IT was a celebration of great food and great friendship during the recent launch of Australian-Filipino food and travel writer, photographer and cookbook author Yasmin Newman’s Under Coconut Skies: Feasts and Stories from the Philippines at SM Aura Premier.
The event organized by the Australian Embassy and the Australia Global Alumni in the Philippines brought together members of the Filipino-Australian community, alumni and corporate executives.
These included Australian Embassy second secretary Alex O’Hara, Australia-New Zealand Chamber of Commerce vice president Bradley Norman, and Qantas Airways Philippines general manager Honeybee Hubabib. During the afternoon reception at the mall’s Skypark, Visum Ventures founder and CEO John Michael Hilton, also a Filipino-Australian, joined Yasmin in preparing kinilaw na isda using kalamansi and Australian finger lime. Broadcast personality and Australian alumnus Martin Andanar hosted the program. They were welcomed by SM’s Millie Dizon.
Under Coconut Skies is Yasmin’s second Filipino cookbook. The book is a celebration of the Philippines and its food, and takes her readers on a journey to discovering classic Filipino dishes through stunning photographs and unique culinary traditions, folklore and personal stories.
Australian Ambassador to the Philippines HK Yu PSM said, “One of the things that Filipinos and Australians share is our love for food—we love bringing people together to enjoy great food and have great conversations. We are delighted to have Filipino-Australian Yasmin Newman here in the Philippines, to celebrate Philippine culinary heritage with the best of Australian products—a culinary fusion of the best of both countries.”
In this vivid cookbook, Yasmin Newman invites everyone into her kitchen and into the homes of friends and locals, sharing traditional dishes, and vegetarian and modern interpretations on the classics. From sizzling wild mushroom sisig, golden turmeric and cassia bark rice from the Muslim south and pork belly adobo to glistening candied kalamansi cake, Filipino food celebrates and satisfies all the senses.
Guests were seen enjoying the afternoon tea curated by Yasmin featuring well-loved Filipino dishes from her cookbook using fresh Australian ingredients, such as Tasmanian salmon with turmeric rice and ube pavlova.
Under Coconut Skies: Feasts and Stories from the Philippines is available on Amazon.
