Under Coconut Skies: Feasts & Stories from the Philippines

by Yasmin Newman

Discover the food of the Philippines’ 7000 tropical islands.

Colourful and vibrant, Filipino food is the culmination of naturally salty, sour and sweet ingredients from the land, along with the heart-warming Filipino spirit of generosity and community, where food is always shared and imbued with meaning. 

In this vivid cookbook, Yasmin Newman invites you into her kitchen and into the homes of friends and locals, sharing traditional dishes, and vegetarian and modern interpretations on the classics. From sizzling wild mushroom sisig, golden turmeric and cassia bark rice from the Muslim south and pork belly adobo to glistening candied kalamansi cake, Filipino food celebrates and satisfies all the senses. With easy recipes for home cooks and chapters divided into feasts, there’s inspiration for all occasions. 

Yasmin’s journey takes her through the lush isles of the Philippines, where she captures the age-old traditions, rich folklore and enchanting personal stories of the country. Under Coconut Skies is the follow-up to Yasmin’s first beloved cookbook on Filipino food, 7000 Islands.

Genres: Cookbooks, Food, Cooking

269 pages, Hardcover

First published October 19, 2021

About the author

Yasmin Newmanis a food and travel writer, photographer and presenter, as well as the author of two critically acclaimed cookbooks. In The Desserts of New York (And How to Eat Them All), she packs up her family for a food lover’s adventure in one of the world’s most iconic cities. In 7000 Islands, she shares all the personal memories, cultural insights and beloved recipes that have made the book a global favourite. Born to a Filipino mother and Australian father, Yasmin lives with her young family on the Central Coast, just north of Sydney, and travels regularly to the Philippines.

Reviews

[Stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is gorgeous and mouth watering! I have the author’s first book (7000 Islands) and this follow-up cookbook does not disappoint. The photography of the food, people and landscapes are beautiful, and I enjoy her modern and updates takes are on Filipino classic staples. I borrowed this from the library and now I’m debating if I need to purchase and own this book for my collection!

[Ambur Taft · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful book! The pictures are lovely and the food looks amazing…most of it I would not attempt, and perhaps I’d rather just go to the Philippines and eat it all!

[Nelly Santanna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Un livre fascinant sur les épices avec des recettes qui donnent vraiment envie ! Je l'ai lu comme un roman, ravie d'en savoir plus sur les épices que j'aime.

[Allison · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this cookbook! I've made a few recipes from it so far and they've all turned out amazing. The black banana ketchup pork BBQ was super popular with my family.

I also loved the foreword, especially as a Filipina in the West who loves Filipino cuisine but grew up feeling like others generally looked down on the way my family eats. It inspired me.

[Jamie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this cookbook. I learned so much about Philippine traditions and will likely make several of the recipes.

I did knock one star off because there are gorgeous pictures throughout the book, but - oddly - many photos of the dishes were not well shot and it was difficult to tell what the dish was supposed to be. Not sure if that was the photographer’s style, but it did make for a lot of staring, trying to decipher an image.

[Babar · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fascinating piece of work which helps understanding culture and a lot more if you have friends from Philippines.

I picked the book because of a friend to understand her culture better and it have done much more then that.

Yasmin is good in story telling and bringing different elements together like a cuisine 🥰

[Aasinathena · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book of Yasmin's was my first read, apart from her other books. Sprawling with vibrancy of the Philippines, this book is a beautiful collection of recipes. Loved reading !

[Maxine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lovely cookbook with stunning photos. It's too difficult to find all the ingredients to make most of them, but I've bookmarked some recipes to try.