"Kalayaan" Food

Sixty-five years ago, this country got its “independence” from the Americans. That was July 4, 1946. Actually, it was the second declaration freeing us from foreign rule, the first being in Kawit, Cavite, when in June 12, 1898, the flag was raised.

The Filipinos fought to be free quite fiercely. There were the Katipuneros, Jose Rizal, the guerrillas, the nationalists. And the women who supported their men – Gabriela Silang, Tandang Sora, and today’s trailblazers. We will not delve here on the battles that were fought, but more on how Filipino cuisine evolved.

Luckily, we met a lady who, in her later years, dug into her files and memories to chronicle the way our forebears learned to prepare and cook dishes like pochero and mashed potatoes, giving us a vivid picture of women in war and peace doing their chores in kitchens big and small.

She was Milagros Santiago Enriquez, whose family was lucky enough to employ the kusinero of the Kastilas. It was not until 1993 when the book “Kasaysayan ng Kaluto ng Bayan” saw limited print. Written in Pilipino, the word kaluto was in reference to our culinary heritage. Like any other natives of other countries, the inhabitants of the Philippines initially took to simple cooking methods – nilaga, grilling – using nature’s bounty.

The book gives a chronological/historical account of food served, from the Spanish era to the time of the Edsa Revolution, citing the various influences and resulting dishes that are now served in Filipino homes. When the Chinese came, they introduced varied spices, but it was the Spanish influence that made an impressive and lasting mark on our cuisine. Mrs. Enriquez collected a huge bulk of information and recipes, including what the favorite dishes of some notable Filipinos were.

Rizal must have been the first “green-conscious” person because he loved ginisang munggo which he served to his relatives. Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo was for asparagus soup and bibingka.   We could see that from the Spaniards we learned the technique of sautéing.

The revolution brought about the original baon food as the women bravely supplied the revolucionarios with simple pinangat and tinolang manok.

From the Americans, the Filipinos got donuts and came to like peanut butter. The Japanese, of course, gave us a difficult time getting food when the markets were guarded by the Kempeitai. There came about castanog ( roasted coconut “chestnut”) and binatog as “patawid gutom.” Liberation brought about bacon, corned beef and cheese.

From all these culinary influences, from “kalayaan” food to the entrance of foreign chefs, hotels and ingredients, the modern Filipino, honed to good eating, has produced a cuisine that is vari-flavored while still maintaining the Filipino taste.

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