Three Filipino Must Have's on the Dining Table

Filipinos have a lot of characteristics and talents that have nowadays been recognized internationally. If America has been dubbed as the "melting pot" of all nationalities, Philippines can be described as the "melting pot" of diverse talents. Charice Pempengco for one is now acclaimed as an international artist wowing the global audience with her powerful voice singing "ala" Celine Dion and Whitney Houston at a ripe age of 15. Now she has grown into a lady and still leaving everyone agape. There's Leah Salonga as well, the siren who at 14 played the role of Kim in the theater production of Les Miserables in the States. Needless to say, the knack for singing has been embraced and captured by the Filipinos and we are all known for that. However, not all people know that we Filipinos are also famous for other things. In the dining area alone, we are known for certain practices. I, being a natural born Filipino, am proud to admit that I too practice these things.  

"Toyo and Patis" or Soy Sauce and Vinegar. We would love and frequent your resto if you provide these on the dining table. These are staples when eating among us Filipinos. Food somehow tastes better and more appetizing if dipped in a mixture of tuyo and patis, or just even either of the two. It gives us that sense of "gusto" to order an extra serving of rice or another round of food. I once ate at Jutz's Cafe in Dumaguete City where I ordered Chicken Mennanese  (similar to chicken fillet). They had salad for side dish and mayo with garlic for the dip. Sounds fancy ey? There were three large cuts and I was only able to eat one 'coz suddenly I felt full. However, the moment the waiter placed a saucer of tuyo and patis on the table, and in front of me, I prayed for forgiveness. For what I did next was pure gluttony (I consumed another round of Chicken Mennanese). 

Noodles and Canton!!!! A quick fix to hunger. It's a must-have for every Filipino household. Either in packs or cups, no Filipino wants to forget this in their grocery list. It's not only easy to cook, but convenient and delicious as well. What's more they come in different flavors. I am a fan of Bulalo and Jampong. I always scale the grocery aisle for these two. When I was a kid, I had tonsillitis. It was soo painful to swallow solid food and my dad prepared one of these for  me since it's easy to chew and swallow. Plus the hot soup was a good combat for my swollen tonsils. Believe it or not but the next day, the swelling lessened. Thus I coined it "power noodles". 

Soda or Soft drinks. Be it any Pepsi or Coca-Cola Product, food should always have a companion. We have this belief that if you eat fatty or oily foods/meat, we should pair it with a soda since it helps in the digestion and break down of these fatty and oily food. Fact or not, it's been embedded in our minds the moment we opted to drink from the glass instead of from the bottle. Some refer to this as science, I call it tradition.