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Press Release
MGA KUWENTONG PAGKAIN: FILIPINO FOOD COOK ALONG FEATURES THE ARTISANAL GOODNESS OF MAMA SITA’S HEIRLOOM RICE CHAMPORADO
2021-07-20
PR-2021-41
July 19, 2021 (Manila) – “Mga Kuwentong Pagkain: Filipino Food Online Cook-Along”, a zoom webinar series that celebrates the unique heritage of Phillippine cuisine through storytelling and virtual cooking, features Mama Sita’s Heirloom Rice Champorado on its first episode which goes online this Friday, July 23, 7:30 p.m. – 9:30 p.m. in Toronto (and on Saturday, July 24, 7:30 a.m. – 9:30 a.m. in Manila).
Episode 1 titled “Rice and Our Filipino Foodways”, focuses on the humble Filipino staple, without which no meal is considered complete. The typical Filipino diet is characterized by a significant consumption of rice. Its chewy texture and subtle taste is the perfect complement to the bold flavors of the country’s diverse regional fare that are just meant to be savored with rice. Even snacks are replete with this ubiquitous grain.
Enter Heirloom Rice Champorado, a Mama Sita boutique product made with rare varieties of rice grains harvested from the ancestral lands of the Cordillera region, home of the famed UNSECO protected Philippine rice terraces. Planted and grown using ancient indigenous farming techniques passed on from generation to generation, heirloom rice grains are prized for their flavor and aroma, beautiful red to deep purple hues, lovely textures, and nutritional value.
In support of the farming communities that grow these fabled grains, Mama Sita’s has come up with a unique artisanal offering: Heirloom Rice Champorado Kit. The kit comes in 4 different heirloom rice varieties: Minaangan, Kalinga, Jekot, Balitanaw, and Ominio. Each grain variety has its own texture and taste. Complemented with 100% natural cacao tableas from Davao, Mama Sita’s Heirloom Rice Champorado delivers an exquisite spin to Filipinos’ beloved chocolate rice porridge – Champorado.
Mama Sita’s Heirloom Rice Champorado is produced in small batches and currently available in selected markets only. It is featured in episode 1 of “Mga Kuwentong Pagkain: Filipino Food Online Cook-Along” which is devoted to rice, an integral part of the country’s foodways.
“Mga Kuwentong Pagkain: Filipino Food Online Cook-Along” is presented in partnership with the Philippine Consulate in Toronto, with the support of Sentro Rizal, and partner organizations: Anderson College, b2Bpreneur, Filipino Canadian Association of Vaughan (FCAV), Filipino Canadian Students Association (FILCASA), Markham Federation of Filipino Canadians (MFFC) and Scarborough Ontario Seniors Association (SOSA); and supporting organizations: Pinoylicious, and Pueblo Science.
The episodes go online on July 23, August 6, and August 20, 2021 at 7:30 PM (GMT -4) for participants in Toronto, and July 24, August 7, and August 21, 2021 at 7:30 AM (GMT +8) for participants in Manila. Interested participants can register for the first episode through this link: https://bit.ly/2SMAMASITA The next episodes will have a different registration link which will be shared in due time. – end –
ABOUT THE PHILIPPINE CONSULATE IN TORONTO
The Philippine Consulate General in Toronto is currently headed by Consul General Orontes V. Castro, and serves the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), Western Ontario and Manitoba. It holds office at 7th Floor, 160 Eglinton Ave. East Toronto, Ontario, Canada, ands can be reached through Telephone (416) 922.7181; Facsimile (416) 922.2638 Email: consularmatters@philcongen-toronto.com
ABOUT MAMA SITA FOUNDATION
Mama Sita Foundation (https://www.mamasitafoundation.com) is a non-stock non-profit organization birthed from the vision and legacy of Teresita “Mama Sita” Reyes, a Filipino food icon who was committed to spread awareness on Filipino food and honor the growers and producers of endemic agricultural crops that deliver its unique flavors and tastes. Its initiatives are focused on promoting Philippine culinary heritage and harnessing agricultural sustainability.
ABOUT MGA KUWENTONG PAGKAIN
“Mga Kwentong Pagkain” (MKP) is an initiative of the Mama Sita Foundation which aims to preserve Philippine culinary heritage through the art of storytelling. Launched as a food writing contest in 2012, the initiative has since branched to other endeavors that seek to uphold Filipino foodways and culinary traditions, and work towards its inclusion in global conversations on food. MKP is inspired by Teresita Reyes’ own passion for putting into writing her own fascinating culinary adventures and experiences.
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For more information, please contact:
Marissa Albarace
Community Relations Manager
mailto:malbarece@msita.com
mobile: +63 9154416027
phone: +63 2 7182980
+63 2 7256601
+63 2 4046790