Summary
Highlights
Erwan Heussaff introduces Pasil, Kalinga, as a unique place in the Philippines that retains elements of pre-colonial culture and traditions. He expresses gratitude for finding communities that have maintained their roots despite architectural losses due to rapid development and colonization. Pasil, nestled within a valley surrounded by mountains, offers breathtaking views and a strong connection to nature. The community's adherence to ancestral practices, especially in foraging and food preparation, makes it a rare and authentic experience.
Rowena Gonnay, a key figure in the Slow Food Community Pasil, explains the movement's mission: preserving traditional food systems, heirloom seeds (rice, legumes), and cultural practices. She emphasizes teaching these traditions to younger generations to ensure respect for their heritage. The video features the preparation of 'Inandila,' a Kalinga rice cake made from organic red glutinous rice, demonstrating traditional cooking methods like wrapping it in rough material for better adhesion of 'latik' (coconut milk curds) and steaming.
Erwan tastes the Inandila, noting its distinct savory flavor from salt in the latik, which perfectly balances its sweetness. He praises its unique preparation compared to other Filipino rice cakes and its appealing texture. He reflects on how visiting Pasil provides a much-needed sense of gravity and groundedness, highlighting the community's passion for ingredients, grown and harvested with care. This commitment to simple, well-prepared food, he believes, should be a model for other communities.
The video delves into the preparation of tinola, a chicken soup, with a unique addition of roasted and pounded monggo (mung beans). Ma'am Lovely shares the local ingredients: native chicken, chili, papaya, onions, and the star: roasted monggo. Erwan tastes the tinola, finding it incredibly clean, healthy, and flavorful. He is particularly impressed by the toasted monggo's ability to add a new dimension to a simple Filipino ingredient, emphasizing how taking time and care in preparation significantly elevates the dish.
Rowena explains Pasil's unique geography, being a village surrounded by mountains and rivers, making it susceptible to isolation after natural disasters. She recounts a typhoon that isolated them for a year, during which the community survived by relying on their land and water resources. The video also showcases local pottery, an inherited livelihood tool that is passed down through generations. Pasil's agricultural practices, especially rice farming on hillside terraces, prioritize preserving biodiversity and using indigenous farming methods. They cultivate heirloom grains that are resilient and thrive without artificial fertilizers.
Erwan marvels at the organized beauty of Pasil's rice terraces, noting the small, self-sustainable plots of various heirloom rice varieties. He meets Cameron Bakidan, a farmer who explains that her family primarily uses their 'Unoy' rice for personal consumption but sells some for necessities. Unoy rice is highlighted for its resilience to harsh environments and lack of water. Erwan discusses the paradox of the Philippines being a top rice importer despite its rich farming traditions and emphasizes the importance of heirloom rice for food security and fair pricing through geographical indication (GI) registration.
The community prepares a celebratory feast featuring various native delicacies. Highlights include the authentic 'Inandila' from Pasil, 'Inatapaw' (fried glutinous rice with sugar and salt), 'Inalagupa' (glutinous rice with coconut milk), 'Pinasuy' (glutinous rice with cassava), sweet potatoes, and saba bananas. These dishes, prepared by different women from the community, symbolize a potluck of shared heritage. Erwan savors the 'Unoy' red rice, appreciating its nutty flavor and the meticulous work that goes into cultivating each grain, contrasting it with the efficiency-driven production of foreign grains. He advocates for appreciating local ingredients and sustainable food practices.
Erwan explores the diverse flavors of the feast, from pigeon peas with jackfruit to pumpkin and white beans, watercress, and a simple yet flavorful tomato salad with ginger. He notes the unique indigenous ingredients and preparations, such as 'pikaw' (local taro roots) with mashed gabi. A special mention is made of a unique vegan soup with roasted monggo and non-sweet coconut milk, which Erwan finds incredibly clean and delicious. He observes the community's renewed confidence in their traditional cooking since the Slow Food movement, encouraging visitors to embrace and appreciate these authentic culinary experiences.
Erwan reflects on the hard work and dedication involved in traditional farming and food preparation, acknowledging that despite the romanticism that can surround such scenes, it is demanding labor. He expresses immense gratitude for the people of Pasil who continue to preserve their cultural practices, not solely for tradition but also for the health of the environment. He urges viewers to appreciate and consume local products as a way to support these cultural bearers and promote local biodiversity. He concludes by emphasizing the importance of an open mind when exploring Filipino cuisine, encouraging people to move beyond rigid assumptions and appreciate the vast, diverse culinary landscape of the Philippines.