Philippine cooking is the familiar blended with the exotic. Just as the Filipinos are part Malay, Chinese and Spanish, so is the cuisine of the seven-thousand-island Philippine nation. One can also taste the subtle hints of Indian, Mexican, Arab and American influences. American contribution to Filipino kitchen particularly became heavy following WW II when surplus canned foods became widely available because of the shortages of fresh produce. The Filipinos embraced these 'new foods' and turned them into dishes that taste nothing like canned food. For example, by sautéing canned corned beef with onions and garlic, they created a dish uniquely their own.
 

Adobo is considered the national dish of the Philippines. This dish consists of chunks of chicken or pork or both cooked in soy sauce, vinegar, bay leaf, lots of garlic and whole peppercorns. The stew is allowed to cook until the meats are tender and the remaining sauce slightly thickened. Some people prefer their adobos dry which may entail frying them afterwards, while others prefer them moist served in their original sauce. As a style of cooking, it can be applied to fowl, fish, shellfish and vegetables.
 

Cooking and Filipino cuisine is the Filipinos' favorite topic other than politics. Filipinos for a fact are fond of eating. Whether in expensive restaurants or at Mom's kitchen, they eat with gusto. Do they live to eat or eat to live? - I guess both, what is life without those cholesterol loaded and high fat gastronomical Filipino cooking. Filipino men also love to cook and exchanging recipes among them is common.