30 days of yummy food and cultural treats at Flavors of the Philippines
Ongoing until April 30 is the country’s gastronomic road trip as Flavors of the Philippines 2017 showcases the best culinary fare from NCR, Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao through various activities such as cook-offs, food bazaars, food tastings, and market tours. Organized by the Tourism Promotions Board (TPB) of the Department of Tourism (DOT), Flavors of the Philippines, now in its third year, promotes food and local cuisine from the different regions through activities held simultaneously across the country.
1 The Paella Gigante at Greenbelt 3 Park, Ayala Center, Makati City. Chefs from Les Toques Blanches Philippines cooked an 11-foot-diameter paella,
completos recados with chorizo, chicken, and seafood cooked the traditional way over charcoal and firewood.
2 SM by the Bay will host a Welcome Night for the official delegates highlighting the best of Philippine food, art, and culture, with lechon prepared in many unique ways today.
3 Until April 30, the Smokey Tour will walk visitors through the market area of Old Manila with merchandise ranging from medicinal herbs, birds and clothing to digital gadgets, open every day except Wednesdays.
4 Glimpse of Filipino Culture is a cultural exhibit in Art Gallery Sining Kamalig in Quezon City.
5 Sabado Mercado in San Juan City
6 All-Natural Health Fair and Vegan Fair in Lucky Chinatown
7 Weekend fair of cheese and Deli Festival and international cuisine fair Taste the World at Eastwood City
8 Culinary Weekend Fair at SM North Edsa
9 Culinary sessions and food tasting with outstanding chefs called Food Meets Fun: Chef Creations at SM North Edsa.
10 Dessert, an extraordinary confectionaire dégustation at Le Petit Souffle, SM Megamall
11 Flavors of Brunch at Forbes Town aims to draw attention to the brunch dishes and pairings on the menu from participating restaurants within Forbes Town in BGC, Taguig.
12 There is a week-long travel and tradeshow in Manila called Treasures of Sox: A Travel, Trade and Food Expo, ongoing until April 7 at the Glorietta Activity Center.
13 To highlight the food in Nueva Ecija, Fresh from the Farm Gourmets will feature foods like kesong puti or rice cakes, plus pocket events highlighting batutay, Cabanatuan City’s version of garlic longganisa.
14. The Dinamulag Festival 2017 is a festivity in celebration of the bountiful harvest of Zambales mangoes. A food court/bazaar is open daily till nighttime. One activity is the Zambales Cooking Challenge.
15 SM City Baliwag celebrates the Art & Flavors of Bulacan’s Borlas de Pastillas. See a larger-thanlife pastillas artfully wrapped in pabalat, which the Province of Bulacan is well known for. The event features the legacy of Nanay Luz Ocampo, who pioneered Pastillas de Leche Pabalat-making in Bulacan.
16 The Cordillera Region will mount “Flavors of Cordillera,” where local dishes will be fused with mainstream recipes.
17 The Ilocos Region will host several bangus-related activities like the “Bangus Rodeo.”
18 “The Search for Ms. Tisang Bangus” in Dagupan, Pangasinan
19 It is a gigantic celebration for Central Luzon as two of their event highlights are the Giant Bringhe, a 15-footdiameter variation of the famous Arroz Valenciana prepared by four of their best chefs.
20 A “Giant Bucket of Chicharon” features Galan’s chicharon, also at several locations in Central Luzon.
21 Calabarzon will parade the “Pamana ng Quezon Kulinarya,” featuring the heirloom recipes of Quezon passed on from generation to generation.
22 A photo and recipe exhibit of historian Ige Ramos called “Cavite: Culinary Destination”
23 The Bicol Region will have a one-day event called “Kinalas Y Kinolor,” where they will expose the art and culinary preparation of ‘kinalas’ mami, a uniquely Naguena dish that makes use of bowls.
24 Central Visayas, along with their celebration of the Kadaugan Festival, will highlight their own Cebu-grown restaurants through “Flavors of Mactan” and “Sugbo Flavors, featuring a Cebuano chef and Cebu’s best dishes and delicacies.
25 For the Negros Island region, it’s all about the sweet mango with their “Mango Festival” to be held at SM Bacolod City.
26 The Zamboanga Peninsula will once again have their “Savores” (Chavacano term for “flavors”) comprised of the “Savores Expo,” featuring the cooking skills of the local chefs.
27 “Savores Dine,” highlighting the different specialties of Zamboanga
28 Northern Mindanao will have a “Humba de Oro Festival,” where different COHARA member establishments will display their own variations of humba. Humba de Oro is a stewed pork dish similar to Filipino adobo, only the former is sweet, sour and salty.
29 To celebrate Davao’s gastronomic treasures, the Davao region will hold “Flavors of Davao” at their SM Supermalls.
30 SOCCSKARGEN will have their “Seslong Festival” at Kule Gono on the way to Lake Holon and “Mahin Festival — 4Gs (Great Glan Gourmet Getaway)” at Glan, Sarangani Province. This aims to highlight the food offerings and specialties or participating restaurants in Glan, where Sarbay Fest, the largest beach festival, is held.