The Food of the Philippines: Authentic Recipes from the Pearl of the Orient (Periplus World Food Series)

Excerpt from Part 1: What is Filipino food? Is it adobo -- which has a Spanish name, yet covers chicken, pork, vegetables or even seafood stewed in vinegar and garlic, and is thus unlike any Spanish adobado? Or is it pansit -- noodles of many persuasions, found on many tables and utilizing local ingredient, yet obviously of Chinese Origin? Or would it be sinigang -- the sour broth allied to similar Southeast Asian soup-stews -- that's cooling in hot tropical weather? Could it even be the omnipresent fried chicken -- sometimes marinated in vinegar before it is fried? Or arroz caldo -- a chicken congee that is popular even on airlines as comfort food? Could it be all of the above? Where did it all begin, where did it all come from and how did it develop?