Philippine food and Alcoholic Beverages

Drinking alcoholic beverages has been has been rooted in our culture even before the colonizers came. Whenever there’s a celebration or a social gathering with people, friends and family, drinking sessions are always present. In most instances, it’s considered a rite of passage for young boys in order to become men. Of course, with good liquor you have good food. The Pulutan is the lovechild between the two. Like to the Spanish tapas, the Pulutan, which literally means to something that is picked up, is a delicacy paired with alcohol or liquor. Pulutan may also refer to greasy food eaten to prevent intoxication from consuming too much alcohol.

The term Pulutan can traced back to 1613, in the Vocabulario de la lengua Tagala, a dictionary written by Pedro de San Buenaventura. Back then it was only called as Polotan. However, it was only in 1860 when they categorized Polotan as a snack paired while drinking wine. In general, Pulutan is any food that goes hand in hand while consuming liquor. It can be made from variety of meats and seafood prepared in a number of ways. The Pulutan favors no social economic classes as everyone is free to enjoy Pulutan. From the man on the streets to those in the executive boardroom, there will always be a Pulutan that satisfies your palette. Grilled food is one of these-especially pork meat along with other grilled pig parts, which are always top choices amongst people enjoying a drinking session. Pork barbeque is a pork recipe that resembles a satay marinated in a special sauce, which can either be spicy or sweet. Others include skewered pig’s ears and pig’s intestines. Of course, any drinking session can not be complete without having Sisig, a Philippine food made of up pig’s jowl and cheeks boiled and grilled, then served with a healthy dose of chilies and onions on a sizzling plate. Others include the Adidas, a unique chicken recipe made from marinating chicken feet for long period of time then either steaming or grilling it. On the other hand, the crispy Chicharon is a favorite among those looking for something salty. Chicharon can be made from pork rind or fish skin, in some instances. It is salted, deep fried and dried, ready to eat anywhere. Like Chicharon, small snacks include roasted peanuts cooked with garlic and, prawn crackers more known as kropek.

From street hawkers to the posh restaurants around the metro, the ingenuity and resourcefulness of Filipinos to not waste food and instead create something out of it is sheer brilliance. Chefs have deconstructed the Pulutan and transformed them into culinary masterpieces to satisfy the complex palette of their patrons. Now, the Pulutan is not limited to being your companion when drinking alcohol; people now see them as a regular meal that is available everyday and sometimes considered the main highlight of an occasion. Furthermore, the emergence of Pulutan in such places has bridged the gap between the rich and the poor. It has single handedly united Filipino people under one cause-enjoying good food.