Filipino Community & Lifestyle News
While the Philippines is known for its delicious, world-class mangoes, there are many more fruit varieties from the Philippines that the rest of the world might not be familiar with. Get to know the Top 10 Pinoy fruits that you should definitely try out. Find them at most Asian grocery markets, or blend them in […]
Imagine this: the sweet smell of inihaw and sisig fills the air. The lively chatter in Tagalog surrounds you, along with the many Filipino food vendors lining Mel Lastman Square. The vibrant atmosphere feels like a slice of the Philippines is right here in Toronto. This was the scene at the Enchanted Lights Filipino Market […]
Asian-owned businesses stole the show as more than 100 vendors gathered at Sweet City Fest held at Stackt Market—a shipping container shopping centre—in Toronto from February 9 to 19, 2024. During the 10-day festival dedicated to celebrating all things sweet, Auntie’s Supply and Barkada Mrkt., both Filipino-owned companies, joined forces to curate the vendor market, […]
When does Christmas officially start in the Philippines? While many countries wait until Halloween is over to put up their Christmas decor, the Philippines has already had a huge holiday headstart. With around 78 per cent of Filipinos practicing Catholicism, Christmas is one religious holiday that’s taken seriously. So how do Filipinos celebrate Christmas? Here […]
Kalamansi Collective owner Kris Pangilinan remembers well the first time he tasted kalamansi. The tiny citrus fruit, native to the Philippines, is smaller than a pingpong ball, but it “packed a punch”. Pangilinan was visiting the Philippines at the time, having a meal at Mang Inasal—a chicken barbecue restaurant—where they offered condiments such as soya […]
When Laureanne Hoekstra realized that her job in accounts receivable made her so busy that she barely saw her kids, she knew it was time to shift careers. “I went from always being there to never seeing (my kids). No quality time at all,” Hoekstra said. Hoekstra quit her job and became a stay-at-home mom. […]
It took over 100 tries before Manyaman Foods owner Marian Talavera felt she perfected the crunch of a chicharon. “Nag-start lang kami sa pack ng balat kinukuha namin sa Chinese store. Pinag-aralan namin nung pandemic—maraming beses mga 100 times,” said Talavera. (We started with buying packs of pork rinds from the Chinese store. We studied […]
Picture this perfect recipe for a Filipino festival: the sun’s shining, there are people dancing, as the sound of Filipino rap-slash-cha-cha music echoes throughout the square in Memorial Park in Oshawa, Ontario for the Durham Filipino Festival. The scent of barbecued pork and chicken wafts through the air. Line-ups form as hungry attendees seek out […]
Oh bay-bee bay-bee—it’s the reign of purple ube. From vivid Insta posts of desserts made with this violet ingredient to festivals devoted solely to this royal-coloured tuber, ube (pronounced ooh-beh) is the current “it girl” of all things gastronomical. Ascend to the top it must, much like the royalty status its rare colour used to […]
Chibog is a Filipino slang word meaning “food” or “to eat”, and Filipinos love nothing more than serving favourite dishes to loved ones and friends. With massive frying pans full of pansit noodles, chicken adobo, or sizzling barbecued pork bellies at parties, cooking and sharing a meal is arguably the Philippines’ foremost love language. Famous […]