Last week there were two events which did the Filipino-Australian community very proud. One of these was the staging of “Her Son, Jose Rizal” play on 17 – 20 June 2010 in Mann Theatre in Surry Hills. The play showcased brilliant talents of all those involved.

Bless Salonga has already done a superb blog on the play so I want to talk about the other event which was also successful. This was the launch last 19 June of the ‘The Healthy and Tasty Challenge Cookbook’ which contains recipes submitted by five Filipino cooks in a competition.

The competition was conducted by the NSW Multicultural Health Communication Service [MHCS] and involved the Chinese, Filipino, Italian, Samoan and Sri Lankan [Sinhalese and Tamil] communities.

Over two hundred recipes were received and out of these, with five per community subsequently picked as finalists.

The Filipino cooks and their recipes are: Neria Soliman – Adobo Supreme; Aileen Vidal Reardon – Binakol na Chicken; Eduardo Delaguidado – Pinoy Style Mixed Vegetables, Fruits & Prawn Stir Fry; Sheila Constantino – Lechon Manok with Salad Ilocano; and Maria Andrea Bermudez-Gonzales – Saucy Vegetable Rice Topping w/Sardine Omelette.

Of five finalists per community, a winner with the dish judged to be the healthiest among Filipino recipes was selected and the judges were one in selecting Neria Soliman’s.

The cookbook was formally launched at the Blue Elephant Restaurant at Waldorf Function Centre, Pennant Hills.

It was pleasing to see that the function was attended by a big crowd, with the Filipinos outnumbering members of the other ethnic groups. The Filipino media group was well represented too with the attendance of Michelle Baltazar [The Australian Filipina], Ronald Manila [SBS Radio], Nonoy Perdon [Bayanihan News], Evelyn Zaragosa [Philippine Community Herald News] and Violi Calvert [freelance writer].

At the conclusion of the launch, everyone present was given a bag containing a copy of the cookbook and information about programs conducted by MCHS.

I imagine that the wider Australian community will have access to the cookbook. It is great to see yet another Filipino contribution to our multicultural society.

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Photo: Maria Andrea Bermudez-Gonzalez, Aileen Vidal Reardon, Winner Neria Soliman, Eduardo Delaguiado and Sheila Constantino // Credit: NSW Multicultural Health Communication Service

Other post/s by Violi Calvert

• A Call Centre Encounter of a Different Kind - April 20th, 2012
• 'Kapihan' Froths Over - March 1st, 2012
• Many Hands Make Work Light - February 27th, 2012
• A Dose of Enlightenment and Bewilderment - February 16th, 2012
• Charity CD 'One' for Washi Victims - February 9th, 2012