7000 Islands - A food portrait of the Philippines

"Homecooking is the only part of your heritage that can stay with you wherever you go.  It makes home feel like home, no matter where you are in the world." - SBS Feast Magazine 

 

And that's exactly why we buy cookbooks.  Especially those that represent our heritage, our culture, our cuisine.


I have been anticipating the launch of this cookbook for awhile - even entering an online SBS Feast competition to win a copy.  And then social media came in.  

It all started with some pandesal.  A photo actually.  Some mouthwatering pandesal (Filipino bread rolls) caught my eye on my IG feed.  Yasmin Newman was busy making Filipino savoury and sweet treats a day before her cookbook launch.  I posted a comment about bringing the butter for the pandesal.  And next best thing happened - I got invited to the launch at Kinokuya Sydney. 

And so I went and found myself not just partaking of some pandesal but also other favourite Filipino foods - chicken empanadas, peanut and chilli adobo, ube cake and all cooked by the author herself while  Ruby Newman (mum extraordinaire) provided the famous cassava cake.  Met Yasmin and her family, Trissa from Trissalicious (finally) and other Filipinos who were there to share in the pride. 

Now of course I may be biaised as this is a Filipino cookbook afterall and I am Filipino. But it is only natural when one takes pride about something that they are passionate about - and that is Filipino cuisine.

The book is extraordinary.  It has history, tales (tall tales and superstitions even), recipes and the mouth watering photos!  The photos are amazing - it made me homesick really.  It's very rare that a book can touch and tug at my heart strings but this did.  And its a cookbook!  The photos and stories woven together to form this portrait of the Philippines is a great reminder that despite all the poverty, negative publicity and western influence,  the Filipino culture strives because we embrace our history and our heritage, no matter where we are.

Pandesal with pork adobo and Spanish onions (sliders if you may)

Chicken empanadas! These were really good! 

Purple yam (Ube) cake with buttercream frosting

Sansrival - cashew wafer/dacquoise covered with buttercream

Garlic and chilli peanuts (adobong mani)

Yasmin and me.  No I didn't bring the butter.

My Filipino cookbook library

7000 Islands - A Portrait of Food in the Philippines is available at all bookstores in Australia and online.

Disclaimer: The writer was invited to attend the launch as a guest and personally paid for the purchase of the book.  This post is a personal review and was not in any way, influenced by the author or the publisher.