I Am a Filipino: Part 1

Pictured here with First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt, Carlos P. Romulo was a general in the US Army and the Philippine Army, university president, and president of the United Nations General Assembly. He has been named as one of the Philippines' national artists in literature, and was the recipient of many other honors and honorary degrees. Romulo believed in anti-colonialism and internationalism, as well as held Pro-American, anti-communist, anti-fascist, and economically and politically liberal beliefs.-Wikipedia

“I am a Filipino – inheritor of a glorious past, hostage to the uncertain future. As such I must prove equal to a two-fold task – the task of meeting my responsibility to the past, and the task of performing my obligation to the future.”

- Excerpt from poem and speech by Carlos P. Romulo (1941)

June 21, 2024

Yesterday, I encountered one of those Facebook flashbacks, a digital déjà vu that catapults you a year back in time. Typically, I breeze past these reminders, but this one was a delightful exception: June 20th marked the anniversary of finalizing my cookbook. It was a milestone fraught with lessons for aspiring authors and collaborators — some harsh, others enlightening — and rich with personal anecdotes. Today, I’ll share one of the more personal, educational tales.

When my agent shopped my book around, the responses ranged from hard rejections to tentative refusals. A hard no was non-negotiable for me; thus, it boiled down to a bidding war between WW Norton and Artisan. The thought of working with the legendary Ms. Guarnaschelli at Norton was a dream — she was a relentless force in the industry. Ultimately, however, I chose Judy Pray at Artisan. Both editors were formidable, but my gut — and my research — suggested that Artisan would offer more creative latitude.

Two creative elements were paramount: the title and its font. “I Am a Filipino” is a poignant phrase from a poem by Philippine General Carlos P. Romulo, first published in the Philippine Herald in 1941. As a young person yearning to understand my heritage, the absence of Filipino representation in bookstores like Barnes & Noble or Borders was disheartening. This book was intended to serve as a beacon for Filipinos, especially those seeking a deeper connection to their roots.

The opening line, “my responsibility to the past, and the task of performing my obligation to the future,” instilled in me a sense of belonging to something far greater than my tumultuous family history. I’m profoundly grateful to Artisan for preserving this title.

Carlos P. Romulo was a polymath, adorned with a string of initials: QSC, GCS, CLH, NA, GCrm, GCrGH, and KGCR. He was a diplomat, statesman, soldier, journalist, univeristy presidand author. At 16, he was already a reporter; by 20, a newspaper editor; and by 32, a publisher. He even found time to found the Philippine Boy Scouts. For me, his speech remains a timeless legacy, resonating as powerfully today as it did 83 years ago.

The second crucial element was the title’s font, inspired by the “I Am a Man” posters from the Memphis Sanitation Workers Strike and the Poor People’s Campaign of 1968. This story deserves its own spotlight, so I’ll save it for another day.

In the meantime, if you’d to learn more about General Carlos P. Romulo, you can read more here and for the full excerpt of the poem and speech, you can find it here. I hope you find it and him equally inspiring.

NEW YORK

HIGHLIGHTS

Celebrating Filipino Excellence in Culinary Arts: Featuring Abi Balingit, James Beard 2024 Winner & New Yorker!

Continuing the James Beard's record nominations of Filipino excellence in the culinary arts, we are proud of Abi Balingit's recent win as The Emerging Voice 2024 Winner.

The New York Times' "The Best Cookbooks of 2023"

“A sweet baking book of fantastically imaginative remixed Filipino American dessert recipes, plus essays on the Filipino American experience by baker-fundraiser Abi Balingit. When the pandemic started her lonely work-from-home life in 2020, Abi Balingit channeled all her energy into the one thing that brought her joy: baking. In her tiny, dimly lit, shared kitchen, she produced hundreds of "pasalubong" (souvenir) boxes filled with especially creative treats that blended the Filipino treats and Western style baked goods she grew up with. Each time, she'd sell out within hours and donated the proceeds to support her community in need. Now Abi shares some of these cult-favorite desserts with Mayumu (which means "sweet" in one of the 8 major languages in Philippines), an incredibly fresh baking book of 75 recipes that span from the never-before-seen, incredibly inventive flavor combinations that Abi dreamed up, to the more familiar, classic Filipino favorites."

GRILLING SALE!

It’s gettin’ hot in here. Pre-order our BBQ Skewers and Lumpia for the 4th of July during Goldbelly’s Grilling Sale on June 22-25! Order now and we’ll ship straight to your door in time for July 4th!

order now

MIAMI

Miami had certainly been a warm welcome! Recently, Nicole was featured in Flamingo Magazine, highlighting her desire to further Filipino Food, her stint as a receptionist at the famed Pastis, and a glimpse of her journey of re-building post pandemic in the Magic City.

read it here