Food as Culture

Food may shape events or celebrations that become cultural norms, or assimilate into another culture, become intrinsic to it, and then work to shape or drive agricultural demands and practices. In this context, any meal is more than a sustenance…but culture.

An indigenized version of the Mexican tamal through the galleon trade under the vice royalty of Spain is the Philippine tamal “tamales” found in Mexico in the central plains of the Philippines.  It is a steamed delicacy made with a mixture of ground white and brown (toasted) rice, ground peanuts and coconut milk topped with strips of chicken, chorizo and slices of hard boiled eggs or red eggs (salted) and wrapped in banana leaves.