MEComposing

I've watched the episode twice and I think I wouldn't mind watching it again.

First of all, I love Anthony Bourdain.

And secondly, I love Philippine food.

But its the insights generated by that episode that really gets to me.

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Am sure it wasn't just me who found it amazing that someone who wasn't born here would be the one to finally get Anthony Bourdain to pay attention to the Philippines. Augusto only visited Philippines for a week and yet he said it was life-changing!

Maybe the rest of Discovery Travel and Living will get their butts here soon.

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I wished David Carlos Celdran (thanks for noticing Anonymous, of course I meant Carlos! hehe) was the one who accompanied Bourdain in Manila but I guess Ivan (?) was the Binondo King. I just think Celdran would have been a more interesting host.

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I didn't know Pampanga was the culinary capital of the country. I think it's because i've just embraced that each region has its own culinary masterpieces and gastronomic uniqueness that it would be unwise to say one region is better than the others.

But of course, since SIL is from Pampanga, am proud how it was featured, and so well! And it was a good trivia to know that sisig was first made at Aling Lucing's.

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Augusto and the other guy's observations about how Filipinos abroad adapt so well to other cultures, especially in a desire for their kids to fit in, and to which Bourdain commented that we're just too damn nice... that was very illuminating. For it's true, we're so all over the world and yet Filipino cuisine is not known, or we're limited to adobo or balut as Filipino food.

In a way, it's also sad to know how the Chinese and Koreans raise their kids as Chinese and Koreans wherever they may be, while Filipinos raise their kids according to where they are.

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The crackling of the pig's skin was sinful! Gosh... I am not a fan of lechon generally but I just really drooled and daydreamed over the food they ate!!!

Anyway, best pig ever!!!

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Anthony commented reserve in Augusto's family over dinner and said something like, maybe some can't come home ever. I actually think though that even if Cebuanos are known to speak English well, Augusto's kin are shy and reserved towards Augusto because of that language barrier... and then you add a TV star and camera crew, they're bound to really keep quiet!

Hubs' cousins said, Bourdain should have dined with them, so he'd know just how loud family dinners can be. :)

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The only thing Bourdain didn't really like was the pancit Malabon (weird that Ivan said it was palabok, palabok's noodles are those thin, white ones right? not the short, fat ones). But he liked papaitan (which I love!) and even dug into the goat's head! He even liked sinigang sa bayabas which I also do not like.

And he was right... when you describe our food, it wouldn't really sound delicious (like, papaitan is bile and innards) but they are delicious! Delectable! Divine!!!

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When the Pampango was asked what makes Filipino food different than other Asians, he said it right when he said that ours isn't as herb-y as our neighbors. And I love what the different hosts repeated the entire episode... that we have a food template but each region cook diiferently.

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If you can't download it, watch it here. I promise you won't be able to help saying "awww" when the baby starts mashing lechon in her fists. :D