’m working I always have to have Twitter and/or Facebook either open in existing tabs, or I open tabs to quickly check them every ten minutes or so and then close them. Do you think society has become too PC (politically correct)? Yeah but I honestly don’t mind it because it at least means people are taking steps in becoming more sensitive. What tragic love story do you relate to? I dunno, I haven’t had a tragic relationship experience myself. If anything though the plot of Hello Love Goodbye hits home quite hard. Has your intuition or "gut" served you well? Ugh, quite often. And it’s always my gut feeling for worst case scenarios that turn out to be true, which sucks even more. What's the longest you've ever waited in line for something and what was it? Driver’s license. Took seven hours lining up for the damn thing. Who is your favorite model? HAHAHAHAHAHA I always stay quiet about this cos she’s such an unpopular choice, but I really have a bias for Kendall Jenner byeeeeeeeeee. But Kiko Mizuhara is beautiful, too. What have you done that is out of character for you? Take up an externals VP position. I’ve never been the type, but I took on the job because no one else would take it and I didn’t want my org to die. Would you rather get a gift card or a gift that someone bought for you? Honestly it’s the thought that counts. If they believed I’d love a gift card to somewhere I like like a bookstore, I’d love it. If they bought me something they remembered me in, I’d love it just as much. Who is the most visionary person in your life & how do they inspire you? Gabie. She’s just so hardworking, so ambitious, she takes no shit and it’s all I want to see in people. How do you handle a betrayal? Cutting ties. What do you feel strong enough to protest about? The current administration in general, anything that aims to glorify the piece of shit that was Ferdinand Marcos, media censorship or journalist killings, any anti-poor policy. What's the biggest blooper you've never lived down? The one time we were playing Heads Up and instead of saying puto bumbong I said puto bimbing. It’s ALLLLLLLWAYS brought up to me at family reunions, and honestly it’s pretty damn funny so I laugh along with my relatives hahaha. I’m trying to think of an equivalent in English so you can understand how ridiculous it sounds in Filipino and it’s pretty much on the same tier as that viral post that talks about how they said “Are you fucking sorry?!” when they wanted to say “Are you okay?” but also “I’m fucking sorry” at the same time HAHAHAH If you owned a restaurant what kind of food do you want to serve? Probably Mexican or Tex-Mex comfort food. It seems to be a hit in Filipino markets and it has similar ingredients to our own food. What will we find if we look in the bottom of your closet today? A buuuunch of old books that were assigned readings to me in grade school and high school, children’s encyclopedias, some book series I’ve had since I was a kid, other lesser-known short novels. So books, basically. What kind of car did you learn how to drive on? In driving school I was taught in a sedan, but when I was done with the classes I practiced some more in my current car, a hatchback. What is the best thing you have done just because you were told you can't? Cutting class. Have you ever had to go to court or testify and if so what for? Nope. Do you believe in karma? Sure. Not in a religious way, but the idea that people who do shitty stuff have their ass handed back to them at some point in the future is a comforting thought. Are you more worried about doing things right, or doing the right thing? Doing the right thing, as someone who’s afraid of punishment or getting caught lmao. Do you believe in the term "Mother knows best?” Not always. My mom can be pretty tone-deaf about a number of stuff. Who is your favorite movie action hero? Not a fan of action and not a fan of superheroes. What is one thing you can get in your hometown you can't get elsewhere? My city always makes me feel nostalgic and getting to the top is always magical. I’ve never felt the same anywhere else. How important are looks in someone you're in a relationship with? Pretty important but it’s not everything. I had a crush on Gabie mainly because of her looks but I also considered dating Mike even though I didn’t find him good-looking, so it varies. What freedom do you feel is not really free anymore? LMAO going to the fucking washroom. I dunno the situation anywhere else but some high-end malls in Manila will CHARGE you ₱5 or ₱10 for going to their washrooms. Like what the fuck?????? It’s so ridiculously pretentious that I completely avoid those malls out of sheer annoyance. What are you most thankful for? It’s gonna sound so privileged but at this point I’m grateful I have a roof under my head, parents who can afford to feed us as many times in a day as we’d like, and a comfortable home. You have to understand how my country is very behind in terms of living conditions, so anyone living in a legit house who can eat 2-3 times a day and doesn’t even think about receiving relief goods is already insanely lucky. Do you have any favorite talk shows or talk radio programs without music? Not really. I do have a favorite radio show but they still play music in between. What was the last book you read? Fast Food Nation - had to read it for a class. What's your favorite online store? I think I’ve gotten most of my purchases from Lazada. What band would you love to tour with or be a roadie for? Paramore. What's your favorite non-alcoholic drink? Depends. I’m ok with water most days but when I wanna treat myself I go for a crazy sweet milkshake. How do you feel about thrift shops or flea markets? Cool! There are plenty hidden gems in those. What do you like to put gravy on? Rustic fried chicken. Have you ever gone canoeing/kayaking? Yeah, we canoed in Palawan. It was one of the most calming experiences ever and I’m really itching to do it again.

What one thing in particular makes you feel good about yourself? Right now it’s how great I look with bangs hahahahaha. I can’t believe I didn’t get these sooner. What is priceless to you? My 12 year old dog relearning how to go down the stairs. What do you wait for discount sales to buy? I don’t really pay attention to discounts. What is one thing you know about your family history you're proud of? How inclined most of my ancestors were towards history. The phrase “runs in the blood” has never felt truer.

What 3 songs will always be found at the top of your playlist? Pool by Paramore, From Eden by Hozier, and I Saw You In A Dream by The Japanese House. What is the craziest thing you've ever done for someone? Drive through punishing Metro Manila traffic to surprise my girlfriend for all of five minutes, then head to school for my class. Do you keep a budget? Nah. With my weekly allowance I just try to save as much as I can every week. If you could cast a spell on someone what spell would you cast and on who? Nothing evil. I just want my girlfriend to be appear beside me because I haven’t seen her in a month now. What makes you feel rested and refreshed? A nap? Because isn’t that what naps do? Lmao What is the funniest joke you have ever heard about? I’ve encountered funny ones but I can’t seem to think of any right now. Who depends on you the most? Idk, my parents probably. Could you ever be someone's bodyguard? Nah. Has one of your biggest fears come true? I don’t really have a fear that’s a scenario, so no. Is there anything about the opposite sex you just don't understand? Why they get so fragile when someone criticizes what’s wrong with some men. Have you ever let your mom or significant other fight a battle for you? I haven’t let Gabie do it for me but I’ve always considered the idea just in case something I’m involved with blows up too much. Did you create a checklist for your ideal spouse? Nah, it’s so unrealistic. If so, what were two things you wanted? Have you ever ridden on a subway or train and what did you like about it? I’ve ridden a train once. And it wasn’t even during rush hour so I didn’t get the authentic experience haha. It was cold in the train, not a lot of people in it, and I felt like a tourist the whole time. What song on your playlist gets played the most? I have multiple playlists and each have their most-played songs. Have you ever received a harsher punishment than you deserved? Hate punishments and always try to do the right thing to avoid them, so I can’t remember the last time I actually got punished. Do you prefer sporty or academic members of the opposite sex? Lmaoooo the usage of ‘members’ here is hilarious, like being a woman is being part of an organization sksk. I don’t mind what they’re into, as long as it’s not disturbing. Do you have to experience something to fully understand it? That’s what I prefer, personally. Has anyone in your family ever served in the military? Yeah my great-grandfather was a World War II general. What embarrasses you instantly? Slipping, falling, or tripping. Do you think you could be a firefighter, why/why not? It’s what I wanted to be growing up but nah I’m not fit for it. You have to have incredible strength to be a firefighter and I can barely lift anything heavy. I also have a low tolerance for pain/discomfort, so there’s that. Oh and the fact that I’m afraid of FIRE. Do you often read your horoscope? I never read about my horoscope. What current event are you tired of hearing about? I’m tired of our president calling for a stupid state of the nation address almost every fucking night at 10 PM that’s always filled with empty words and absolutely no concrete plans to address the virus. I can’t stress this enough - Y’ALL ARE INSANELY!!! LUCKY!!! WITH YOUR GOVERNMENTS!!!!!!!!! Are you a daredevil? Far from it. I prefer being a goody two shoes. What common pitfalls do you find yourself dealing with in your work life? Don’t have work yet. Are you related to anyone famous or historical, if so who? Yes for historical. I’ve already listed them down and what they did in old surveys; I don’t really wanna get into it again right now. Would you ever donate a kidney to anyone, and who? Yep. For best friends, close friends, and friends in desperate cases. How do you encourage yourself when you go through hard times? I think about how far I’ve come or how I’ve never failed anything I’ve had to face or come across. Have you ever fired a gun? Never. I really want to though! I’d love to go to a shooting range after the shitstorm that is this quarantine. How are you different from most people? I dunno. But don’t we have our own ways of being different? What is the main quality you think makes a great parent? Apologizing to your kids if you’re the one who’s wrong. What creature do you admire for its ability to adapt? Cockroaches, even though I think they’re pieces of shit and are ugly. Have you ever stayed up for an entire 24 hours, why? No, I wouldn’t dare. I get very cranky when I lack sleep, so I don’t wanna test my limits by going 24 hours without it. Who is a female role model in your life? Don’t really believe in role models but the closest thing I have as an inspiration is AJ Lee/April Mendez. What childhood dreams have you neglected? This sounds so tragic lmao but there are a couple I’ve had to come to terms with that they’re just not realistic, like being an astronaut or a vet. How often do you reevaluate your life? Not a lot; I don’t really focus on that because it would only make me anxious. What's your favorite place just to hang out? Skywalk, my org’s common area. What gives you a zest for life? Idk, good news? What three things do you think of most of each day? What I have to do for the day, making sure all the bullets in my to-do list are met, going home to my dog at the end of the day.   Would you travel to space if possible? For sure. Name a famous person you wouldn't mind for a business partner. Jay-Z.

[guitarsun40-blog]

Coconut Ube Rolls

Coconut Ube Rolls – give your morning a sweet Filipino twist! Breakfast buns and ube bread collide in vegan ube rolls filled with ube jam (purple yam jam)!

These rolls were four months in the making.

The idea started last November, just around the holidays. My coconut- and ube-obsessed children were chiming in their special requests for the holidays: sapin-sapin and puto, and spoonfuls of Ginataang Bilo-Bilo – all Filipino treats bursting with coconut and sticky rice.

My daughter, for whom the love for ube runs especially deep, asked if I could make ube bread, and I figured I could take it one step further and make ube rolls for Christmas morning. It sounded like the perfect idea!

But that never happened.

You know how it goes, time just gets in the way, and besides, the kids already have a teddy bear bread-baking tradition, so we kinda had Christmas morning covered. So I thought I would tackle it around the New Year.

And then that came and went.

Until recently. I have had ube in the freezer and a jar of ube halaya in the pantry, ready for when I finally had a free weekend. I thought time would be the greatest challenge, but actually, the challenge came when my husband decided to retry a vegan diet several weeks ago. I knew the kids would love whatever version of the rolls I made, but I know my hubby, who is missing the occasional treat, would appreciate if he could taste these coconut ube rolls, too.

The decision to make the ube rolls vegan was solidified when I opened the store-bought jar of ube halaya (which is decidedly not vegan) to find it had not been sealed properly and there was a ring of mold growing near the rim. I had to toss it and make my own – may as well make my own filling from scratch while the dough proofed.

It was a blessing in disguise! I made my own coconut ube filling, and unlike a traditional ube halaya, which takes perhaps triple the time, this filling came together in a snap, and I was able to control the sweetness to my liking (read: not too much at all).

These rolls are what I would consider a lightly sweet, hearty breakfast roll – if you’ve ever had sweet potato challah or sweet potato pancakes, you will love these purple yam rolls! Drizzled with a coconut glaze, it’s kind of hard to resist, and between you and me, making it vegan was a bonus, since it was a treat we could all enjoy!

What is Ube?

Ube (pronounced “oo-beh”) is a purple yam species in the Philippines, a tuberous root vegetable. Purple yam is used in Filipino sweets and desserts and can be found fresh, frozen and in powder form. You can even find ube extract! From ice cream to cakes, doughnuts and jam (ube halaya), ube is extremely versatile and gaining popularity in the United States.

Ube vs Taro vs Bene-Imo

Are ube, taro and bene-imo (Okinawan sweet potato) the same?

No.

Each one is different, although here in the US, they are often labeled interchangeably. Here are the key differences between ube, taro and bene-imo:

Ube is a purple yam most often used in the Philippines (and Hawaii) in desserts. Ube has purple to brownish skin and purple flesh. It’s often found frozen stateside, but either fresh or frozen grated ube is used in everything from ube halaya (ube jam) to sweet ube bread and ube ice cream!

Taro is a root vegetable (known as gabi in the Philippines), that is found in recipes all across Asia. You can find it as a flavor in boba milk tea, as a filling in taro buns, and more. Fresh taro has a brown outer layer, but the inside of the root is white or very light lavender, sometimes with streaks of purple. Food coloring is often used to enhance the hue.

Bene-imo is a purple Okinawan sweet potato, the peel can be white or brown, but the inside is a deep purple color. It is used in a wide variety of sweet and savory dishes in Japan and Hawaii — and perhaps the most popular of the three to adapt to American dishes such as sweet potato pie.

If you love cinnamon rolls, and have ever tried sweet potato cinnamon rolls, then these Coconut Ube Rolls are for you! Ube is a purple yam popular in desserts in the Philippines, and is the star of these sweet rolls, from the dough to filling. Not too sweet and perfect for breakfast, these simple rolls are also vegan!

Course Breakfast

Cuisine Filipino

Keyword baking, bread, breakfast, brunch, coconut, coconut milk, Filipino, merienda, Philippine cuisine, Philippines, purple yam, ube, vegan, vegetarian

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes

Rise Time 1 hour

Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes

Servings 12 rolls

Calories 284kcal

Author Liren Baker

For the dough:

1 cup light coconut milk

1/4 cup vegan butter

1 cup grated ube

3 cups all-purpose flour (plus more for dusting/kneading)

1/4 cup granulated sugar

2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast (1 package, 1/4-ounce)

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

olive oil (for brushing bowls/pans)

For the filling (see notes):

3/4 cup granulated sugar (to taste, add more if you prefer a sweeter filling)

3/4 cup light coconut milk

2 cups grated ube (purple yam)

For the glaze:

1-2 tablespoons coconut milk

1 1/2 - 2 cups powdered sugar

Prepare the dough:

In a small saucepan, heat the coconut milk and vegan butter over low heat until it begins to bubble and steam. Remove from heat and stir in the ube. 

In a large mixing bowl or the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, whisk together the flour, sugar, yeast, and salt. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and coconut milk mixture. Stir until well combined.

Place the dough on a lightly floured surface and knead by hand for about 5 minutes, or until the dough is smooth. If you are using an electric mixer, replace the attachment with a dough hook and allow the mixer to knead the dough until smooth, about 3 minutes. If you find that the dough is still sticky and wet, very gradually add a little more flour as you knead.

Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with a damp cloth or plastic wrap, and place in a warm spot to rise for about 1 hour.

Prepare the filling:

In a small saucepan, stir the sugar, coconut milk, and ube and bring to a boil over medium heat. Lower heat. Whisk constantly, until it is thick - this should take about 10 - 15 minutes. Use an immersion blender to smooth the ube. Remove from the heat, transfer to a bowl and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to cool completely. This can be prepared the night before.

Make the rolls:

When the dough has doubled in size, preheat the oven to 375°F.

Roll out the dough into a 12×16 inch rectangle. Spread the ube filling. Starting with the long side of the dough, roll it up and pinch the seams of the dough. Slice the dough into 12 pieces, about 1 inch wide. Place cut side up in an oiled dish.

Bake for about 25 minutes, or until the rolls are golden brown and fluffy.

While the rolls cool, make the glaze. Whisk in the powdered sugar in 1/2 cup increments into the coconut milk until smooth and you achieve your desired consistency, using a little more or less as necessary. Drizzle or spread over the warm (but not too warm!) rolls.

Enjoy while warm.

Frozen grated ube can be found in your local Asian market. This recipe, for both dough and filling, can be made with 1 16-ounce package. Be sure to thaw it in the refrigerator the night before you want to begin baking.

If you would rather not make the ube filling from scratch, substitute with ube jam (ube halaya) found in Asian markets. However, this product is not vegan.

The filling can be made several days in advance and stored in the refrigerator, making this even easier to make once you are ready to bake.

If you want to give your dough a more pronounced ube flavor, you can also add a few drops of ube extract, but it certainly is not necessary.

Calories: 284kcal | Carbohydrates: 52g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Sodium: 157mg | Potassium: 360mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 16g | Vitamin A: 4.6% | Vitamin C: 7.8% | Calcium: 1.1% | Iron: 9.7%

Source: https://kitchenconfidante.com/coconut-ube-rolls

[makinoemii]

Dauin: Masaplod Marine Sanctuary

Our supposed morning stroll for our last day in Dumaguete turn out to be more exciting compared the night trip we had. After we spent time at Dumaguete’s Painitan in the centre of their Market. My cousin, “Lloyd” we’re we stayed for a night, suggested that we will go Dauin’s Sanctuary.

Dumaguete’s Painitan; in the center of their public market.

Let me introduce Dumaguete’s worthy morning stroll for your light breakfast. Their painitan in English means “warm” or to keep you warm” was worthy for your time and budget. We Filipinos usually have a cup of coffee or “sikwate” (native hot chocolate) early in the morning and the most common tradition that we paire for coffee or sikwate is “puto maya” or sticky rice.

  I personally love putting the “sikwate” or native hot chocolate on top of my sticky rice every time I have it in the morning. What excites me about their sikwate it was different compare to what we have in Cebu. Their native hot chocolate was sticky and it was really like a real chocolate. They even have a caramel if you love to have too. Dumaguete’s Painitan was a bit long and their were several stalls that you can choose from. This is a must try if you visit when in Dumaguete. Their public’s already busy early in the morning. Different delicacies that you can also try aside from the popular sticky rice.

  After our delightful light breakfast, we went inside the market to buy some fresh seafoods and meat. My couzin even bought a flower that my friend hold on to while having our breakfast. Indeed, it was a wonderful morning to start with. My cousin’s wife cooked something for breakfast before we go to Dauin so that we’re all full to have fun in the beach.

Pretty advantage for me and my friend when we head down to Dauin’s sanctuary because my cousin has a motorcycle. From Bacong to Dauin it took us lessn than 30 minutes to arrived.

When we arrived, I was too enthusiastic when I saw Mt. Talinis from afar, my dream mountain to climb in Negros island region.

  If beaches in Cebu were white and fine, the sand in Dauin was pretty different. It was a black beauty fine sand. It has a long shoreline as we entered along the beach. And both us were very excited because there were beautiful spots that you can take pictures with.

Cant’ help myself suddenly I went to the sea and soak myself with madness.

When we stop in the middle of the shoreline, I decided to rent a snorkel and swim in the sea because facing in front of you is the sanctuary where you can see different kinds of sea creatures.

Damn, what I saw underwater was so amazing.

If you don’t have your own snorkel gears you can rent for only 100-150 depending which mini shop you will rent it. The place’s a public beach so you’ll probably have a good time and nothing to worry about not unless if you’re with group of friends or family because you really need to rent a cottage nearby.

While I was on the sea, I saw some foreigner’s diving and snorkeling. If you look at my cover photo for this blog, the small island you can spot on the right side is the “Apo island”. Where you can chase turtles and do scuba diving. In our case, we did not have enough budget to go to Apo island. Instead, after Dauin, we will go to some popular spots in Dumaguete which was located in the next suburb in “Valencia”.

#wanderlust

Before we left the place my companion took some photos and I’ve lost most of the photos that we had together. Now we’re so ready to explore the other place that worth your time if you visit Dumaguete.

We head down first @Pulang Bato (Red Rock) falls.

When we arrived the place was already filled with tourist. Entrance fee was P50 and you’re free to roam round the whole place. If your into photography, you really need to explore the whole place to find a good spots for taking photos.

We went up and found a good spot away from the crowd. Since we really wanted to enjoy the waterfalls we spent an hour in the whole place.

The unique blend of orange/red color of Pulang Bato (Red Rock) falls was due to its sulfur deposits. This waterfalls was located at the foot of Cuernos de Negros. Other spots like hot spring and sulfur vents were along the way if you visit Pulang bato falls.

Nature always makes me happy.

On our way back, we had our stop along the road to take some photos quickly because the smoke of sulfur vents not good for everyone.

We’re not that fortunate enough because there were lots of vehicle passing by.

Then we had another stop from this new hanging footbridge because it was pretty amazing when we saw it along our way.

First footbridge, that I stepped on. 

The right posture should look like this. The stream down the footbridge was not full  of water. We spent for about 10-15 minutes before we went back to the mainland.

Would you dare?

Spotted, is it Mt. Talinis or Mt. Nakulon? 

Cheers! See you in my next adventures. 

Our last night @Dumaguete, my summer buddy “Jaffa Marie” 🙂

P.S. This blog was super delayed because I’ve been through a lot of activities recently. And I’d really love to talk a lot of things however, I’m out of words this month. Thanks for dropping by. 🙂

  Crisp sparkle of the sea @Dauin, Negros Oriental Dauin: Masaplod Marine Sanctuary Our supposed morning stroll for our last day in Dumaguete turn out to be more exciting compared the night trip we had.

[thehungrykat1]

Kanyaman Filipino Food Festival at Novotel Manila

Novotel Manila Araneta Center is celebrating this month’s Philippine Independence Day with its KANYAMAN Filipino Food Festival at Food Exchange Manila, their all day dining restaurant. This two-week long fiesta is available from June 8 to June 22, 2017 and diners can savour a breathtaking buffet of Filipino and Kapampangan specialties courtesy of Celebrity Chef Sau del Rosario.

The Hungry Kat was invited to the opening program for the Kanyaman Filipino Food Festival last June 8, 2017 at Novotel Manila. Food Exchange Manila is becoming one of my favorite hotel buffet restaurants, especially with its central location in Quezon City and its relatively affordable rates. I had a wonderful summer staycation at Novotel Manila a few months ago (read about it here) so it’s great to be back at my new hideaway. Chef Sau del Rosario received his Culinary Arts training in France and has had numerous international exposure and accolades, so I was really excited to once again see what classic and creative Kapampangan dishes he has prepared for us that afternoon.

Kanyaman actually means delicious in the Pampanga dialect and Chef Sau del Rosario will be highlighting Filipino gustatory delights from his hometown and the culinary capital of the Philippines, Pampanga. Chef Sau operates two restaurants in Pampanga, namely, Cafe Fleur and 25 Seeds where he brings out his best creations and heirloom recipes from his mother’s kitchen. The Kanyaman Filipino Food Festival is a way to bring those Kapampangan dishes right here in Manila so that we do not have to drive all the way north to appreciate these delicacies.

Chef Sau’s Filipino dishes are spread all throughout the buffet area at Food Exchange Manila. While the other stations are still available (See previous blog here) like the Indian Station, Seafood Station and Japanese Station, I was really amazed with all the colorful dishes that were presented for the guests.

Starting at the appetizer station, I was immediately drawn to the Tamales Pampanguena which I encountered only for the first time. This is made of rice flour, anato seeds, and chicken powder with salted eggs and coconut cream. I like its soft texture similar to a creamy custard but oozing with Filipino flavors.

The Chicken Galentina was also a delight to the taste buds with its combination of chicken, sausage, chorizo, and spam with peas, eggs, and cheese. This is a dish that is popular at family gatherings during Christmas and holidays but any day is a good time to have it.

Other appetizers on the table included the (clockwise from top left) Ensaladang Talong, Pako Salad with prawns, watermelon and kesong puti, Kinilaw na Tanigue, and the Gambas with Shiitake.

This work of art is the Maya Maya Mayonesa with its steamed maya maya fish fillet, mayonnaise, eggs, pickles, and olives. I think I will feel guilty if I was the one to break up this dish.

Another interesting item is the Tinapa Mousse. This is made with tinapa, white wine, butter, and fresh dill and it really does taste like a tinapa fish. You can eat this with bread or just by itself.

The Kanyaman Filipino Food Festival also serves some very appetizing noodles at the Noodle Station including Pancit Malabon, Pancit Gisado, and Sotanghon which you can combine with different sauces like luglug, aligue and squid ink.

Food Exchange Manila’s huge brick oven is also hard at work during the food festival because it is offering a Sisig Pizza and even a Longganisa Pizza. These fusion pizza recipes will definitely stand out and are really quite a treat.

Pampanga is best known for its outstanding sisig so there is no question that the highlight of the Kanyaman Filipino Food Festival will be the Sisig with Foie Gras. Filipinos just love sisig, which Anthony Bourdain recently suggested would be the dish that will put the Philippines on the global foodie map. These savory pork cheeks are cooked with onions, chicken liver, and siling labuyo, but Chef Sau upgrades it further by topping it with a delectable seared foie gras. This is absolute indulgence.

Even the paella has been made into a Kapampangan delicacy as Chef Sau unveiled his Truffled Sisig Paella. This is a complete meal by itself with steaming hot paella rice topped with chunky bits of delicious sisig with hints of truffle oil. 

For the main dishes, guests can start with the familiar Kare Kare Macadamia which has pork belly in peanut butter and coconut cream sauces combined with truffle oil and macadamia nuts.

Other notable dishes include the (clockwise from top left) Beef Salpicao, Rellenong Bangus, Lamb Shank Kaldereta, and Seafood Pinakbet with loads of mussels, prawns, squid, and vegetables in bagoong.

One of my other favorites at the food festival was the Duck Adobo. Instead of the usual pork or chicken adobo, this one comes with duck cooked in vinegar, soy sauce, whole black peppers, bay leaves, garlic, onion and eggs. The duck intensifies the flavors of the adobo dish even further and I think I’m craving for this dish again right now.

In-between our rounds going through the buffet stations, Novotel Manila also showcased the creations of renowned fashion designer Philip Torres, who also hails from Angeles Pampanga, featuring his latest collection entitled “PIDAYIT” – a synthesis of homespun art and modern styles. These were presented by Binibining Pilipinas 2017 beauty titlists including 1st runner up Ms. Charmaine Elima, pictured below with Novotel Manila General Manager, Mr. Bernd Schneider and Philip Torres.

Now it’s time to head to the carving station where the roasted pork belly was just waiting to be conquered. Chef Sau gives us not just one, but Three Kinds of Roasted Pork Belly infused with Bringhe, Mangoes, and Chocolate with Cheese.

Each of the pork belly dishes had their own amazing qualities. I liked the pork belly with bringhe, a native Kapampangan paella dish infused inside the pork belly. But what really stood out was the pork belly with chocolate because I had never seen pork belly prepared like this. It might not be for everyone, but it is definitely unique.

They also offered the big Salted Crusted White Salmon with calamansi and coconut cream at the carving station.

Finally, another masterpiece would be the Prime Rib Bistek seasoned with soy sauce, calamansi and pepper. This Filipino version of the steak comes with even more salty flavors that we love. You can have it cooked at the grilling station according to your preferred doneness.

Aside from the highlighted Filipino dishes, Food Exchange Manila's buffet also features live cooking stations like the Chinese section with its piping hot noodles and soups plus the Grill Station where you can have your fresh seafood and meat grilled. Drinks are also included in the buffet and you can choose from among the different iced tea variants at the Beverage Station.

What’s a Filipino fiesta without dessert? Aside from the roving Sorbetes ice cream vendor with his taho cart, there are several other local desserts at the Dessert Station like hot-off-the-grill Bibingka, Puto Bumbong, Polvoron, Halo Halo, kakanin and others.

Perhaps the best dessert item you can find would be the Leche Flan Turon with Langka. The sweet and crispy turon wrapper gives way to an absolutely fantastic leche flan filling that will make you want to go back for another. Unfortunately, this was the last piece because everybody was raving about this dessert, so you better get yours quickly.

Novotel Manila has more good news because for a limited time only, Food Exchange Manila buffet rates for the Kanyaman Filipino Food Festival is only at P1,200 nett on weekdays (Monday to Thursday lunch and dinner / Friday lunch) and P1,600 nett during weekends (Friday dinner / Saturday and Sunday) from its original prices of P1,488 and P1,888, respectively. How many more reasons do you need? Make sure to call for reservations because I’m sure everybody will be heading to Novotel Manila in the next two weeks. See you there!

Food Exchange Manila at Novotel Manila

General Aguinaldo Avenue, Araneta Center, Quezon City

990-7888

www.novotel.com

www.facebook.com/NovotelManilaAranetaCenter