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SPECIAL FEATURE: (newly published & released from the Philippines)
Flavors of the Philippines, by Glenda Rosales-Barretto, ($25), (1997, hard cover, color)
Flavors leads you on a culinary journey through the different regions of the Philippines from Manila to Palawan with recipes for kinilaw, paella, halo-halo, and adobo. The recipes selected here represent the best of the Islands.
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Cocina Sulipeña, ($25), (1993, soft cover, color photos & B&W reproductions of old photos)
This is a cookbook that delves into family and social history. It presents hometown cooking from Sulipan in Pampanga, a town no longer on the maps, its memory hovering between Calumpit, Bulacan and Apalit, Pampanga. The author draws from the legendary feasts served by his great grandfather, Capitan Joaquin Arnedo Cruz.
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The Coconut Cookery of Bicol, by Honesto C. General, ($21.95), (soft cover, color & B&W photos)
This is an in-depth study of Bicol, one of the most distinctive culinary regions of the Philippines, known for its hot & spicy flavorings and use of coconut milk in its dishes. Mr. General, who is an insurance man by profession, learned to cook while trying to survive the Japanese invasion of the Philippines during World War II. The lack of refrigeration, resources and tight budgets during this time taught him to appreciate the freshness and adaptability of all the local ingredients of his hometown.
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Kinilaw, A Philippine Cuisine of Freshness, by Doreen Gamboa-Fernandez & Edilberto N. Alegre ($16), (Soft cover, color & B&W photos)
The key word "kilaw" refers to a process of preparing food. It is a manner of cooking -- not in fire, but in vinegar or in some other souring agent (also known as "ceviche" in western cuisine). Rooted in the ecology of each region of the Philippines, Kinilaw speaks of the passion for definite flavors, elaborated in the distinct differences of each area. It is both food and cultural indicator. It precedes history, being at least a thousand years old or even older.
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Fruits of the Philippines, by Doreen G. Fernandez ($28), (1997, soft cover)
This book features recipes using the most famous fruits of the Philippines - mango, pineapple, santol, and kalamansi among others. It also illustrates the more rare and endangered Philippine fruits, which we know so little about.
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Tikim, Essays on Philippine Food and Culture, by Doreen G. Fernandez ($12.95)
Philippine & Life,
by Gilda Cordero-Fernando ($ 16.95 )
These two food authors, Doreen Fernandez and Gilda Cordero-Fernando are the best food writers you can find in the Philippines. Even for Filipinos who grew up in the Philippines, there is much to learn about the diverse cultural differences within the different provinces and islands that make up the archipelago. All of these books make wonderful gifts for those interested in reading about an aspect of life that is central to all Filipinos: eating well.
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