#MINDANAO
I am a collector of books. Despite the popularity of online publishing, I still find the finely printed word on book paper alluring. This is even better if the volume is hardbound with a thick spine and a well-designed, crisp jacket. Of late, the books I have taken a liking to are cookbooks and biographies. These are often printed in limited quantities, making them rare collectibles in the future. Of the cookbook variety, there are two kinds: the travelogue cookbook and the boring recipe manual. Of course, the former is more interesting and worth my shelf. The travelogue cookbook is a feature story cum anthropological study that happens to have lots of food and shows how they are made. These cookbooks are written by writers who practically take you to the kitchen where the dish is prepared and will talk about the community that practices the recipe, the history that comes with it, and the feelings the dish evokes among those who consume it. A well-written cookbook is a deep look into how people live, what crops and animals thrive in their environment, and what they value in life. It is sociology and anthropology with flavor and taste. The authors, therefore, need not be professional chefs. When we cook the recipes described in these books, the featured community comes alive in our own kitchen, and the loved ones sharing the meal have practically traveled to that destination with you. One such travelogue cookbook is Under Coconut Skies: Feasts and Stories from the Philippines by Filipino Australian Yasmin Newman and published by Smith Street Books in 2021. Divided into four chapters, it is a thoughtfully written, hefty food and travelogue that takes you across the islands in a way that may be unfamiliar to most Pinoys but comforting to the millions in the Filipino diaspora. This is because the book not only features the recipe, but alternative ingredients that can be used, that can bring new twists that can be done with them. One such example is sinigang with rhubarb instead of tamarind, or the cucumber salad with watermelon in a fish sauce vinaigrette, Muscovado braised beef, and lechon with shitake and black rice stuffing. Particularly inspiring to me is the way Yasmin features Mindanao food like Maranao chicken curry and pomelo salad with peanuts and kalamansi and the Piyanggan Manuk, or burnt coconut and lemongrass chicken. This is written from the perspective of one who has lived among Mindanaoans and cooked in the island’s kitchens. Such fusions and the application of new preparation techniques elevate these dishes to a level that knocks on world-class. Such treatments of Pinoy cuisine and the availability of social and online media have greatly helped the world know more about Filipino fare. In all, Under Coconut Skies brings us Filipino food as cooked, eaten, and enjoyed by various Filipinos. Through the book, you will see the evolving Filipino soul manifest in the food.
Durian Dreams!
Kudos to the Davao Durian Industry Council for the successful export of Durian to China. This follows the entry of the delectable fruit into the markets of the U.S. and Australia over the last three years. Having more markets for the king of fruits means higher income for many Mindanao farmers, and more stable watersheds in many of the hilly areas where durian trees are grown. The production of the fruit is an incentive to keep the trees healthy.