From the Kitchen
The PinoyFoodFinder Blog
Tips, guides, and stories celebrating Filipino food culture in America.
Pampanga: The Culinary Capital of the Philippines
Why Pampanga carries the title nobody seriously contests — the province that gave the country sisig, produced generations of its most influential cooks, and built a food culture around fat, fermentation, and festival.
Filipino Rice 101: Sinandomeng, Jasmine, and Why the Rice Matters as Much as the Ulam
Why sinandomeng became the Filipino kitchen default, how it differs from dinorado and jasmine, and the rice cooker habits and buying tips that make the grain worth as much attention as the ulam next to it.
The Visayan Table: La Paz Batchoy, Kinilaw, and Cebu's Love of Sour-Sweet
The middle third of the Philippines cooks on its own logic — Iloilo's offal-rich noodle soup, the coconut vinegar behind kinilaw, and why Cebuano and Negrense food swings sweeter than the rest of the country.
Patis vs. Bagoong vs. Toyo: A Field Guide to Filipino Fish and Soy Sauces
Three bottles by every Filipino stove that get mixed up constantly — what patis, bagoong, and toyo actually are, how bagoong isda differs from bagoong alamang, and how to buy and substitute all three in a US kitchen.
Bicol Express and the Fire of Bicolano Cuisine: Cooking with Chili and Coconut Milk
Why Bicol is the one Philippine region that actually likes its food spicy — the story behind Bicol express, the gata-and-sili technique that defines Bicolano cooking, and how to make it work in a US kitchen.
Calamansi: The Tiny Citrus That Shows Up in Everything
The small sour citrus behind Filipino cooking's finishing touch — what calamansi actually is, where it shows up, and how to substitute it when you can't find it fresh.
Ilocano Cooking 101: Bagnet, the North's Love of Salt, and Why Everything Is Fried Twice
The twice-fried pork belly from the Philippines' northern coast — how bagnet is made, how it differs from lechon kawali, and why Ilocano cooking leans so hard into salt.
Ginisang Gulay: The 15-Minute Vegetable Stir-Fry That's Tasted the Same for Generations
The quick Filipino vegetable sauté that works with whatever is in your fridge — ready in twenty minutes, tastes like your lola made it.
Kinilaw: The Filipino Ceviche That's Not Ceviche
Vinegar, citrus, and coconut milk on sushi-grade fish — why kinilaw is nothing like the ceviche it gets compared to.
Ube Obsession: Why This Purple Yam Became the Star of Filipino Desserts
What ube actually is, which form to buy, and the no-cook ube halaya recipe that's the foundation of every ube dessert.
Pinakbet: The Vegetable Stew Filipino Home Cooks Have Been Making for Centuries
Bitter melon, anchovy paste, and whatever's in season — why pinakbet isn't trying to be healthy, it's just vegetables cooked deliciously.
Lechon Kawali vs. Lechon Manok: Crispy Pork at Home
Crispy Filipino pork belly and roast chicken at home — no whole roasted pig required.
Lumpia Shanghai: Crispy, Delicious, and Easier Than You Think
Filling secrets, wrapper tips, and the folding technique that makes homemade lumpia taste better than any restaurant version.
Sinigang: The Tamarind Stew That Heals Everything
Why Filipino families make this sour, savory tamarind stew multiple times a month — and how to solve the tamarind sourcing problem.
Why Adobo Tastes Like Home: A Guide to Filipino Cooking's Most Important Dish
The history, regional variations, and simple techniques behind the Philippines' unofficial national dish.
9 Kitchen Tools Every Filipino Home Cook Needs
From the Zojirushi Neuro Fuzzy rice cooker to bamboo steamer baskets — the must-have gear for recreating authentic lasang Pinoy in a modern US kitchen.