Filipino cooking is steeped in history. When traveling to the Philippines you might want to try some of the old fashioned delights that the Filipino people feast upon on a daily basis. Traveling to a new region affords the visitor the chance to sample another culture and best of all to sample new tastes.

Malagit

Malagit is one of the staples of Filipino cuisine. The word is Tagalog and means glutinous rice. The rice is first boiled, then steamed, followed by pounding before being ground. It is then puffed before roasting and the result is a sweet and sticky delicacy that can only be found in the Orient.

The regions of Southern Tagalog and Central Luzon are where the glutinous rice is harvested. When one visits the public markets you can choose from two types of malagit. The first variety is sweet. The ivory grain is rounded with a pristine appearance. The regular variety is cheaper and has a grain that is long and nearly translucent.

The Fruit Of Life

For a true Filipino experience try sipping the juice of a coconut straight from the shell. Once the musky part of the fruit is sliced, the white, soft kernels are revealed. In order to insert the straw, a hole is bored so that you can drink the juice like a true Filipino.

Boko

The coconut is one of the most important fruits in many third world countries. Boko is the name that Filipinos give to the tree that produces the bread of life for many Filipino families. Just about every part of the coconut is utilized and not much goes to waste. Coconut leaves can keep a house cool and dry. Baskets are woven of coco leaves which are dried and some of the most beautifully crafted baskets can be purchased in local markets.

Filipino Candy

A sweet treat that all Filipino children clamor for is Bukayo. This is traditionally served after dinner. Mothers make this delicious morsel by simmering the meat of the coconut in water before it is combined with either brown or white sugar.

Even the trunk of the coconut tree has its use. It is often used for building. The material is typically referred to as coco lumber. To utilize the lumber, the bark of a trunk is cut by way of a power saw. It can then be sawed into any size needed, much like the lumber you would find in your local home improvement store.