Book designer Ige Ramos explores misconceptions on Filipino cuisine
MANILA, Philippines — Bukambibig is a Filipino word that means "word of mouth" and it is also the title of book designer and author Guillermo "Ige" Ramos' new book.
Ramos' "Bukambibig" examines Filipino cuisine and its cultural significance in the book and, at the same time, discusses the misconceptions that surround it through the use of essays and recipes.
There are 14 essays and even more narrative recipes that offer a thought-provoking exploration of Filipino cuisine, culture and identity even as Ramos delves into the history of certain dishes that have been closely associated with Filipino cuisine.
These include:
- Sisig (a Kapampangan dish made with chopped pork, chicken liver, and flavorful seasonings, often served on a sizzling plate);
- Champorado (a chocolate rice porridge made with glutinous rice and tablea, often paired with dried fish like danggit or tuyo);
- Bibingka (traditional rice cake made with native rice varieties);
- Lumpiang Sariwa (fresh spring roll with vegetables, tofu, shrimps, and a sweet-savory sauce, inspired by the Globe Lumpia House in Quiapo);
- Chicken Adobo (considered as the national dish of the Philippines);
- Chopsuey (a Filipino adaptation of the American-Chinese dish, featuring vegetables from Benguet and paired with fried chicken and hototay soup);
- Meranao Palapa (condiment made with sakurab or native scallion, ginger, and chili, used as a base, flavoring, or seasoning in Moro cuisine);
- Beef Rendang (a celebratory Meranao dish featuring beef cooked with coconut milk, turmeric, toasted coconut, and spices);
- Bacalao (a Caviteño dish traditionally made with dried salted cod, now often substituted with daing na labahita, known as dried surgeonfish, served during Semana Santa);
- Chicken Barbecue with Java Rice (a dish inspired by Indonesian flavors, served with Java sauce and atchara, as popularized by The Aristocrat restaurant); and
- Catalan Albóndigas and Caviteño Almondigas.
Ramos' book features these dishes recipes, albeit in narrative form but clearly detailed and easy to follow.
These alone shows the diverse and complex nature of Filipino cuisine — with Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao cooking — fusing with the many foreign influences that helped shape the Filipino culinary heritage, especially Chinese, Spanish, Malay and American cuisines.
With a buffet-style narrative, the book covers topics such as the connection between food and Philippine history, pop culture, eating patterns, and consumer behavior. A sequel to Ramos’ earlier work, "Dila at Bandila," "Bukambibig" continues the conversation about the national palate, offering a nuanced representation of Filipino gastronomy.
The book emphasizes the role of Filipino food in fostering cross-cultural understanding and its growing recognition on the global stage.
This is in line with Ramos’ advocacy for the protection of traditional Filipino ingredients, recipes, and cooking methods, highlighting the importance of preserving the country’s culinary legacy, particularly at this point in history when the world is starting to seriously recognize the uniqueness and strength of Filipino cuisine the way it has embraced Chinese, Japanese, Thai, even Vietnamese cuisines internationally.
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