Food is one of the most important features of Filipino culture. Agriculture is the main source of livelihood in my province, so every day I eat fresh-caught fish, local chicken and pork, and vegetable soups – incomplete without a heaping scoop of rice! Many people say Filipinos eat five meals a day because of their love for snacks! I enjoy lots of fried bananas and glutinous rice-based desserts for my merienda (Tagalog) or pamahaw (Kinaray-a), both of which mean snacks.
Filipino cuisine combines flavors and ingredients from all around the world. Although Spanish, American, Chinese and indigenous tastes greatly influence the local diet, there are still lots of dishes that this country can claim as its own. For example, you will have a hard time finding balut outside of the Philippines!
During my first week in Manila, I had a chance to try many local foods at a cultural fiesta. The colorful stands offered ice cream made from ube (purple yam), avocado and even cheese! I loved the sweet and sour flavors of local fruits like mango, jackfruit, durian and rambutan. Towards the end of the food carts, vendors passed out meat-based snacks I had never seen in the U.S. I tried caramelized chicken skulls, intestines barbecued on long skewers and fried orange quail eggs.
