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TORONTO PCG HOLDS MGA KUWENTONG PAGKAIN ONLINE COOK-ALONG WITH MAMA SITA FOUNDATION TO PROMOTE PHILIPPINE CULINARY HERITAGE
2021-07-24
PR-2021-42
Toronto, 24 July 2021 – The Philippine Consulate General in Toronto and the Mama Sita Foundation began the first of its three-part webinar series to bring Philippine cuisine to the forefront, with a look at Philippine culinary history and culture, today 23 July 2021, from 7:30 pm to 9:00 pm Toronto time.
With its Filipino partner organizations and supporting organizations, the webinar drew the participation of 350 participants, mostly from the Canada, but also reaching other parts of the world. It was heartening to note the participation of overseas Filipinos of all ages, as well as foreigners interested to learn about Filipino food and cooking methods.
Ms. Clara Reyes Lapus of the Mama Sita Foundation delivered the welcome remarks with an introduction of the partnerships that made this Philippine culinary online initiative happen. The event was keynoted by Ambassador Rodolfo Dia Robles of the Embassy of the Philippines in Canada, who was introduced by Consul General Orontes V. Castro of the Philippine Consulate General in Toronto.
The one and a half hour first episode on “Rice and Our Filipino Foodways” centered on rice, an essential part of the Filipino diet, starting with a presentation on the evolution of Philippine Cuisine and a shadow-play on the original of Rice. There was also a micro documentary on the harvest season in the Cordilleras where heirloom grain varieties are grown by descendants of rice farmers who have tilled the region’s vast ancestral lands for several generations, as well as a segment where noted food historian Felice Prudente Sta. Maria also shared nuggets of information on sustainable rice farming traditions and ancient rituals in the Cordilleras. She also gave a primer on cacao beans, which was brought to the Philippines via the galleon trade which began in 1565.
During this first episode, a video on how to cook rice sans a rice cooker was shown, and a live cooking demo of a well-loved rice snack, champorado, was also presented to nurture the viewers’ cultural connections with the homeland. The hosts, Filipino-Canadian food journalist Nastasha Alli and Mama Sita Legacy Custodian Cecile Nepomuceno Gamad, engaged the participants through meaningful discussions on Filipino foodways and practical tips and modern takes on iconic Filipino dishes. A sprinkling of Filipino language tutorials from the show’s emcees further enriched the first episode’s content.
Among the participants who were seen enjoying and cooking along the champorado were the mother-and-son tandem Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA) of the Province of Manitoba Honourable Malaya Marcelino.
The Philippine Consulate General in Toronto and the Mama Sita Foundation invites everyone to stay tuned for the next episodes which will explore ancestral cuisine and indigenized food. Joining as co-emcees on episodes 2 and 3 is the father and daughter tandem of Paolo and Malaika Paculan of the Ateneo de Manila University.
The series holds special appeal for foodies and food nerds from all over Canada and the rest of the world who are looking at diversifying their arsenal of food wisdom through compact lectures from notable resource persons on very specialized topics that cover the provenance and origins, historical, cultural, nutritional, and sustainability aspects of Philippine food.
The next episodes go online on 06 August and 20 August 2021 at 7:30 PM (GMT -4) for participants in Toronto, and 07 August and 21 August 2021 at 7:30 AM (GMT +8) for participants in Manila.
“Mga Kuwentong Pagkain: Filipino Food Online Cook-along” is supported by Sentro Rizal of the Philippine Consulate General in Toronto and its 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. – END
