Filipino Foodways

While lumpia and pancit are the most recognized Filipino foods, they, along with other foods, are more than just delectable delights, with rich histories and deep meanings.

As a former colony, the Philippines endured 300 years under Spain and spent another 50 years under American rule. This blend of tastes and flavors has created a unique Philippine cuisine filled with pan de sal bread, chorizo sausages, and other breakfast foods.

The Philippine diaspora has also made significant contributions to the U.S. agriculture and economy. In the early 1900s, the manong generation tilled the asparagus fields of California and worked seasonally in the salmon fisheries of Alaska. Both asparagus and salmon were synonymous with Filipinos at the time, and the working seasons allowed many Filipinos to earn money to obtain a postsecondary education.

Cooking Filipino food in the U.S. is like cooking from memories of the homeland. Similar to Japanese American language, Filipino American cooking maintained its authenticity because the older generations in the U.S. preserved the traditional recipes. In contrast, the contemporary population in the Philippines has transformed the local cuisine into something different over the last half-century.

Despite the popularity of Filipino food, fine Filipino dining has not broken into the mainstream. When most Filipinos think of Filipino food, they think of it as homestyle or how their nanay or lola has prepared it. Also, most Filipino parents think of the restaurant business as being “blue collar” and do not encourage it as a career for their children.

Filipino food, when analyzed, is more than just something to eat.