The 'palayok', the generic Filipino term for all earthenware, is a round-bottomed, wide-mouthed native cooking pot that survives as witness to the beginning of life in the Philippines. This book by Doreen Fernandez focuses on Filipino food from its sources and beginnings through colonization and other foreign influences, to its current state and tastes. It includes short essays that elaborate on specific aspects of Filipino food.
Doreen Gamboa Fernandez (28 October 1934 – 24 June 2002) was a Filipino professor, historian, writer and critic best known for her writings on Filipino food, food culture, and the theater arts. Apart from many books and academic articles, she wrote a regular column on food and dining for the Philippine Daily Inquirer. She taught English at Ateneo de Manila University (ADMU), serving also as head of the Communication Department and moderator of the student newspaper.
This book is quite luxurious for its size, price and use of images. But for those who want to have an first-hand introduction of the Philippine history through cuisine, Fernandez's Palayok will not only help you learn through your taste but understand it's social, economic and even political context.