S8E1: The Philippine Sour-chipelago
From The Colonial Department by Lio Mangubat
March 21, 2026 · 17 min · Season 8 · Episode 1
About this episode
This episode explores the significance of sourness in Philippine cuisine through key dishes like sinigang, kinilaw, and adobo.
Sourness, according to Doreen Fernandez, “is a favored Philippine flavor.” Just how sour is sour? “Sour enough to savor, to make the lips pucker and the eyes squint slightly, and yet not too sour—just at the point of perfection.” In the spectrum of sensation, sourness can be both sharp and sudden, an acetic shudder down the spine. Asim, the Tagalogs call it. From the earliest written records about the Philippines, it is this taste that has come to define our cooking. “Spanish colonials from the 1500s through the 1800s described indio food as primarily salty and sour,” writes food historian Felice Prudente Sta. Maria. “Both tastes can induce sweat in hot climates and remind the body to keep hydrated and its electrolytes balanced.” Let us trace the pathways of this taste as it evolved in three key dishes: sinigang, kinilaw, and adobo. Follow us on IG: @thecolonialdept Follow us on TikTok: @thecolonialdept Email us: thecolonialdept@gmail.com References: Sta. Maria, Felice Prudente (2025). What Recipes Don't Tell: Philippine Food History in Fifty Words. Ateneo de Manila University Press. Fernandez, Doreen G. (1988). “Culture Ingested: Notes on the Indigenization of Philippine Food.”…
People in this episode
Host: Lio Mangubat
Topics covered
- Philippine cuisine
- sour flavors
- food history
- cooking techniques
- cultural influences
Keywords
- sourness
- Philippine food
- sinigang
- kinilaw
- adobo
- Doreen Fernandez
- Felice Prudente Sta. Maria
Mentioned in this episode
Books & works: What Recipes Don't Tell: Philippine Food History in Fifty Words, Culture Ingested: Notes on the Indigenization of Philippine Food, Tikim: Essays on Philippine Food and Culture
More episodes of The Colonial Department
- S8E5: Rajio Taisō; Or, How to Get Fit in a Time of War · May 29, 2026 · 16 min
- INTERVIEW: Restoring historical markers with Project Panandito · May 23, 2026 · 51 min
- S8E4: Edison’s Cameras, Manila’s Trenches · May 9, 2026 · 16 min
- S8E3: Nobody Expects the Philippine Inquisition! · April 25, 2026 · 18 min
- S8E2: Riding a Tram in 1911 Manila · April 10, 2026 · 18 min
- INTERVIEW: Exploring the food history of the Philippines · April 4, 2026 · 38 min
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