Of Food and Friendship

CEBU, Philippines - The Philippines and the United States of America may be at opposite ends of the earth but contrary to what so many believe, Filipinos and Americans share a lot of things in common. For one, both countries have become a melting pot of various contrasting cultures, creating an interesting mix of people and a way of life with a little bit of everything from around the world that have become a part of each country’s history. 

However, more than the shared history that has paved the way for a lasting bond between Filipinos and Americans, the crux of this interesting East meets West affair lies in the common love that these two peoples share for good company, good music, and most importantly, for the one thing that has transcended even the barriers of language and geographic boundaries—good food.

In fact, it is in matters of food that both countries’ cuisines have a striking resemblance. American reflects a wide range of influences from the Native American, to English, to Hispanic, German, and a touch of Asian. Filipino cuisine as well is a fusion of native or lumad dishes, Spanish fares, Chinese, and even American gastronomic delights.

Shangri-la’s Mactan Resort and Spa breathed life into this age-old friendship through Stars and Stripes, an American Food Festival with an Opening Ceremony that kicked off the two-weekend food festival eyed to add flavour to this keen companionship with lunch and dinner buffets featuring the finest of American fare from July 3-4 and 10-11.

The food festival kicked off with an intimate event beneath a canopy of stars right outside Shangri-la’s Tides Restaurant where Mr. Joachim Schutte, General Manager, led an international guest list on a fitting toast with red and white California wines brought straight from the Titania Wine Cellar, hinting a smack of rich, lasting flavor to the festivities ahead.

Guests were treated to the succulence of shrimps on sticks and the fine balance of sweetness and flavor with chicken lollipops, cultivating the craving for the buffet that awaited us inside the Tides.

It wasn’t a surprise that Tides in itself was fringed with the red, white, and blue as well as nostalgic country music that brought back an unmistakeable feeling of the great American prairie lands. For the American guests in attendance, it was a treat that evoked feelings of home despite being thousands of miles away.

Shangri-la whipped up specialty dishes created from ingredients brought straight from America. Special traditional American fare, as well as international dishes spiked with an American twist, were marked with dainty American flag markers to beckon guests to culinary delights in this second year that the Food Festival was celebrated together with USDA.

The buffet featured dishes ranging from various major American influences. Tender, golden kernels of seemingly freshly picked corn on the cob gleamed beneath a light layer of butter that it was impossible to resist the urge of getting one’s fingers burned, buttered, or dripping with juice from the sweet corn while digging into heavier offerings like roast beef flanks.

Classic all-American favorites like juicy grilled hamburger patties ready to be thrown in into a pair of tender buns with thinly sliced cheese and the freshest greens, reliving backyard grill-outs with family and friends alongside hotdogs with a choice of sauerkraut, mustard, and ketchup on the side.

Heavier fares like roasted American corn-fed beef, grilled beef flank steaks, and US beef rib eye carving teased the guests into seconds and thirds, apart from filling their plates with uncomplicated chicken dishes like smoked chicken wings bathed in barbecue sauce. Top this off with roasted pumpkin and sweet potato before grabbing glazed donuts for typical American fare.

American cuisine is as simple and as straightforward as the people it represents, with most of its fares simply grilled or tossed together. With cooking reduced to a bare minimum, it opens up more time for hearty meals and long conversations with family and friends—an interestingly very Filipino trait. American food reflects an uncomplicated and fuss-free lifestyle. The taste is very easy to acquire and incorporate into one’s lifestyle. It’s no wonder American culture in general has been able to ease its way smoothly into the Filipino culture.

This stark similarity with the way Filipinos value a hearty home-cooked meal has become an important bridge between the two cultures. It is, as one would say, a friendship bonded on food.