new
/nu, nyu/
adjective, new·er, new·est
of recent origin, production, purchase, etc.; having but lately come or been brought into being
kusina
/koo-SEE-nah/
noun
Tagalog for kitchen
For those not familiar with Filipino food, it’s actually pretty hard to describe. Filipino food is heavily influenced by surrounding Asian countries (like China and Malaysia) and then their former Spanish and (very rarely) American occupiers. And like most country specific cuisines around the world, Filipino food widely varies by region. You’ll find a lot of recipes that incorporate salty, sweet, and especially sour (sometimes spicy), but no two recipes are ever the same between regions and families. This is especially evident between my parents who grew up on two different islands in the Philippines.
As a Filipina-American (Fil-Am), I grew up eating Filipino food every day. Both my mom and dad would cook up everything that reminded them of their homes in the Philippines, from fabulous stews to the most amazing desserts. It wasn’t until I left home for college that I began to miss my parents’ home cooking. I would call them to ask for recipes of the dishes I was craving, but like every great home cook everything was created by using their senses and not a recipe card. It was actually quite frustrating being on the phone as my parents were arguing about ingredients.
With both my parents retired, I hope to pick their brains and bring you their Filipino recipes to cook at home. And I’ll share recipes I use to feed my little family of five.
