Jan 14, 2016

Article excerpt below. Read the full article published January 14, 2016, on The Georgia Straight here.

Chris Eberle browned strips of meat in a pan, releasing mouth-watering aromas.

She was preparing one component of the holy trinity making up a classic Filipino breakfast dish called tapsilog, a word created by combining tapa (marinated beef slices),sinangag (garlic fried rice), and itlog (sunny-side-up egg).

While Eberle had sampled various Asian cuisines in Vancouver, the visual artist and bookkeeper wasn’t familiar with Filipino food. So when Langara College offered a class on Philippine cuisine through its continuing-education program, she jumped at the opportunity.

It was the same story for Elizabeth Salomons, Katrina Petrik, and Matt O’Rourke. They joined Eberle on January 9 at John Oliver Secondary School in East Vancouver to learn how to prepare tapsilog, the pickled side dish atchara (green papaya, radish, carrot, and cilantro), and salabat (ginger tea).

Later, they ate the tapsilog and atchara in a way that was also a first for them—with spoon and fork.

“It would definitely wake you up in the morning,” Eberle told the Georgia Straight about the meal.

Instructor Kaye Banez explained during the class that Filipinos typically eat with a spoon and fork, rather than a fork and knife. Banez, a mother of two kids and a vocational coach helping youth with special needs, also said that Philippine cuisine is a fusion of native, Asian, and western influences.

In another Filipino touch, the four students were given leftovers as their baon: food that party hosts usually insist their guests bring home when they leave.

Banez and co-instructor Sharlene Eugenio came to Canada from the Philippines with their families when they were both young. Raised on home-style Filipino cooking, the two friends and teaching collaborators have branded themselves as The Kusineras (female cooks).

About Langara
Located in beautiful Vancouver, B.C., Canada, Langara College provides University, Career, and Continuing Studies education to more than 21,000 students annually. With more than 1,700 courses and 130 programs, Langara’s expansive academic breadth and depth allows students of all ages, backgrounds, and life stages to choose their own educational path. Langara is also known as house of teachings, a name given to it by the Musqueam people on whose unceded traditional territory the College is located.

Learn more.
Rolf Savella
Communications Officer
Langara College
604.323.5961
rsavella@langara.ca