The Fat Kid Inside
Erwan Heussaff
Thinking of a traditional Filipino Christmas? Picture this. Your elders wake you up before dawn for church, which you groggily sit through. Never mind that it’s before 5 am and you haven’t had breakfast. What keeps you up is what caps off the usual Simbang Gabi haunt: the bibingka. A local vendor stations himself outside the church…
Filipinos just love rice. We love it so much that we want to eat it for dessert too! So any Filipino knows what suman is. It’s a sticky rice dessert wrapped and cooked in banana leaves. It’s not too sweet, so while eating you top it with muscovado sugar, coco jam, or dip it in…
Now that we got the mains and appetisers out of the way, what’s for dessert? Filipino cuisine is just loaded with amazing dessert recipes. After all, we love our sweets! Many families around the Philippines have their own dessert specialty. Whether it’s puto bumbong, leche flan, or yema, there’s bound to be something sweet at…
The holidays can get very busy. When it comes to cooking for a Christmas dinner or Noche Buena, you’ll want quick but delicious recipes that everyone will love. So far, my Christmas recipes have been full of pork or heavy meat dishes. I decided to add a seafood dish because it adds that special feel,…
A staple at any Christmas dinner or Noche Buena is ham. When paired with toasty pieces of pandesal, a Christmas ham is perfect for either a light snack or as part of a hearty meal. It’s also so festive and celebratory, that every Filipino home should have some sort of ham on their table this…
Nothing puts a Filipino in the mood for Christmas celebration like lechon. But having a whole roasted pig can be a bit excessive. Most of my Filipino Christmas recipes so far have been about preparing for Christmas dinner or Noche Buena. But this time, I’m thinking about the day after. What if you have a…
One thing I love about Filipino food is that it goes back to the basics. Oftentimes, there aren’t any fuss or frills in Filipino cooking. All you need is fire, meat, some spices, and you’re good to go. Despite the simplicity of this dish, I knew I had to include Chicken Barbecue as one of…
Forget about serving dry, tasteless meatloaf for Christmas. Filipinos have turned a basic meatloaf recipe into a holiday delight. While you can serve embutido any day of the week, I find that it makes any party much more festive. I included it in my 12 recipes for a Filipino Christmas because nothing says “Maligayang Pasko!” like…
Who doesn’t love Lumpiang Shanghai? You won’t find this dish anywhere in Shanghai, but it’s practically a staple in parties around the Philippines. It’s hearty and filling, but neatly contained in an edible package. I find that lumpiang Shanghai is great finger-food for large parties or gatherings. It’s a crowd-pleaser that you can fill with…
I love using watermelon when it comes to parties with alcohol. It adds great flavour and it can serve many people! Working with watermelon also means you can get creative. Using the skin as a container adds flair and function to any gathering. The sweeter your watermelon, the better! That way, you won’t have to…