The Ilocos Region's Native Cuisines

Featured Region: Region I, The Ilocos Region
Featured Recipe: Pinakbet

For the whole month of October, Isla Kulinarya will bring you to a scenic region that is blessed with open highways and cobblestoned roads, old fashioned towns, and grand Spanish style architecture-- the Ilocos Region.  Region 1 or Ilocos Region, which is wedged between the wild china sea and rugged Cordillera mountain range demonstrates a visually stimulating scene that boasts its splendor and magnificence. It consists of several provinces including: Abra, Benguet, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, La Union, Mountain Province, and Pangasinan.

In addition, Ilocos is home to hardworking people who have cultivated the land to provide themselves with nourishment for thousands of years.
 
They say they’ll know you’re Ilokano if :
             *you're a spendthrift or a frugal person
             *you address your fellows as lakay.
             *you say “aysos” over 10 times a day
             *your family gathering includes an inevitable game of Pepito/Pusoy
             *your favorite expression is mangan tayon (let’s eat!) and
             *your favorite dish is pinakbet.

Pinakbet or pakbet is a popular Ilocano dish, from the northern regions of the Philippines, although it has become popular throughout the archipelago. The word is the contracted form of the Ilocano word pinakebbet, meaning "shrunk" or "shriveled".


Ilokano's pinakbet

 The original Ilocano pinakbet uses bagoong, of fermented monamon or other fish, while further south, bagoong alamang is used. The basic vegetables used in this dish include native bitter melon, eggplant, tomato, ginger, okra, string beans, lima beans, chili peppers, parda and winged beans. A Tagalog version usually includes squash or kalabasa. Most of these vegetables are easily accessible, and are grown in backyards and gardens of most Ilocano households.

As its name suggests, pinakbet is usually cooked until almost dry and shriveled and the flavors of the vegetables are emphasized and accentuated by bagoong (shrimp paste). In some cases, lechon, chicharon, or other meats (most commonly pork), or shrimp are added.

Because pinakbet is a vegetable dish, it is considered a healthy dish. Here for the enjoyment of Filipino Americans is a great recipe for this beloved Ilokano dish- brought to you by Island Pacific’s Isla Kulinarya.

Catch us again next week as we feature another Ilocano recipe, you'll surely love. Don't miss it! Mangan tayon!

Isla Kulinarya lets you explore the islands, taste the food, relive the memories -- all made possible by Island Pacific Supermarket. Go and visit an Island Pacifc near you with branches in Southern California located at Cerritos, Canoga Park, North and South Vermont in Los Angeles, Panorama City and West Covina;  Union City and Vallejo in Northern California. 

Check out our website at www.islandpacificmarket.com. Stay connected with us-- like us on Facebook (island pacific market), follow us on Twitter (islandpacificUS) and  Blogger (island pacific market). For your comments, suggestions and request for recipes that you want us to feature, please email info@islandpacificmarket.com. Presyong Sulit... sa Island Pacific. "

Featured Chef: Chef Socrates Z. Inonog, CCE, ACF

Welcome to Isla Kulinarya-- a gastronomic adventure that will take you from one culinary destination to the next, exploring the different cuisines that make each regions of the Philippines truly unique. Together with some of the best chefs and food authors as well as ordinary homemakers, Isla Kulinarya will share delicious recipes and introduce readers to the world of authentic flavors of the Islands Philippines.

 

For our opening salvo, we will showcase special recipes from the most celebrated Filipino chef in America - Chef Socrates Inonog. He’s the first chef to be bestowed as the Certified Culinary Educator in the US and has received a number of awards from his decades of culinary career.
 

The 79-year-old was the former Dean of Emeritus of Culinary Arts at Johnson and Wales University in Providence, Rhode Island. He served as a culinary professor, Department Chairman, Dean of Faculty, and Director of Operations before accepting the Dean Emeritus position at the Johnson and Wales University. One of his former students from the class of 1978 was none other than famous international chef Emeril Lagasse.

Inonog proudly promotes Philippine cuisine wherever he goes. "We should be proud of what we have," he said. "Our cuisine, it’s not simple, it’s a combination of so many cultures, Spaniards for 300 years, Japanese, Chinese, Malaya Polynesian we should be proud of our cuisine. To this day whenever I cook, although I know how to cook everything, they want my Filipino food. As a Filipino, love your cuisine, really promote it and love it. "

Catch us again next week as we bring you Chef Soc's Inonog's version of Adobo. Watch out for it! 

Isla Kulinarya lets you explore the islands, taste the food, relive the memories -- all made possible by Island Pacific Supermarket. Go and visit an Island Pacifc near you with branches in Southern California located at Cerritos, Canoga Park, North and South Vermont in Los Angeles, Panorama City and West Covina;  Union City and Vallejo in Northern California.

Check out our website at www.islandpacificmarket.com. Like us on Facebook (island pacific market), follow us on Twitter (islandpacificUS) and connect with us on Blogger (island pacific market). For your comments, suggestions and request for recipes that you want us to feature, please email info@islandpacificmarket.com. 

Presyong Sulit... sa Island Pacific. "