The New Filipino Kitchen

Book excerpt: “An engrossing, page-turner of a cookbook. If you can even call it a cookbook—it’s more of a short story collection with delicious, addictive recipes.” —Brian McGinn, Emmy-nominated director and executive producer, Chef’s Table Named a top cookbook of 2018 by the San Francisco Chronicle and Epicurious You may not realize that Filipino Americans are the second-largest Asian American group living in the United States, especially when you compare the number of, say, Japanese, Thai, and Korean restaurants to Filipino ones. There’s a lot of speculation about why Filipino food hasn’t taken off the way other Asian cuisines have, but one thing’s for sure: there’s something for everyone here. The New Filipino Kitchen collects thirty recipes and stories from expat Filipinos, all of whom have taken their favorite dishes with them, preserving their food memories and, if necessary, tweaking their recipes to work in a new environment or, in the case of some chefs, a more modern context. With contributions from White House executive chef Cristeta Comerford, silver Bocuse d’Or winner Christian André Pettersen, five-time Palanca Award winner and poet Francis Macansantos, and the “Food Buddha” Rodelio Aglibot, this is a multifaceted, nuanced introduction to the world of Filipino food and food culture. “Contributors’ entrancing essays about work, life, and love of their heritage are not to be missed . . . A gentle, inspiring, and exciting introduction to a savory world still new to many U.S. readers.” —Booklist, starred review “Engrossing stories and delicious recipes.” —Foodista “A wonderful multilayered answer to the question ‘What is Filipino food?’ and an invitation to everyone to get cooking.” —Naomi Duguid, author of James Beard Award–winning Taste of Persia