Tenth International Conference on Food Studies

Abstract

The Philippines is a nation comprised of various ethno-linguistic groups, each with their own cultures and local cuisines. But despite these variations, certain local foods made their way into the tongues and plates of Filipinos across the country. This research shares the story, and provides an interpretation, of how the Filipinos embraced Sizzling Sisig, from a local food to a nationwide dish, based on interviews and documentary analysis. It looks back at the 70’s when the dish debuted in a simple food stall in Angeles City. After gaining a steady stream of patrons, it was brought to the country’s capital of Manila, marking the beginning of its nationalization. The study then talks about the practices developed and incorporated in the dish’s food system that make it sustainable in the community. Some of the practices are manifested in the valuation of the pig’s ears, the main ingredient of the dish, in the local markets and the various advertisements and interpretations made to cater to the tastes of the people. It ends with how the dish affected the community and how the city of Angeles have exerted its efforts to preserve the dish’s authenticity, specifically through a local ordinance enacted by the city officials. For a nation with a strong sense of regionalism, preserving the local culture has been one of the priorities of many of its cities and the development of Sizzling Sisig is one clear manifestation of the people’s efforts in establishing the dish’s locality amidst its nationalization.