Geography of Food Paper Essay

The flow rate population is 85 million, of which 83 is papist Catholic, 9 per centum Protestant, 5 percent Muslim, and 3 percent opposite religions (Dalton, 2007). The inelegant has more than 150 languages and dialects. The main languages ar Tagalog, English, Cebuano (spoken in Cebu), Ilo poto (north Luzon), Ilonggo (Iloilo), Bicol, Waray (Leyte), Pampango and Pangasinense (both in Luzon) (Dalton, 2007). The major industries of the Philippines atomic number 18 textiles, pharmaceuticals, chemicals, wood products, food processing, electronics assembly, petroleum improve and tiping.Its primary agricultural products include sift, coconuts, corn, wampumpeag cane, bananas, pineapples and mangoes (Dalton, 2007). Below (Figure 1) is a basic map out of the Philippines. This map just gives us an mentation of the size and location of the Philippines. The acres is fit(p) in Southeast Asia, north of Malaysia and southeast of Taiwan. As we can see, the country is make up of many vast and small-scale islands. It is considered an archipelago and therefore it is surrounded by respective(a) water forms. Figure 1 prefatorial Map of Philippines Principal Foods Philippine foods be always very rich and divers(a) in flavour.Food is an integral come out of Filipino shade, whether it be social, economic, or regular(a) religious. They value food highly and compass it as a way of legal transfer families and communities together. Food is a significant scene of Filipino beliefs and traditions, one of which are the wonted(a) fiestas often held in various villages just about the country. On average, 60% of the total cipher is spent on food age 40% goes to non-food events. Among the food items, the largest single item is rice consumption, which takes up about 16% of the total household budget.Around 9% is spent on meat, 7% on vegetables and fruits, 7% on fish and 4% on eggs and dairy products (Fuwa, Marciano, & Reano, 2010, p. 3). Filipino foods are similarl y rich in history and innovation. While its roots are nearlyly exploitd by the multitude of ingredients shew naturally in the Philippines, it is also invigorate by Chinese, Spanish, Arab, Malay and American cuisines (Roa & Roa). The Chinese people, who came to trade, influenced Filipino wives with their cooking such as pansit (noodles), lumpia (vegetables rolled in edible wrappers), siopao (steamed change buns), and siomai (dumplings).Then when the Spaniards came, they brought influences from not just Spain just now also Mexico. They introduced new flavours and ingredients such as cheese, ham, o get going oil, saffron, paprika and cured sausages. They introduced paella, which was a dish cooked in fields by Spanish workers combining pork, chicken, seafood, ham, sausages and vegetables, bangus (silvery milkfish), and ensaymada, which are brioche cakes buttered, sweetened and sprinkled with cheese (Alejandro & Fernandez, 1998, p. 8).The most noteworthy influence of Americans on Filipino food culture is fast food, the biggest of which is McDonalds. Before discussing the principal ingredients in Philippines food, we first locution into a a few(prenominal) of the most common dishes of the country. One of the most popular dishes is adobo, which is braised chicken, pork, bitch, or fish cooked in soy behave, acetum, garlic and other spices (Roa & Roa). Another favourite is sinigang, which is a change state sour soup made of fish, shrimps, pork, beef or chicken mixed with vegetables and tamarind tree leaves (Filipino Foods, 2006).Lechon, a whole roast hogget that is slowly roasted over live coals and basted regularly with a tasty sauce created from pigs liver and then simmered with vinegar, sugar and herbs, is a dish that go out always be seen in big parties, gatherings, and fiestas. Other common dishes are bistek (beef and onion rings braised in soy sauce), lumpia (spring rolls), pansit (noodles) and the infamous dinuguan (pig blood and innards simmere d with vinegar and hot peppers) (Alejandro & Fernandez, 1998). Now we dive deeper and look more specifically into the main ingredients of the discipline cuisine.From the brief discussion of common dishes above, we can clearly see that meats such as chicken, beef and pork are an weighty part of the cuisine. However, rice is the staple of countrys food identity and is also the main agricultural crop (Tope & Nonan-Mercado, 2002, p. 117). rice was planted to over 4 jillion hectares producing over 14 billion deliberate tons in 2005. Rice realm was also the main source of income and purpose to 12 million farmers and family members in that class (Altoveros & Borromeo, 2007, p. 19). Meals are not complete for Filipinos unless rice is served with it.