Mga Kuwentong Pagkain’s Evolution of Philippine Cuisine showcases indigenous roots to Universidad de Dagupan

Mama Sita’s Mga Kuwentong Pagkain Evolution of Philippine cuisine kicks the year 

off with a special 3-day webinar series in partnership with the Universidad de Dagupan’s School of International Hospitality Management. 

The event plans to focus on the origins of Filipino cuisine, as well as the different external influences that make it what it is today. Participants, composed of different students in the university as well as other colleges in the area, will be able to gain a better appreciation of how the roots of our Filipino taste buds influenced the dishes we create and eat today. 

From February 22 to 24 at 10 AM, listeners can better understand how indigenous Filipinos prepared, cooked, and ate their food. Food historian Felice Sta. Maria introduces in Pigafetta’s Philippine Picnic the first interactions of indigenous Filipinos with the Europeans, as well as the different food and drinks offered to them by the natives. Director for the Center of Philippine Studies at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa Dr. Pia Arboleda will also talk about the origins of Adobo, and how it is a dish that is distinctly Filipino. 

The series will also feature different topics on the many external influences on Filipino food, coming from our Southeast Asian neighbors, Chinese trade, and the Spanish Galleon Trade. And on the last day, different cooking demonstrations will be shown for participants to gain a better appreciation for the different styles, methods, and variations of favorite Filipino dishes such as sinigang and palabok. The Universidad de Dagupan will also demonstrate how to make smoked bangus and bottle it Spanish-style. 

This event is open to the public. To register, participants can sign up through Google Forms at https://forms.gle/LvsoFJj1PRVQDMRB8.

Politics of Food: Linking Farmers to International Markets

Pagkain Natin: The Food of our Ancestors

Mama Sita Foundation and the Philippine Association of Condiments Producers, Inc. launch the Pagkain Natin, A 10-Part Mini-Documentary Series on the Food of Our Ancestors, in solidarity with the 2021 Quincentennial Commemorations in the Philippines.

Watch Episode 1 here:

PH Food Companies Joining Gulfood 2021 this Month

Filipino food companies are participating in Gulfood 2021, the largest food and beverage exhibitions in the Middle East this month, according to Center for International Trade Expositions and Missions executive director Pauline Suaco-Juan.

CITEM leads a 13-strong delegation of food export companies for Gulfood 2021, one of the world’s biggest fairs for food and hospitality

The Food Philippines pavilion at the Dubai World Trade Center will be manned by the Philippine Trade and Investment Center-Dubai team. 

To build on the momentum created by the Philippine delegation, CITEM and PTIC Dubai will facilitate an extensive business-to-business event between exhibitors and prospective buyers on March 14 to 16, shortly after Gulfood. 

Headed to Dubai on Feb. 21 to 25 are 13 food export companies including Century Pacific Agricultural Ventures Inc.; Century Pacific Food Inc.; Doxo Trading; Federation of Peoples’ Sustainable Development Cooperative  JNRM Corp.; MagicMelt Foods Corp.; Market Reach International Resources; Mega Global Corp.; Philippine Grocers Food Exports Inc.; Profood International Corp.; Sandpiper Spices and Condiments Corp./Mama Sita’s; SL Agritech Corp.; and Super Q. 

All companies offer hearty, diverse, and halal-certified selections and are export-ready to deliver consistent product quality to represent the best of Philippine food manufacturing and processing.  

To be featured in the FoodPhilippines pavilion are well-loved Pinoy products such as coconut water by Century Pacific Agricultural Ventures, canned tuna by Century Pacific Food; canned sardines by Mega Global Corp.; various branded goods by Philippine Grocers Food Exports Inc.; and special Filipino bread by MagicMelt Food Corp.  

As one of the world’s leading exporters and producers of several tropical fruits such as pineapples, coconuts and mangoes, the Philippines has also become fertile ground for the production of premium fruit products, as evidenced by Doxo Trading, Market Reach International Resources and Profood International Corp. The companies will be bringing in distinctly Pinoy pineapple juice and global favorite dried mangoes. 

The Philippine delegation’s institutional participation comprises physical and digital components, where featured products in the FoodPhilippines pavilion will come with QR codes which buyers can scan to be led to the exhibitors’ inboxes 

Rice, a Filipino dining staple, will also come in various iterations through the Philippines’ leading manufacturer of premium rice, SL Agritech Corp., as well as through delectable rice cake snacks by JNRM Corp. and FPSDC’s selections of black, pink, brown, and red rice.   

Mama Sita’s under Sandpiper Spices and Condiments Corp. will showcase its mixes and sauces accompanied by heirloom Filipino recipes.  Super Q, which transformed the Philippine noodle industry, will present quality wheat-based noodles such as bihon, pancit canton and palabok.

“It’s all systems go for our ongoing efforts to promote our choicest halal-certified food products, particularly in the Middle East and North American region,” Department of Trade and Industry Undersecretary for trade promotions Abdulgani Macatoman said. 

“We’re looking forward to showcasing our homegrown flavors, exemplifying the diversity that discerning taste buds all over the world know and love,” he said.

The Philippine participation in Gulfood 2021 is facilitated by CITEM, in fulfillment of its mandate as the export-promotions arm of the DTI, in partnership with PTIC Dubai, PTIC Jeddah and the Export Marketing Bureau. 

Originally published on: https://manilanews.ph/ph-food-companies-joining-gulfood-2021-this-month/

Beyond Food Stories

BravoFilipino | Beyond food stories | MANILA, January 21, 2021 – The Mama Sita Foundation, in partnership with the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa (UHM), launches a lecture-webinar series entitled “Pinoy Food Stories: Evolution of Philippine Cuisine” for students, the food-curious, and history buffs alike. The online course aims to take participants through the evolution of Philippine cuisine, from indigenous foods and ingredients to the different culinary practices of Filipinos around the world today.'

Under the wings of Dr. Pia Arboleda, Director of the Center for Philippine Studies and Coordinator of the Filipino and Philippine Literature Program at the UHM, the online course will be taught by Mr. Paolo Ven Paculan of the Ateneo de Manila Junior High School.

The course will have five modules in the span of 4 weeks—from February 13, 2021 to March 13, 2021 in the Philippines—and participants can choose which module classes to attend. Topics include: “Provenance of Filipino Food,” “Provided by Nature: Indigenous Foodways,” “This or that? Asian Influences on Filipino Food,” “Everyday Is a Celebration: Spanish Influences on Filipino Culture,” and “At the Crossroads: Food Culture of Different Filipinos.”

Registration for participants is still ongoing, with no fees nor requirements needed to sign up. Interested persons may fill up the Google form at this link: https://forms.gle/ZUqdvy2qwkgmUJ6N6. 

Pinoy Food Stories is an offshoot of the Mama Sita Foundation’s annual storywriting contest, Mga Kwentong Pagkain. In collaboration with the UHM, the Mama Sita Foundation brings food stories onto an academic stage, where participants can delve deeper into how Filipino food culture has been shaped throughout history, creating not just a heritage of flavors, but also a Filipino identity amid the influences of the past and the present.

For inquiries about the online course, email mkpsauhm@gmail.com. 

#MgaKwentongPagkainFoodStories

#MgaKwentongPagkainSaUHM

Originally published on: https://bravofilipino.com/beyond-food-stories/

Sweet childhood: Teddy Boy Locsin remembers memories with ‘Mama Sita’

Foreign Affairs Secretary Teddy Boy Locsin remembered the memories of the famous restaurateur and cook, Mama Sita Reyes. The abogado showed off his copy of her book who he claimed shaped her post-war generation.'

Locsin mentioned that he remembers going to her restaurant for a meal in the height of a school semester. However, the abogado stated that one criteria needs to be met and that is having a good report card. Otherwise, he will have to make do with the regular canteen food.

A look in the past!

Originally published on: https://abogado.com.ph/sweet-childhood-teddy-boy-locsin-remembers-memories-with-mama-sita/

The First ‘Kuwentong Pagkain’ for College Students

Asian Food Tourist  | The first ‘Kuwentong Pagkain’ for college students | DECEMBER 21, 2020 – The Mama Sita Foundation (MSF) towards the end of 2020 opened its annual food story contest Mga Kuwentong Pagkain (MKP) to college students with its Eskwela Edition. With the theme “Regional Food Heritage,” the contest hopes to tap young storytellers to learn and explore their food culture, from their grandparent’s recipes to regional ingredients that define their favorite foods.

The contest is open to all interested Filipino undergraduate students or exchange students currently enrolled in a Philippine college or university. Students can submit their food stories in an essay or video format. The deadline for the submission of entries is on January 19, 2021. The contest concludes activities on February 27, 2021.

Avenue for awareness

The Mama Sita Foundation has always organized Mga Kuwentong Pagkain to increase awareness of Philippine food heritage. Over the years, MKP has gathered many food stories from Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao, as well as from Filipinos in different sectors—students, workers, young professionals, retirees, and even Filipinos living abroad!

Sponsored

It is hoped that the Eskwela Edition inspire budding storytellers not only to eat, but also to understand and appreciate the food culture that is their heritage. In researching and presenting their story (which can be about heirloom foods, culinary traditions, cooking methods, food norms, rituals or beliefs related to food, or local food etiquette), students help create materials that promote these culinary treasures. 

Amid the pandemic

Times were very different when the Foundation started organizing the contest. Because of the pandemic, movement has become limited: travel is minimized, gatherings discouraged, and schoolwork became remote. 

Things have not changed, however. People still love to share stories, write about their experiences, and get creative with their messages. In continuing with Mga Kuwentong Pagkain this year, it is a way of bringing hope, creativity, and a sense of wonder back to the fore. Through the contest’s Eskwela Edition, the Mama Sita Foundation wants to inspire the younger generation to become involved in preserving their culinary heritage, and to do their part in chronicling the flavors of the Philippine Islands—from the safety of their homes.

It echoes what Teresita “Mama Sita” Reyes has advocated throughout her life: to find and uphold the food heritage of Filipinos in order to make it known to the world.

For more information on Mga Kuwentong Pagkain: Eskwela Edition, visit https://mamasitas.com/join-mga-kuwentong-pagkain/. For more information on Mama Sita Foundation and its initiatives, visit www.mamasitafoundation.com. 

Article originally published on asianfoodtourist.com.

See article here: https://asianfoodtourist.com/the-first-kuwentong-pagkain-for-college-students/

Food Heritage Writing Contest for Students

The Mama Sita Foundation has announced that it’s annual “Mga Kuwentong Pagkain” (MKP) will be aimed at college students with its Eskwela Edition.

With the theme, “Regional Food Heritage,” the contest hopes to tap young storytellers to learn about and explore their food culture, from their grandparents’ recipes to regional ingredients that define their favorite dishes.

The contest is open to all interested Filipino undergraduate students or exchange students enrolled in a Philippine college or university. Students can submit their food stories in essay or video format. The deadline for submission is Jan. 19.

The Mama Sita Foundation organized MKP to increase awareness of Philippine food heritage. Over the years, MKP has gathered many food stories from Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao, as well as from Filipinos in different sectors—students, workers, young professionals, retirees, and even Filipinos living abroad.

It is hoped that the Eskwela Edition will inspire budding storytellers not only to eat, but also to understand and appreciate the food culture that is their heritage. In researching and presenting their story (which can be about heirloom foods, culinary traditions, cooking methods, food norms, rituals or beliefs related to food, or local food etiquette), students help create materials that promote these culinary treasures.

Through the contests’s Eskwela Edition, the Mama Sita’s Foundation wants to inspire the younger generation to become involved in preserving their culinary heritage, and to do their part in chronicling the flavors of the Philippine Islands—from the safety of their homes.

Visit mamasitas.com/join-mga-kuwentong-pagkain

Article was originally published on Philippine Daily Inquirer