A TASTE OF MANILA is a combination of different foreign influences mainly Spanish and Chinese. Such rich dishes popular in Manila are Gambas, Rellenong Manok (stuffed chicken) and Paella and Lechon (suckling pig). If all these seem lavish, there are also the simple joys such as sotanghon con caldo, a Chinese influenced dish of noodles and broth.

A TASTE OF ILOCOS is simple with largely staples that include: fishes, Bagoong (fish or shrimp paste), seaweeds and vegetables. Popular Ilocano dishes are: "Pinakbet" Pinapaitan, Dinengdeng with the characteristic vegetable called saluyot. Pakbet is sometimes accompanied with Bagnet, a version of Lechon Kawali (crispy-fried pork) that is stored in oil.

A TASTE OF IGOROT (MT. PROVINCE) is typically meat oriented, using beef, carabao meat, venison, goat and horse meat as primary ingredients in most dishes. People from the region have verdant and fertile gardens but are not vegetable eaters in contrast to their Ilocano neighbors. The only vegetable they often use are "gabi" (taro) and "kamote" (sweet potatoes).

A TASTE OF PANGASINAN is fancier compared to Ilocano cooking since the province has better economy and soil fertility. Being inhabited largely by Ilocano settlers, people here have similar food habits with the Ilocanos. Pangasinan salt, "Bagoong" (fish or shrimp paste), "Bukayo", Green Pinipig and "Tupig" are well-known. The province also has its famous bangus which is distinguishable due to its smaller head and asymmetry of its body and tail.

A TASTE OF PAMPANGA is considered to be the 'Queen of Philippine Cuisine' with its fine delicacies and fancy cooking. Kapangpangan cuisine is so diverse that you have a wide choice from exotic delicacies of stuffed frogs, Camaru (crickets made into adobo and deep-fried with garlic) to delicately flavored cured meats like Tapa or Tocino and delicious confections like Turrones, Yema and Pastillas.

A TASTE OF TAGALOG PROVINCES can be described as the melting pot of Luzon. Typical recipes are: "Guisado", Bulanglang, Kare-kare, Dinuguan, Sinigang, Kilawin and batchoy (a soup fare). Each Tagalog province is known for certain foods particularly:

• Batangas – Bulalo (tasty broth made from beef), Tawilis (a small sardine only found in Taal lake) and Sinaing na Tulingan (mackerel cooked in coco milk)
• Bulacan – Special Ensaymadas, Putong Polo, Ampaw, Candies, Atcharang Dampalit (sweet pickled weeds with small leaves)
• Cavite – Oysters, Coarse Cyrstalline Salt, Fishes
• Laguna – Binakol, Buko Pie, Kesong Puti (cottage cheese) and Espasol
• Rizal – "Balut" and Penoy from Pateros, Pancit Malabon from Malabon, Binarutak from Antipolo, Old Style Adobo (cooked Estofado style w/ saba) from Angono
• Quezon – Longganisa (sausage), Hardinera (pork loaf), Saging na Suman (mashed raw saba w/ sugar wrapped in banana leaves)
• Bicol – Laing [uses gabi (taro), coconut milk and hot chili peppers], Pili Nut

A TASTE OF VISAYAS is characterized by meals and food products comprising of fish, either fresh or preserved. Cebu and Bohol deserve special mention because these places have the lowest rainfall in the Philippines and its rugged corn is often a rice substitute. Other notable provinces in the Visayas islands are famous for the following:

• Iloilo – Batchoy (a soup fare), Guinamos (Ilonggo version of bagoong), Tulapjo (fried pork fat), Cadios with Langka (small black beans cooked in coconut milk), Fresh Lumpiang Ubod (coconut heart spring rolls), Piyaya
• Capiz, Aklan – Fresh Seafood whether barbecued, steamed, fried or boiled

A TASTE OF MINDANAO is created by a convergence of the three main groups of settlers in the region namely the Moslems, the Zamboangueños, and the "immigrants" (Ilocanos, Visayans, etc.) Among the Moslems, pork and many of the poultry meats are prohibited. They have tasty recipes for rice and coconut. Zamboanga, the melting pot of Spanish, Chinese and Visayan families, reflect the characteristic culinary art of these cultures.

While there exists regional variations in the food habits of Filipinos, some recipes are basically the same. Besides being rice-fish eaters, the following foods are popular:

MAIN DISHES: Adobo, Adobado, Asado, Bachoy, Caldereta, Dinuguan, Embotido, Guinataan, Kare-kare, Kilawin, Mechado, Menudo, Nilaga, Pesa, Paksiw, Pinangat, Pochero, Relleno, Sinigang, Tinola, Pancit, (Molo, Malabon, Palabok, Sotanghon, Canton, Bihon etc.) and the well known Lechon (suckling pig).

VEGETABLE DISHES: Bulanglang, Dinengdeng, Lumpia, Guisado, Pinakbet

MERIENDA OR SNACK ITEMS AND DESSERTS: Biko, Suman, Cuchinta, Puto, Bukayo, Bibingka, Espasol, Sapin-sapin, Guinataan, Palitao, Polvoron, Candied Condol, Saba, Langka, etc. Turon, Maruyang Saba or Camote, fruits in syrup, Leche flan (Philippine custard)

BEVERAGES: Tuba, Basi, Lambanog, Duhat wine, Salabat, Fruit Ades.