Welcome to adobo-down-under!

Musings. Family. Food. Stories. Cooking. Recipes. Eating. A recipe journal. From simple Filipino dishes to challenging recipes and exciting gastronomical failures. This is for my girls to look back on for comfort, memories, laughs, love and lots of food!

Friday, August 16, 2013

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. 

6 comments:

  1. Yasmin is amazing and so passionate about Filipino Cuisine. It makes me extremely proud of out heritage. There is so much about Filipino Food that everyone should experience. I cant wait to get her book. That ube cake has made my mouth water. It looks like a fantastic night out.

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    1. She is indeed Kath and the book is amazing. I can't say it enough. So proud to be Pinoy. xx

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  2. Yum! You've got me realising how little I know about Filipino food - thanks for the recommendation of what book to look for.

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    1. You are most welcome Mary! Thanks for dropping by! xx

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  3. I've entered the competition on SBS too so I'm glad I'm not in competition with you! You always write with such passion and as I said earlier today - why is it we know so little about Filipino cooking when it's close by? I've learned a lot from your blog. You can tell thatthis book launch brought a little tear to your eye and a smile to your face.

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    1. Thank you Fiona! Indeed it did. And guess what - I won the SBS Competition! So I have 2 copies now of this cookbook. One probably to gift to family at Christmas. xx

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