The Pilgrim's Pots and Pans

Trust Ting over at World Class Cuiscene to come up with a catchy phrase. She was the one who coined Lasang Pinoy after much brainstorming on what we’d call the Filipino food blogging event a few of us were then planning. This time around, she couldn’t but help herself to Yemagate! Tiresome affair! I never in my wildest dreams imagined this blog would get into a controversy!

It’s only been a little over a year since I had a blog dedicated to food but it seems like it’s been a long time. So many things happened, mainly nice and wonderful. I love interacting with the international network of food bloggers and readers, who so generously share their culture, life and passion with us who read them. How fantastic to know we also share many things, mainly foodstuff, in common.

Early in the summer, from our mirth (Stef’s and mine – we do nothing but laugh) came the seeds of an online brainstorming session with other food bloggers to what eventually will become Lasang Pinoy. Just a little after we launched the project, it gained a mention in Newsbreak with the story A Taste of Culinary Identity in between Bird Flu and the Kamikaze Memorial. We must be nationally significant then!

All this attention made us realise the need for a venue to discuss Filipino cuisine. There is also a dearth of literature, it helps to start even just simple documentation of traditional implements and methods, before they are lost to oblivion. For my part, I am trying to come up with somewhat decent articles that deal with food and culture. I wrote one, Food for Our National Soul for the September issue of PinoyExpats. Three other essays with similar themes are on draft, to be published here or on Ya Rayi.

Plans are afoot to take Lasang Pinoy offline and to more local venues. We have had discussions to bring it to more traditional media. It’s starting. In her column for Manila Standard last Tuesday, Sassy wrote about The fine art of culinary blogging. More from other places will be seen in the future. We are confident Lasang Pinoy will be well-accepted since we write mainly about everyday food and our target participants are ordinary Filipinos, those who have no issues about eating peasant fare – no pretensions, no PR gimmicks.

And so Birdcat, you can nap for just a bit. We’ll have to get going! Much has to be done. Ars longa, vita brevis.