Filipino cuisine loved in Italy

Chicken Adobo. Wikipedia Photo

MANILA – Filipino cuisine drew crowds during the recently held Salone del Gusto and Terra Madre.

Margarita Fores represented the country with some of our well-loved local dishes which include kalderetang baka, pansit guisado, lechon kawali, adobong manok at baboy, atchara, and kamote’t saging.

As a matter of fact, a group of Italians ordered Cordillera rice after taking a bite of Fores’ heirloom rice guinataan.

Salone del Gusto, organized by nonprofit organization Slow Food, started in 1996. Now on its 10th year, the event gathered more than 1,000 exhibitors from more than 100 countries to showcase the prized dishes of each community.

Representing the country were Vicky Garcia of RICE Inc.; Vicky Padilla of Agtalon Inc.; Chit Juan of ECHOStore; Rob and Bea Crisostomo of Ritual; Nico and Paula Aberasturi of Down To Earth; Ramon Uy Jr. of Fresh Start; Fannie Guanzon of Herbs Best; and a group of farmers from the Mountain Province, Kalinga and Benguet. Some of the products they include Visayan white corn also known as tinigib, heirloom rice varieties such as Chong-Ak from Kalinga and Imbuucan from Ifugao, sour fruits batwan and kamias, barako coffee, sinarapan and tawilis fish, and kadyos beans to the forefront.

“It’s a cycle of people trying and liking our food then buying the ingredients. As a result, it will support our farmers as well as keep traditions and food items intact,” said Department of Agriculture Undersecretary Berna Romulo-Puyat who led the delegation and brought Fores and her team to Turin. “Hopefully, this will help the farmers preserve our culinary heritage.”