Anything Bicol, in Bikol and English
Category: Bicolano Cuisine
Are Bicolanos more "Southeast Asian" than the rest of the Filipinos? Nestled in the southeastern part of Luzon in the Philippines, the Bicol Region offers a culinary experience that distinctly echoes the flavors of Southeast Asia. A recent visit to countries like Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand revealed a striking similarity – a shared love for … Continue reading The Chili and Coconut Milk Connection
As of April 4, 2020, only 57 out of 3,094 confirmed patients in the Philippines recovered from Coronavirus disease (COVID-19). This is a staggering 1.8% recovery rate. In contrast, recovery rate in the Bicol Region is 72.7%. Could diet be a factor in Bicol's figures? The Bicolano diet generally includes coconut and coconut milk. The … Continue reading Is a coco-based diet a key in the battle against COVID-19?
There are claims that the Bikolano kitchen is dominated by "natok" (coconut milk; or "gata" in Tagalog) and "lada" (chili pepper) . Even rice is cooked with coconut milk (the dish is called "binutong" in Albay) while noodles are usually eaten with pepper. Panama na sana kan Korean-Chinese noodles na Jjamppong. The claims, however, are … Continue reading Hog Plum and the Bikolano kitchen
One of the interesting articles from Yahoo's Fit to Post is Marjorie Gorospe's "A taste of Albay’s unique ‘sinigang sa buko’". The article showcases another unique taste from Bicolanos, a taste far from the spicy Bicol Express or the creamy dishes cooked with coconut milk. But one discouraging line from the article, probably a product of … Continue reading Sinigang sa Buko: Setting some facts straight
We were complaining of the banana que being sold across the street when I was reminded of my grandmother, Mamay. ("Mamay" is a jumble of "mama" or mother and "may" or old/mature lady.) She used to cook banana que and its variants like turon and ginamos when we were still young. I must admit I … Continue reading Ginamos
The Iriga City visit is still fresh on my mind as until now I am still dreaming of eating "Kinalas". It's one of those things I missed in the city, a weird dish unique to Iriga. The last time I ate one was in 2004. So what is "kinalas"? It's actually a combination of a … Continue reading A dish called “Kinalas”
There are two things that surprised me in the recently concluded Philippine Political Science Conference (PPSA): The increasing number of Bicolanos, and the absence of a dish or delicacy unique in the city where the conference was held. This year's PPSA Conference was held in Dumaguete City in Negros last April 11 and12. The host … Continue reading PPSA, Bicolanos, dishes and delicacies
