SELF-PACED

LEARNING MODULE
COLLEGE

MODULE 1
Subject:

PHILIPPINE GASTRONOMICAL TOURISM

(TMEC2-PGT)

AISAT COLLEGE – DASMARIÑAS, INC.

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 Unit Study The Evolution of Philippine Gastronomy
Module Studying The Evolution of Philippine Gastronomy Page |2
PGT Philippine Gastronomic Tourism Units: 3hrs

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INFORMATION SHEET PR-2.1.1

‘The Evolution of Philippine Gastronomy’

Learning Objectives:
At the end of the lesson the students should be able to
1. Study the evolution of Philippine Gastronomy
2. Enumerate the Filipino flavor profile
3. Discuss the Asian food culture

The Evolution of Philippine Gastronomy

Being a tropical country, food spoilage and food safety is our biggest concern. The Philippine
climate and temperature falls in the HACCP danger zone temperature ranges of 5-60 degrees Celsius.
Bacterial growth causing food borne diseases cannot survive in environments that are too sweet, salty or
acidic. Prior to refrigeration our ancestors didn’t know this but they figured food lasted longer if they
cooked it in different forms of sugar, salted it, and added acid such as vinegar in “paksiw” or souring
agents like calamansi juice and tamarind in “sinigang”. These earliest forms of food preservation
attributed to the Filipino flavor preference of SWEET, SALTY and ACIDIC.

1. Filipino Flavor Profile

 Tamis (Sweet)
 Alat (Salty)
 Asim (Acidic)

2. The Nose Knows

Langhap sarap was an advertising campaign made popular by local food chain Jollibee. It is
noticeable that Filipinos smell their food before eating. The Filipino habit of smelling food before
consuming was really to check for spoilage and is still a practice today.

3. Use of Sawsawan (dipping sauces)

Our ancient cooking methods were very simple like boiling, grilling, roasting and steaming. Today
this is known as SUTUKIL -sugba , tula (tinola) and kinilaw.

Prepared by: APPROVED FOR IMPLEMENTATION:

MS. JANINE S. HUMANG-IT
MODULE 2nd
PRELIM
2 Meeting MS. RUTH F. CESISTA MR. WILBERT A. MAÑUSCA
Subject Teacher School Administrator
 Unit Study The Evolution of Philippine Gastronomy
Module Studying The Evolution of Philippine Gastronomy Page |3
PGT Philippine Gastronomic Tourism Units: 3hrs

The uses of sawsawan or dipping sauces are meant to enhance the flavor of these very simple
dishes. It is still customary to use an assortment of dipping sauces in the Filipino table. The staples are
combinations of:

 soy sauce
 fish sauce
 vinegar
 calamansi
 And at times chili.

Personal preference for the condiments used would depend on the culinary region. Our
Southeast Asian neighbors love chili sauces and sambal. Filipinos on the other-hand do not like
extremely spicy food (hot) and are conservative in the use of overpowering spices.

4. Flavor Juxtaposition

Juxtaposition is defined as the placing of compositional elements side-by-side, with the

intention of comparing or contrasting them (Merriam-Webster). Flavor juxtaposition is a Modernist
Cuisine trend of contrasting different flavors or textures (i.e: salty with sweet, sour and sweet, soft food
with crunchy) of our foods. It has however has been a part of our food culture and is not something new.
Such are the combinations of the following dishes:

 kare-kare with bagoong (oxtail peanut stew with shrimp paste)

 tuyo with champorado (salted fish with chocolate rice pudding)
 dinuguan with puto (pork blood stew with steamed rice cakes)
 chicharon at suka (pork cracklings with vinegar)
 monggo at prinitong isda (mug beans with fried fish)

5. The Sweet Tooth

Filipino food is known to be sweet. Our love for sugar is the result of being one of the biggest
producers in the world. In its abundance we use it on everything. Often food is too sweet and needs to
be toned down for the international market. We put sugar in almost all our dishes, perhaps to counter
balance the sour and saltiness of our food. To a certain extreme we even put sugar in our spaghetti, and
our 3-in-1 coffee sachets tastes more of sugar than coffee.

Prepared by: APPROVED FOR IMPLEMENTATION:

MS. JANINE S. HUMANG-IT
MODULE 2nd
PRELIM
2 Meeting MS. RUTH F. CESISTA MR. WILBERT A. MAÑUSCA
Subject Teacher School Administrator
 Unit Study The Evolution of Philippine Gastronomy
Module Studying The Evolution of Philippine Gastronomy Page |4
PGT Philippine Gastronomic Tourism Units: 3hrs

6. Naming our Dishes

Filipino dishes are named after the cooking method. This naming convection uses the “cooking
method” first and then the “ingredient” used.

For example:
 pritong manok (fried chicken)
 tinolang manok (boiled chicken)
 inihaw na isda (grilled fish)

7. Eating with Hands

Our ancient ancestors believed that eating with our hands gave connection with food and the
earth. It is also considered a non-violent way of eating, thus in the modern Filipino table only a spoon (to
scoop rice) and a fork is set-up. For convenience using the hands is socially acceptable when eating
seafood like crustaceans and finger foods like chicken.

8. Rice is our Staple

Rice is the staple food and most important crop. Eating rice is so important that no grain should
be wasted and left in a plate. In the Philippines a real meal must consist of rice, therefore a sandwich is
considered only a snack. Filipino breakfast is heavy and is served with rice. This tradition was done to
provide farmers with nourishment needed for field work. Kakanin (rice cakes) signifies stickiness of the
family or close family ties. Throwing rice to a bride and groom during a wedding symbolizes blessings of
fertility and of prosperity.

9. Biodegradable Packaging

Ancient Filipino food was cooked and wrapped in banana leaves, pandan, palm leaves, coconut
husks, bamboo, breadfruit leaves, and other forms vegetation found in the forest. Clapots were used in
cooking to prevent reactions from food with acid. Pottery, carved wood, stone slabs, large shells, and
baskets (kaing) lined with banana leaves were used to serve food.

10. Austronesian Ancient Food Culture

In the Austronesian migration pattern theory (4000-2000 BC) it is believed that there is a shared
evolution of race, language and culture with the following Austronesian nations:
 Taiwan (Formosa)  East Timor
 Brunei  Indonesia
Prepared by: APPROVED FOR IMPLEMENTATION:
MS. JANINE S. HUMANG-IT
MODULE 2nd
PRELIM
2 Meeting MS. RUTH F. CESISTA MR. WILBERT A. MAÑUSCA
Subject Teacher School Administrator
 Unit Study The Evolution of Philippine Gastronomy
Module Studying The Evolution of Philippine Gastronomy Page |5
PGT Philippine Gastronomic Tourism Units: 3hrs

 Malaysia
 Philippines
 Singapore
 Pattani region of Thailand
 Chamic areas of Vietnam
 Cambodia
 Hainan Island

Prepared by: APPROVED FOR IMPLEMENTATION:

MS. JANINE S. HUMANG-IT
MODULE 2nd
PRELIM
2 Meeting MS. RUTH F. CESISTA MR. WILBERT A. MAÑUSCA
Subject Teacher School Administrator
 “All native Southeast Asians are closely related culturally, genetically and to a lesser
degree linguistically” – Anthropologist Wilhelm Solheim II. Observed similar food cultures with
our Southeast Asian neighbors:

 Fish sauce -called Patis (Philippines), nuoc cham (Vietnamese),

nam pla (Thailand)

 Shrimp paste – Bagoong (Philippines), Belcan (Malaysia), Kapi (Thailand)

 Kare-kare – sounds like curry, most curry recipes have nuts

 Halo-halo – Ice kacang (Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore)

 Gulaman – Agar agar, Gula Melaka, palm sugar with sago or jelly (Malaysia, Indonesia,
Singapore)

 Use of coconut milk

 Shared method in the production of rice cakes (Indonesia and Borneo)

 Similar ingredients – calamansi, lemon grass, kang kong, ginger, tamarind, rice flour

 Use of banana leaves to wrap and cook food

 Rice as staple

11. The Foreign influences

Chinese - Chinese traders introduced frying, soy sauce, eating noodles for long life

Comida China is Chinese food that has become Filipino staples:

 Siomai
 Siopao
 Taho
 Hopia
 Pancit
 Miki
 Mami
 Lomi
 Lumpia
 Congee
 Balut
Spanish

Introduced fiestas, tomatoes, peppers, rich stews, and dairy based desserts like leche flan.
Lechon or roasted pig became the center of a lavish feast. The Spaniards introduced Catholicism and
introduced many pork dishes. Eating pork was a way to identify the Muslims who were averse to such a
diet.

Americans

The Americans introduced processed, canned and fast food. In the 20th century, the Philippines
became the only non-tea drinking culture nation in Asia. Our colonial mentality and hot tropical weather
gave preference to soft drinks, making us one of the biggest consumers of cola in Asia. A positive
contribution of the Americans to our food culture is the emphasis on food safety and sanitation
standards. Such strictness in hygiene was implemented in American franchise restaurants and was later
adopted by the local restaurant industry.

12. Return to Philippine Regional Cuisine or Island Foods

Most guide books would describe Filipino food as having strong Spanish influence. Although this
may be true, in an age of globalization there is an awakened appreciation to go back to our roots known
as Filipino Regional Cuisine or our real identity “island foods”. In the past “lutong bahay” or everyday
home-cooked food was considered ordinary. Spanish and western food was served during parties and
fiestas because they were deemed as special. Filipino food took a back-seat until the proliferation of
culinary schools in the Philippines during the late 1990’s. Today’s new found interest in regional cuisine
has created kulinarya tours all over the country. Provinces are proud to showcase their culinary heritage
and hometown delicacies. Such unique specialties have evolved because of a region’s geography and
topography, climate, availability of produce and ingredients, and customs.

Just like Italy, in order to understand Filipino food, one must break it down to understand the
different regional cuisines:

 Ilocos
 The Mountain Province
 Central Plains of Luzon
 Southern Tagalog
 Bicol Region
 Central Visayas
 Western Visayas
 Mindanao
 Muslim Mindanao
 Unit Know The Evolution Of Philippine Gastronomy
Module Knowing The Evolution Of Philippine Gastronomy Page |8
TMEC2-PGT Gastronomical Tourism Units: 3

References
 Culinary Cultures of Europe: Identity, Diversity and Dialogue. Council of Europe.
 "European Cuisine." Europeword.com. Accessed July 2011.
 Leung Man-tao (12 February 2007). "Eating and Cultural Stereotypes". Eat and Travel Weekly.
No. 312. Hong Kong: Next Media Limited. p. 76.
 Kwan Shuk-yan (1988). Selected Occidental Cookeries and Delicacies, p. 23. Hong Kong: Food
Paradise Pub. Co.
 Lin Ch'ing (1977). First Steps to European Cooking, p. 5. Hong Kong: Wan Li Pub. Co.
 Kwan Shuk-yan, pg 26
 Alfio Cortonesi, "Self-sufficiency and the Market: Rural and Urban Diet in the Middle Ages", in
Jean-Louis Flandrin, Massimo Montanari, Food: A Culinary History from Antiquity to the
Present, 1999, ISBN 0231111541, p. 268ff
 Michel Morineau, "Growing without Knowing Why: Production, Demographics, and Diet", in
Jean-Louis Flandrin, Massimo Montanari, Food: A Culinary History from Antiquity to the
Present, 1999, ISBN 0231111541, p. 380ff
 "Cuisine from Central Europe". Visit Europe. Archived from the original on 23 August 2012.
Retrieved 1 July 2013.

SELF CHECK PR-2.1.1

‘The Evolution of Philippine Gastronomy’

PREPARED BY: APPROVED FOR IMPLEMENTATION:

MODUL
2nd
PRELIM E MS. AGNES C. GUIANG MR. WILBERT A. MAÑUSCA
Meeting
2 Subject Teacher School Administrator
 Unit Know The Evolution Of Philippine Gastronomy
Module Knowing The Evolution Of Philippine Gastronomy Page |9
TMEC2-PGT Gastronomical Tourism Units: 3

Direction: Read each questions carefully and provide the correct answers.

1. What is Juxtaposition?
2. Introduced fiestas, tomatoes, peppers, rich stews, and dairy based desserts like leche flan

SELF CHECK PR-2.1.1

‘The Evolution of Philippine Gastronomy’
PREPARED BY: APPROVED FOR IMPLEMENTATION:
MODUL
2nd
PRELIM E MS. AGNES C. GUIANG MR. WILBERT A. MAÑUSCA
Meeting
2 Subject Teacher School Administrator
 Unit Know The Evolution Of Philippine Gastronomy
Module Knowing The Evolution Of Philippine Gastronomy P a g e | 10
TMEC2-PGT Gastronomical Tourism Units: 3

1. Juxtaposition is defined as the placing of compositional elements side-by-side, with the intention of
comparing or contrasting them (Merriam-Webster).

2. Spanish

STUDENT NAME: __________________________________ SECTION: __________________

PREPARED BY: APPROVED FOR IMPLEMENTATION:

MODUL
2nd
PRELIM E MS. AGNES C. GUIANG MR. WILBERT A. MAÑUSCA
Meeting
2 Subject Teacher School Administrator
 Unit Know The Evolution Of Philippine Gastronomy
Module Knowing The Evolution Of Philippine Gastronomy P a g e | 11
TMEC2-PGT Gastronomical Tourism Units: 3

WRITTEN WORK PR-2.1.1

WRITTEN WORK TITLE: The Evolution Of Philippine Gastronomy

WRITTEN TASK OBJECTIVE: After completing this written work the Learners should be able to
understand The Evolution Of Philippine Gastronomy
Direction: Read each questions carefully and write your correct answers on the space provided.

Question:

1. How can we prove the three Filipino flavor profiles? Cite examples of dishes.

2. What signifies the way Filipinos eat with their hands?

3. Explain how foreign influencers influenced Filipino dishes.

ASSESSMENT METHOD: WRITTEN WORK CRITERIA CHECKLIST

PREPARED BY: APPROVED FOR IMPLEMENTATION:

MODUL
2nd
PRELIM E MS. AGNES C. GUIANG MR. WILBERT A. MAÑUSCA
Meeting
2 Subject Teacher School Administrator
 Unit Know The Evolution Of Philippine Gastronomy
Module Knowing The Evolution Of Philippine Gastronomy P a g e | 12
TMEC2-PGT Gastronomical Tourism Units: 3

STUDENT NAME: __________________________________ SECTION: __________________

WRITTEN OUTPUT CRITERIA CHECK LIST PR-2.1.1

CRITERIA SCORING
Did I . . .
1 2 3 4 5
1. Focus on the questions given?
2. Provide the correct answers?
3. Read each questions carefully?
TEACHER’S REMARKS:  QUIZ  RECITATION  PROJECT

GRADE:

5 - Excellently Performed
4 - Very Satisfactorily Performed
3 - Satisfactorily Performed
2 - Fairly Performed
1 - Poorly Performed

_______________________________
TMEC2-PGT-TEACHER

Date: ______________________

PREPARED BY: APPROVED FOR IMPLEMENTATION:

MODUL
2nd
PRELIM E MS. AGNES C. GUIANG MR. WILBERT A. MAÑUSCA
Meeting
2 Subject Teacher School Administrator
 Unit Know The Evolution Of Philippine Gastronomy
Module Knowing The Evolution Of Philippine Gastronomy P a g e | 13
TMEC2-PGT Gastronomical Tourism Units: 3

PREPARED BY: APPROVED FOR IMPLEMENTATION:

MODUL
2nd
PRELIM E MS. AGNES C. GUIANG MR. WILBERT A. MAÑUSCA
Meeting
2 Subject Teacher School Administrator