ONE distinct feature among Filipinos around the world is that we always love to eat.
(Filipino nurses overseas have intimated to me that even at the height of pandemic, when a kababayan brings food inside the pantry and with all else fully clothed in personal protective equipment—including other nationalities—everyone just forgets about social distancing.)
So it’s no wonder that when the Canadian Embassy in Manila invited Philippine government officials, law-enforcement officials, business leaders, the local diplomatic community, farmers, students and media for a sit-down dinner, around 1,500 people showed up at the Conrad Manila Hotel in Pasay City!
“Whoa!” I exclaimed upon seeing Public Affairs Head Carlo Figueroa at the function room. “I didn’t expect something this big for a sit-down dinner reception.”
“Flavors of Canada” was the embassy’s first major social salvo since the onset of the pandemic and rightly so, as they are celebrating 73 years of diplomatic relations with the Philippines, and 50 years of the North American country having a full-service deputation in Manila.
Carlo reminded me to proceed to the bar for the special welcome aperitif: a delightful cocktail of Canadian gin, apple juice, calamansi juice, Baguio strawberry compote and lemon soda.
As I sat at the media table, I saw the cocktail glass of ABS-CBN reporter Willard Cheng already half-full. “It’s delicious! Didn’t know it has alcohol!” he beamed. Manila Bulletin columnist Carol Malasig also warned sheepishly: “It’s super masarap. Traydor siya.” So I just took a sip…the only time I was able to discipline myself, as I was my own driver that night. (Note to self: Take a Grab when attending diplomatic functions.)
“Tonight you will experience a taste of Canada, presented by young Filipino chefs combining local and Canadian ingredients in some traditional indigenous cuisine paired with beverages such as our fine wines,” Ambassador Peter MacArthur said as he welcomed guests.
The four-course meal didn’t disappoint. In fact, it exceeded my expectations, and mine were kind of “high,” considering that two chefs also spoke during the opening: Chef Carlo Miguel from Les Toques Blanches and Executive Chef James McFarland from the University of Saskatchewan.
For appetizers, we were introduced to British Columbian salmon cured with can-Natur amble maple syrup, then relished with pickled blueberries, microgreens and purple potato crisps. A nectar-like tiny plastic stick protruded atop the salmon, which was surprisingly the mustard citrus vinaigrette. I was so amazed that I shot a video of myself spreading the vinaigrette atop the salmon for my Instagram story feed. Then I realized, was the vinaigrette for the microgreens? Because the sweetened salmon can already stand on its own.
As I am very much a salad person, I thought the rest of the meal was already a bonus. Oh well, was I wrong. The salmon appetizer followed with a bun that was “food architecture” in itself: it was baked and designed to look like wild mushroom, complete with brown spores on its cap and stalk. It’s so unique you don’t want to mess it up, but since it’s food (plus, we were already hungry), we had to split it. Inside was very soft Canadian pulled pork. There was also black powder around the bun called “forest crumb” (maybe toasted crumbs left behind by Hansel and Gretel?). What stood out though were the green dots around the bun that are actually watercress. Alas, it was a “Wild, Wild West siopao con wasabi!”
For vegans, you can skip this paragraph because it’s a sin to omit talking about Canada’s famous protein: beef. Leek-ash rubbed Canadian ribeye with Canadian blueberry jus, “Three Sisters” smoked corn purée, beans and squash, pickled red onion pedals and puffed Canadian wild rice, said the menu.
For me, ribeye was simply the dead giveaway. I thought of my husband who loves steak right away and taught me how to love steak. I’m not a fan of red meat. But this one was very tender and cooked medium rare, I didn’t realize I was also mindlessly drinking the wine being poured in my glass. I checked the menu: baco noir reserve and semillon Sauvignon Blanc barn quilt. “Tomorrow, we need to lift some weights,” I nudged at Carol (who is 20 pounds lighter than me). Of course, that was just my rational mind justifying the caloric intake.
And speaking of calories, did I say I was on a diet? Bannock bread pudding with maple semifreddo and fresh Canadian berries… What the heck is a bannock? So I dug in my dessert fork and tried it. What is semifreddo? Again, fork: Do your thing. Canadian berries? Nah… Oh, there you are… In my mouth.
The food master of that evening was Chef Brown. But he could not have served 1,500 stomachs without the help from students from five Philippine state “U”s: Benguet State University, Central Luzon State University, Central Mindanao University, Don Mariano Marcos Memorial State University, and Mariano Marcos State University. They collaborated with the University of Saskatchewan for this project inspired by Canada’s indigenous culinary heritage.
The Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Canada Beef, Canada Pork, and Canadian food suppliers supported this endeavor. In fact, AAFC’s assistant deputy minister and vice president for International Affairs was in town for this event. She said “the Philippines is, for Canada, an important agri-food and seafood export market. [We take] great pride in being a committed trading partner to the Philippines, even at the height of the pandemic, and in contributing to global food security through trade and collaboration.”
Who says diplomacy is for diplomats? How much are the Canadian salmon, maple, pork and beef again?
Need I say the food was delish? I have been blaming the pandemic for my weight gain. But that night, nah…it was Canada’s fault (wink).
Image credits: Canadian Embassy