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Philippines

Located in Southeast Asia, the Philippines is comprised of over 7,000 islands, although only a handful are populated. The typical Filipino kitchen regularly employs a wide variety of seafood, rice, vegetables, and exotic fruit like guapple (a guava-apple hybrid) and the infamously smelly durian. And, of course, many Filipinos have quite the affinity for coconut, used not only in desserts like maja blanca (coconut cake), but also as a unique accent to many savory dishes. In 1521, the explorer Magellan came upon the Philippines, and, soon after, the country fell under three centuries of Spanish colonial rule. Today, over 80% of the population is Roman Catholic, and Filipinos proudly engage in one of the longest Christmas celebrations in the world. Lechon, a whole pig roasted over burning coals, is a rare holiday treat for many families. But perhaps the most beloved food item in the Philippines is patis, an extremely salty, pungent fish sauce that’s liberally added to many Filipino dishes during cooking, and is also a common condiment.

Featured Cook Meryl Cooking Level: Beginning Home Town: San Juan, National Capital Region, Philippines Living In: Berkeley, California, USA

About me: Who says college students eat nothing but cup noodles and take-out? Well, okay, so that was essentially me a year ago--but not anymore! Now I'm making chicken pot pies and my own wontons. I never realized how much money I could save by making everything myself. :) It also doesn't hurt that I'm apparently not a complete disaster in the kitchen. My Profile | Reviews | Photos | Recipes | Menus Favorite Food Lists Create your own Cook's Profile | MORE Cooks »