Of
all the Southeast Asian cuisines, I’ve not been able to fully wrap my head
around Filipino food. A number of my Filipino friends have described their
ancestral food as being generally over cooked, brown, and/or lacking fresh
vegetables. On the other hand, there are people who’ve elevated it to such
heights as to make it seem overly precious and inaccessible. I’ve had the
pleasure of eating sumptuous buffets prepared by men who were former cooks in
the U.S. Navy but alas, they were rather shy about sharing their foodways.
My
curiosity has been piqued by lumpia and adobo as well as crazy good meatballs
in barbecue sauce and tender dinner rolls. I’ve been yearning for a straight up
Filipino cookbook. Enter The Adobo Road by
Marvin Gapultos to answer my burning questions. Based in Los Angeles, he’s been
a blogger and owned a noteworthy food truck called the Manila Machine, the
first one in Southern California dedicated to Filipino food.
Marvin’s
of a new generation of plucky Filipino food people who are not hiding behind the scenes. In The Adobo Road, he celebrates his
legacy, not so much about life in the Philippines but rather life as a Filipino
American. Marvin explains the roots and the potential of Filipino food, weaving
in cultural information without getting wonky. Simple dishes like chicken adobo
as well as grilled chicken feet are part of the book’s recipe collection. His
section on vintage cocktails, Filipino mixologists, and Tiki lounge drinks is
fascinating. There’s something for everybody in this book.
All
that said, you may not know much about Filipino food. I asked Marvin to give us
all a little primer and whet our appetites. There are three (3) copies of The
Adobo Road up for grabs so throw your hat into the ring!
The
first Filipinos arrived in America in the 1580s yet it’s taken until now for
Filipino food to get a bit of the spotlight. Why?
Filipino food is very much rooted in the home kitchen, and
we Filipinos have always been content with home cooking, so our cuisine hasn't
really translated to restaurant kitchens until recently. Now, I think
a younger generation of Filipinos are starting to embrace our food, and that
appreciation is starting to spill over into today's "foodie culture".
It also helps that shows like Top Chef have featured Filipino chefs and
Filipino food, so I think that people are becoming more curious about Filipino
flavors.
What’s
are 3 requisite ingredients for cooking from The Adobo Road?
I'll actually give you 5 simple ingredients that everyone
already has in their kitchen: apple cider vinegar, soy sauce, bay leaves,
garlic, and black pepper. With those 5 ingredients, anyone can make a fantastic
adobo. Easy right?
What recipes
should a beginner, intermediate, or advanced cook tackle in your book?
For beginners, my Classic Chicken Adobo is a great place to
start—it's a great introduction to Filipino cooking methods, as well as a great
adobo recipe. And I think all of the recipes in my book a beginning cook can
definitely tackle, but there are a few that are a bit more time-consuming than
others. My Pancit Miki recipe for example, involves making your own noodles by
hand, as well as making a shrimp stock—so it's a great noodle dish for
intermediate and advanced cooks.
Southeast
Asians love to grill and there’s no better time than summer! What’s a typical
menu for a warm weather Filipino fiesta?
A hot weather menu would feature plenty of grilled pork and
fish, as well as lots of beer and cocktails--pretty typical of any culture right? There's
a whole section in my book dedicated to Filipino bar food and cocktails, and
those recipes are great for hot outdoor summer grilling. Definitely give
my grilled pork skewers a try--they feature pork marinated in 7-up and then
grilled with a sweet and sticky glaze. I also have a handful of vintage
Filipino cocktails that are great for washing down these skewers and for
keeping you cool in hot weather.
Giveaway
Details:
Prizes: 3 copies of The Adobo Road for 3 individual winners
Who is eligible to enter: Anyone
with a mailing address in North America. (My apologies to folks who live outside North America.)
How to enter: Simply leave a
comment on this post, perhaps on what interests you about Filipino food or why
you’d like to have this book. Include your email address so that I can contact you
directly if you win.
Can you enter more than once? Yes, if you’re a fan of the VWK
Facebook page, follow me on Twitter or
have joined me on Pinterest, you can enter an extra time for
each of those social media networks. If we’re buddies on all three, then shoot,
you can enter 4 times. If you’re doing multiple entries, let me know who you
are by including something like [FB], [Twitter], or [Pinterest] in your
comment.
Deadline to enter: Monday, July 1, noon
(PST)
Selection, notification, and claiming the tickets: The winners will be randomly selected via Random.org and
notified by email. The winner will be announced next Tuesday, July 2. Tuttle
Publishing will each winner a copy of the book. If you’d like more details,
read the official giveaway rules.
Good luck!
rebecca says
I love Filipino food--I used to be in a mostly Filipino choir, and the parties were always really good. I have a Seventh Day Adventist Filipino cookbook, but most of the recipe require fake meats that are unavailable to me.
Elizabeth says
A dear friend of mine is Filipino but most of her family lives on the opposite coast and she rarely sees them - I'd love to master some Filipino recipes before her birthday, which is coming up at the end of the summer, and cook for her!
Melissa says
I have never cooked Filipino food, but the images look delicious. I definitely must try a recipe or two!
Mike says
I've been reading about Filipino food lately, and I'd really like to check this book out and cook from it.
Bick Nguyen says
My kids love Asian food as they grow older. I heard a lot of great things about Filipino food and would love to introduce my kids to mew recipes.
Wendy says
My mama is from Manila, and adobo was a weekly meal for us. Recently, at age 50, through my obsessive reading of cooking blogs, I learned there are OTHER WAYS TO MAKE ADOBO. Adobo with coconut milk? I was absolutely flabbergasted! I have been coveting this cookbook since I heard about it - one way or another, it WILL be mine 🙂
Richard Herold says
Growing up, I had a wonderful Philippino great uncle who loved to cook Pinoy and Chinese specialties for family parties. So I have childhood memories of delicious Adobo and other delights at pot-luck parties along side the bland eastern European dishes cooked by other relatives. Since that time I've been passionate about Asian cuisine and have studied cooking in Taiwan. Somehow I've still never made it to the Philippines or mastered Pinoy cuisine, but I'd love to start with this book!
Jennie says
I'd love to win this book. I grew up in a city populated by Filipinos and the food is intriguing to me. I'd love to learn how to cook some of their food.
maggie says
This blog has prompted me to try and learn more about all the Asian cooking styles that I have neglected in my years of cooking. I've got mostly books of American and European recipes so I'd love to have this join my inspiration cookbooks. Besides, I don't have a good Filipino cookbook yet and if you think this one's good, it's GOT to be good!
Candice says
I would love to win this book so that I can learn to cook more Filipino dishes. Currently, I only know how to make Adobo, but I would love to learn how to make other things like Pancit, Sisig, Sinigang, etc.
Candice says
I follow you via [Twitter]. My username is swtd12eams.
Candice says
I follow you on [Pinterest]. My username is swtd12eams.
Joyce Pusel says
I've had adobo chicken -- it was delicious-- and would love to try more recipes.
Martha Barrett says
The pictures of his food look fantastic! I would love to win the book. By the way, I love your blog---you'r the best Andrea.
Martha Barrett says
Should have previewed that. YOU'RE the best.
Linda Palmer says
My children's grandfather was from Iloco Sur. I would love to be able to cook foods for them that would remind them of their heritage. I've made adobo but not much of anything else. I would love to have this cookbook! My children are related to the Unciano family.
Martha Barrett says
I'll enter on FB as well.
lynn says
I have been interested in similarities and differences between. Filipino foods and those from other S E Asian cusines
Melissa says
I'm interested in Filipino food because I've never knowingly eaten any!
Diane says
I love adobo Chicken - It's time to expand my horizons.
Suzette says
We don't have too many Filipino friends, so when we get the chance, we do not turn down the invitations to the annual bbqs! Would love the chance to show up with something to wow them! 🙂
Mike says
Love the Filipino food. I've only ever made adobo and would like to learn a little more.
Emma says
My aunt and uncle lived in the Philippines for a few years when I was a kid, and would always make the most amazing and exotic meals. Especially to a kid from Ohio!
Pam the Potter says
Love the Filipino food and culture. Not too many of the Filipino here in Atlanta. We got exposed to the wonderful comfort-homey food in Hawaii.
[email protected]
guindilla says
I've already tried different adobo recipes, which I loved, but I would love to expand further on this cuisine.
Lorena says
As a longtime fan of Marvin's blog, I feel like I should have already purchased his cookbook. But, perhaps I'll win it instead! As a Filipina American, I've grown up with my family's delicious homecooking and made some of it myself, from adobo to pancit.
lorena (dot) ruggero (at) gmail (dot) com
Catherine says
I've always wanted to explore Filipino cooking. I grew up in an area with a large Filipino community but never really explored Filipino food. I learned how to make chicken adobo, but nothing much more than that. I want to be able to cook different Filipino foods.
Jeanie says
I've only started to eat Filipino food in the last few years and LOVE it but never tried cooking it. Would like this book so I can start cooking up my own!
Laura says
I am not very familiar of Filipino food so I was exciting to read your article and interview. Can't wait to try different adobo dishes.
[email protected] says
When I lived in Tokyo, I often shopped at a Filipino supermarket. I loved all the sauces and the vinegars. I would love to learn more about this cuisine.
[email protected] says
I used to shop at a Filipino supermarket when I lived in Tokyo. I love all the sauces and vinegars, the sweet/sour taste. I would love to learn more about this cuisine.
Cherelle K says
One of the very first Asian foods I ever ate was lumpia made by my mom's best friend who just happened to be Filipino. She used to make freezer bags full of them and give them to my mom who would then ration them out. My mom was just lucky that we were too young to deep fry back then or there would have been no rationing.
Neripunk says
Adobo recently entered my regular roster, thanks to the pressure cooked adobo recipe in Modernist Cuisine at Home. I'm originally from Spain, and I'm fascinated by the Spanish elements combined with the full Asian background of Filipino cuisine (and culture!)
Robert G. Lawrence says
I had a friend who married a Phillipino, Lourdes Santos. she became Lourdes Snook (his parents were typical Newton NJ rednecks, ignorant,( his dad an auto mechanic, his mother a stay at home wife) who called this lovely woman a "Gook" to her face and they had to live with his parents, in the basement. Clifford Snook had been in Vietnam and at one of the big bases, he did his R&R in the Phillipines, where he met his future wife. You may have met her, as they did come to NYC to visit Irene and I. We had found a good Phillipino restuarant somewhere on the mid town, East side, so long ago I don't remember more than that. The food there was good, much like Chinese food we often ate, lots of veg and meat combos, stir fried. Lourdes often made "pansit Miki" at home and I helped her more than once, cutting and prepping the veg and meat. The dish was a noodle dish, long curly noodles with lots of veg and meat in a soupy base, stir fried then stewed to cook the noodles (soaked to soften before adding to the pot, a wok). I loved the food she made and remember the restaurant fondly. I now live in Tempe AZ, 40 years away from NYC (my one true love among cities, I miss it still).
Bob Lawrence
Tweaked says
In college, I was friends with a woman (Jocelyn)who is Filipino-American. My roommate and I both turned 21 on the same day, so we had a party at our apartment. Jocelyn cooked up some family Filipino recipes, included beef that was marinated in soy and brown sugar, sliced thin and grilled. Twenty years later, I don't remember much about my 21st birthday...but I do remember that grilled beef.
[email protected] says
Love Filipino food & would love to share some of these recipes w/ my Filipino friends!
Bao Ngo says
Living in San Jose, CA I have many Filipino friends and never really had a chance to taste many traditional Filipino dishes except for Chicken Adobo, Pancit, and Filipino Spaghetti. This book will allow me to understand the stories behind the food, traditional ingredients used to develop the aromatic flavors of the food, and explore new delicious recipes I have not yet tasted or tried.
Clarke says
Coming from a Caribbean background, I'm interested in how other cuisines cook similar dishes, as well as how they use the same ingredients in very different ways. Plus, I always smell delicious food that my neighbor cooks.
[email protected]
dee plair says
I was introduced to Filipino home cooking by a co-worker while I lived in Southern California. I loved it, like I love all Asian food, but I haven't been able to find it anyplace else I've lived. I'm a pretty good home cook (I cook from scratch every single day, no processed food), and a cookbook collector, so I'd love to add Filipino food to the list of things I can make at home.
Teresa Phan says
First tried Filipino food when the nurses brought in trays of lumpia and pancit. No restaurants have come close since (and no Filipino restaurants here in columbus). Would love to make adobo. 🙂
Rebecca says
My first Filipino dish was pancit, and then adobo. I'd love to learn more about this cuisine.
Patrick says
I've cooked a lot of Sri Lankan food, and this seems like another under-the-radar cuisine that I'd love to introduce my friends and family to.
Ann Thompson says
I LOVE eating and cooking different Asian cuisines but have not tried Filipino! I would love to broaden my horizons!
Anna Gabriel says
I would love to win this book because of all the fresh recipes that are in it. Being Gluten Free, I can see a lot of recipes that can fit in with my lifestyle and continue to be healthy at that. I have never cooked this way, but I am certainly not afraid to try either.
zasm says
Really enjoy Filipino food but have not explored much!
Cindy Lum says
Growing up in Hawaii, we ate a large variety of foods from many different cultures, including Filipino food. My favorites were pancit and lumpia. Since moving to Columbus OH, it's been nearly impossible to find Filipino food here 🙁
Annette M. Turek says
filipino foods are one of the few I haven't had much experience with in the kitchen but I do credit my Aunt Sunyon for introducing me to the wonderful delicious flavors of which many in the family had never before experienced. At the time I was fairly young and not quite into cooking and food cultures and now that I am, I sure wish I would've taken the time to learn from her while we still had here. You're book would be one to treasure! Thank you for the opportunity!
Leslie says
I've made and loved Adobo Chicken and would love to learn more about this style of cooking.
Cindy Lum says
I follow you on [Twitter], username @lleian. I follow you on [FB], Cindy Lum.
KS says
I love chicken adobo because it's so simple to make, but has big flavors!
KS says
Second entry because I follow you on [FB]!
Fran says
I would love a copy of Marvin's book! I'm a Filipina born and raised in Hawaii but now living in Boulder, CO and missing that taste of home. I'm really curious about the tiki lounge drinks!
Kristina Knight says
I grew up in Hawaii and have always known about the basics- lumpia, adobo. But now that I'm cooking on my own for my family and far away from Hawaii, I'd like to be able to make them for family and friends!
terri says
I love Filipino food, but finding good recipes has been hard--most people learn from family members, not cookbooks. My friend's mother (who, sadly, does not live nearby) once came for a visit and cooked up a feast for all of us--I think I must have eaten half my weight in food that night!
John says
I LOVE FOOD, and cooking.... so I would like a new cook book. That is all 🙂
Jena says
A friend of mine was born and raised in Philippines and I used tag along to some of her family visits and gatherings. The food that her mother served was incredible, and it didn't take long for me to fall in love with the cooking and the cuisine. I'd love to try it out myself!
LInda says
Thank you for introducing such an interesting cookbook! I can't wait to read all about adobo and other Filipino specialities.
Kathleen Forrester says
I am a huge foodie and have yet to experiment with Filipino cuisine so I would LOVE LOVE LOVE to win !!!
Tadd T. says
I miss the easy access to good Filipino food in Hawaii; it's been hard to find since I moved to Chicago last year. I would love to win this book so that I can recreate the dishes that remind me of home.
[email protected]
Jessi says
I have been interested in lots of different cultures cooking and history and am looking for a new one to get into. I hope to try some of theses recipes.
Gail says
I've enjoyed Filipino food whenever I've had the opportunity. There are a few dishes in particular I'd love to have recipes for.
[email protected] says
I work with Filipino people, but know little about their cuisine. It would be fun to surprise them with some authentic dishes.
Annie N says
Entering for Facebook too.
Susan says
I adore adobo and lumpia, and would like to learn more filipino food.
yng yng says
I am interested in learning different ways of South East Asia BBQ food, my to go marinate is soy sauce and garlic powder. Would love to expand my horizon!
Joanne T Ferguson says
Cooking is the never-ending journey for me, true!
I love cooking all word cuisines and yearn to learn more about Filipino foods and ingredients and share with my friends too!
Cheers! Joanne
Follow you on Twitter (@mickeydownunder), FB and Pinterest too!
Dennis M Reed says
I have always liked some Filipino dishes. But I have not been able to add a Filipino cookbook to my Asian cookbook collection :>(
Elizabeth Krueger says
Here in my town, I look forward to any summer event where there's food allowed. The pan it with BBQ skewers are the BEST, and their lines are long. I'd love to make these and other authentic dishes. Yum!!
Andrea says
Yuuuummm....all that I would need after that adobe chicken is a refreshing halo-halo.....
Carolsue says
We eat at Max's of Manila quite often and I would like to try duplicating some of the things I've had there. I love cookbooks, especially ethnic ones!
Digicats {at} Sbcglobal {dot} Net
Carolsue says
I follow you on Twitter as @MsCarolsueA
Digicats {at} Sbcglobal {dot} Net
Carolsue says
I like you on Facebook as Carolsue Anderson
Digicats {at} Sbcglobal {dot} Net
Carolsue says
I follow you on Pinterest as cezovski9
Digicats {at} Sbcglobal {dot} Net
TC says
As far as I know, there is no Filipino food around me so I've always been curious. (Even Korean food only really started to establish itself in my area five years ago or so.)
laura llanes says
i love your recipes!!!
Mike G. says
I'm in! Tocino and beer at my house!
Jim White says
My first exposure to Filipino food was at a small lunch counter in the back of a small Asian grocery in Seattle's Pike Place Market. It was a family run venture and all the cooks seemed to be Mom's and Grandmas. That was where I first had chicken adobo. It was so good (and so was their fish head soup, made using salmon from the local waters) that everytime I traveled from PDX to Seattle, I stopped in there to eat. They had so many requests for their adobo recipe, they had it posted on the door of one of the reach in coolers behind the counter. Since that introduction, I've become a big fan of the cuisine and have other Filipino cookbooks, but I've been looking forward to this one.Thanks for the opportunity!
melissa says
I love filipino food!!!
Kristin says
I had Pancit Miki for the very first time last week and thoroughly enjoyed it! I would love to explore this cookbook and make other Filipino food.
Joan says
There was a wonderful filipino resturant in So. Cal when we lived out there for a brief time. I'd love to be able to cook some of those recipes at home.
Joan says
I like you on facebook as Joan Osborne
Joan says
I follow on twitter as @southerncooker
Joan says
I follow on Pinterest as Joan Osborne
Richard says
I eat a lot of Filipino food, but seldom cook it and there is a hole in my shelf as far as Filipino cookbooks
Stephen says
My experience with Filipino food doesn't go much further than lumpia rolls, so I would love to learn more about the cuisine.
Amelie says
I am a food lover and love to cook. If I have this book, I'll try out all the recipes in there for sure. 🙂
Sandy says
Whenever I've asked for a recommendation on a good Filipino restaurant, the response is always "Home!" I'd like to win the book to try some new recipes.
Yen O says
I've been reading your blog for awhile. I just "followed" you on Pintrest and "liked" you on FB.
uncatim says
I once knew a great Filipina cook - wish she had shared more recipes!
Tuyet N. says
I'm fortunate enough to have one of my girlfriends as a really good Filipino cook! I've learned to make sinigang, pancit, adobo chicken, and more! I'll just have to impress her someday with this new cookbook! [pinterest].
Bernadette Al-Zubair says
I'm an American born Filipina. I'm interested in reading Mr. Gapultos' view of Filipino dishes as transferred to North America.
Ann says
There are some foods that are not of my culture, that so resonated with their own sense of place and home, and infused with the history of the people who cooked it, that eating it made me feel connected to my own home and family. Collard greens are one, and adobo is another. Would love to make adobo at home... 🙂
Midnite says
I wonder, does Filipino food translate well to vegetarian/vegan cooking?
JD says
I'm headed to a filipino birthday party this weekend! A whole pig, pancit, lumpia, adobo are all requisite. Excited to see what else will be there representing a fun food culture. The mother hosting it was just telling me that she didn't know of any good Filipino cookbooks!
Joy says
There aren't many Filipino restaurants in Chicago. Would love to own this cookbook so I can make my favorite Filipino dishes myself.
Nick says
Halo halo my favorite.
Wayne says
My sister in law is Filipino and an excellent cook. Perhaps with a copy of the book I can impress her as much as she's impressed me over the years!
Aelith says
I'd love a copy of the cookbook--I've been following both this blog and Marvin's for years. I would love to learn more about the cuisine.
Rachelle says
Love Filipino food!
Rachelle says
FB fan too!
Rachelle says
And Twitter =)
Can't wait to see how others cook Filipino food, because there's so much variety based on the region you're from.
Kelly says
An Asian cuisine I've not yet attempted! I would love to have a copy of the book!
Kathrynn says
I would really enjoy a book on Filipino food. I've only made Adobo chicken. For awhile, I was looking for a good bibingka recipe or store that sold the treat. I follow you on Facebook too!
Astrid Terry says
Always interested in adobo. Please count me in
Polly says
[email protected]
Hello. Thank you for this opportunity. I really like spicy food and your recipes sound so delicious so I know I would enjoy your recipe book! Thanks for your website. You stir my imagination with the recipes you provide!
Teresa F. says
My Filipino friend introduced me to her family's adobo and I've loved it ever since. I'd love to learn more about Filipino cooking!!
Michele says
Great memories of my Swiss mom cooking Filipino favorites for my Filipino dad - adobo, sinigang, etc. When I was maybe 10, my Filipino aunt and I decided to try to make ensaymada - what a hilarious time we had. 30 years later my auntie still brings me some every holiday - yum! Would love to win a copy of this book to share with my younger sister and her 3 kids ....and continue to pass on our heritage.
Stephen says
I love cooking Asian food, but I can't say that I've ever done any Filipino cooking. This book looks like a great intro into Filipino cuisine!
Kara says
I love to read cookbooks before I go to sleep so I have the most pleasant dreams!
I have little experience with Filipino food, I'll definitely have to check this book out!
[email protected] says
I checked out the cookbook on amazon.com and love the recipes listed in the Table of Contents. I would like to try many of the dishes as I had the good fortune of having Filipino friends cook for us at many social gathering which is such a good way to connect. If I win this cookbook, I would definitely continue the tradition of nourishing friends and family with recipes from the Filipino culture as we are so similar in the way our family connections are sustained by "eating together". I am from Viet Nam, and food is part of the fabric of the "community". I've included my email in the post (not displayed here).
Blessings!
Vincci says
My family's from Hong Kong, so we've had Filipino domestic helpers for a huge part of our lives. Interestingly, I never tasted Filipino food until my friend posted a recipe for Chicken Adobo on my blog. It has since piqued my interest and my boyfriend and I were supposed to take a trip to the Philippines last month, which got cancelled since his grandma became ill and eventually passed away. I would definitely love to try making some Filipino dishes at home.
michelle says
I would like to win a copy to expand my knowledge about filipino cooking.
roseolla says
I need this book!
Lilly says
Will love to start trying some new recipes, thank you!
Bess Nguyen says
I've grown up with Filipino food through my friends growing up in Milpitas. I loved coming over and when their families would share their foods. My favorites were the fried talapia, pancit, bolabok, shanghai rolls, adobo and the fried banana rolls. Filipino food is a part of my childhood memories and bring me a lot of comfort when I'm eating it.
Mary says
The recipes look fun. I love adobo.
souda says
I've never had Filipino food! but i would love to expand further on this cuisine
kolpin says
that chicken adobo looks so amazing! mine is usually so dry!
kolpin says
I'm a twitter follower @kolpin4680
kolpin says
i like you on FB as daniel budsy
Brett says
I've always dreamed of being adopted in to a Filipino family just so I can eat the amazing food everyday. Truthfully though, I have yet to meet a Filipino I don't love - they are the most hospitable, warm, caring people I know!
Dee says
I love Filipino food especially lumpia. I would love to learn more about Filipino food. Thanks for the giveaway.
David says
I've experienced Thai, Indian, Chinese, Indonesian, Pakistani, Bangladeshi but never anything more than a spring roll from the Philippines which a lady of that country made during our school parent's meeting. It was divine and if that's anything to go by........