Fil-Am cookbook authors to share writing tips at int’l book festival

Filipino American cookbook author Liren Baker will be part of the “We Cook Books” panel at this year’s Filipino American International Book Festival. CONTRIBUTED

SAN FRANCISCO — Food and cookbook lovers, get ready! Filipino American cookbook authors will take the stage in a panel discussion at this year’s Filipino American International Book Festival.

Titled “We Cook Books,” the panel is slated for October 13, convened and moderated by Elizabeth Besa-Quirino.

“We will tackle cookbook writing, how to get started, where to get ideas and inspiration, and share publishing advice from the authors,” says Besa Quirino.

“The panelists’ books will be sold at the festival. This is an opportunity for fans of Filipino American cookbooks to meet the chefs and food writers in person, and buy their signed books.”

Besa-Quirino is a journalist, food writer, cookbook author and memoirist. Her recipes have appeared in her website TheQuirinoKitchen.com, Positively Filipino magazine, Simply Recipes, The Kitchen and Taste of Home. She develops recipes focused on Filipino home cooking and making traditional Philippine recipes accessible as daily meals.  Her latest book is food and history memoir “Every Ounce of Courage” about her mother Lulu Reyes Besa, a decorated World War II heroine.

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The Fil-Am panelists include:

Liren Baker

Author of “Meat To The Side: A Plant-Forward Guide to Bringing Balance to Your Plate,” Baker is the writer, food photographer and creator of the food blog Kitchen Confidante, where she shares seasonal recipes inspired by her life in California, the flavors of her Filipino heritage and her travels. Baker is also the host of the successful Kitchen Confidante podcast.

Cleodia Martinez

Author of “Ay Sus!: Whole Food Plant-Based Global Filipino Cuisine,” Martinez is an entrepreneur and holistic nutritionist. She is the founder of Midsummer Kitchen, a full-service banquet catering company.

Aileen Suzara

In addition to being a chef, Suzara is an educator at UC Berkeley. She wrote the foreword of the US edition of the acclaimed “Tikim: Essays on Philippine Food and Culture” by the late Filipino cultural historian, professor, writer and columnist Doreen G. Fernandez. This edition includes an editor’s preface by Fil-Am historian Catherine Ceniza Choy.

Also included in the panel is Filipino author Claude Tayag (“The Ultimate Adobo: Stories and Recipes From the Heart”), who will be flying in from the Philippines to join the event.

The book festival this year is scheduled for Oct. 12 and 13 at the the San Francisco Public Library. It is held every other year, organized by the Philippine Artists and Writers Association. This year’s theme is “Kaisa’t Kasama, Celebrating our Diverse Voices and Solidarity.”

Visit filbookfestival.org. Walter Ang is the author of “Barangay to Broadway: Filipino American Theater History.” Available at Amazon, Bookshop and other online booksellers.