New book on Filipino cuisine launched in Washington

A guest checks out a copy of The New Filipino Kitchen displayed for sale at Kramerbooks & Afterwords. CONTRIBUTED

WASHINGTON, D.C. -A new book, “The New Filipino Kitchen: Stories and Recipes” from around the Globe, debuted here through the efforts of Sentro Rizal Washington DC, the Office of the Philippine Agriculture Attaché, and Kramerbooks & Afterwords, on Sept. 27.

“The New Filipino Kitchen,” edited by Jacqueline Chio-Lauri, is an anthology of 30 stories and recipes from expatriate Filipino chefs and home cooks in North America. It has received highly positive reviews from Publishers Weekly and Booklist, and is a number one bestseller in Southeast Asian Cooking on Amazon.

Jose Victor Chan-Gonzaga, economic officer of the Philippine Embassy said, “The New Filipino Kitchen is a celebration of a cuisine whose time to be recognized and enjoyed the world over, has come. It revels in the dazzling array of flavors and textures of Philippine cuisine while bringing the readers along on the authors’ personal journeys of discovering and embracing their unique identity and heritage.”

Contributing authors of the book “The New Filipino Kitchen” (left to right, front row) Aniceto Comia Reña Jr., Kristina Villavicencio, Katrina Villavicencio, (left to right, second row) Paolo Dungca, Paolo Espanola, Vanessa Lorenzo, Cristina Quakenbush, Alexa Alfaro, and Dalena Benavente pose with Philippine Agriculture Attaché to the Americas, Dr. Josyline Javelosa (center, in white blazer), after the book’s successful DC launch at Kramerbooks & Afterwords on Sept. 27, 2018. CONTRIBUTED

Six of the contributing authors read excerpts during the book launch. Cristina Quakenbush of New Orleans, shared an excerpt from her story on the Filipino dish kinilaw. Tennessee-based Dalena Benavente talked about her first taste of afritada. Milwaukeean Alexa Alfaro, recounted conversations with her father on making lumpia. Vanessa Lorenzo, based in Virginia, spoke proudly of her family’s habichuelas recipe. New York-based blogger and culinary ambassador Paolo Espanola, read an excerpt from his story on pancit molo. Kristina Villavicencio, one of the four creators of the Filipino American Timpla supper club in Washington, D.C., shared the story behind their cassava cake.

Darell Artates, the embassy’s public diplomacy officer and administrator of Sentro Rizal Washington DC, read an excerpt from a chapter contributed by White House Chef Cristeta Comerford. In “Ang Pambihirang Luto ni Nanay” (Mom’s Extraordinary Cooking), Comerford shares fond memories of her mother’s escabecherecipe.

Guests enjoy servings of adobo sliders and cassava cake. CONTRIBUTED

Philippine Agriculture Attaché to the Americas Dr. Josyline Javelosa delivered a message on behalf of the editor Jacqueline Chio-Lauri, who is currently in the United Kingdom.

Chio-Lauri writes in the book’s introduction, “Complex and diverse, Filipino cuisine is ineffable. Trying to define it in few sentences will always fall short in capturing its essence. To make sense of Filipino food, it has to be experienced, with all the emotions and sensations that are associated with it.”

Guests who bought a copy of the book also received a customized “Flavors: It’s More Fun in the Philippines” aprons from the Philippine Department of Tourism-New York Office. CONTRIBUTED

Members of the audience were treated to servings of adobo sliders and cassava cake. Fifteen lucky individuals who bought copies of the book also received a customized “Flavors: It’s More Fun in the Philippines” aprons distributed by the Philippine Department of Tourism-New York Office.