‘We Cook Books’ presents panel discussion at S.F. book festival
The 7th Filipino American International Book Festival is back on October 12 to 13, 2024 at the San Francisco Public Library.
Every two years, the Philippine Artists and Writers Association (PAWA) brings together the largest gathering of FilAm authors from the USA and from abroad, in a book festival.
One of the anticipated events is the culinary panel discussion “We Cook Books” on Sunday, October 13, 2024. Headlining this discussion are chefs and cookbook authors Claude Tayag (from Manila, Philippines), Liren Baker, Cleodia Martinez, and Aileen Suzara. Elizabeth Ann Besa-Quirino is the moderator.
“We Cook Books” will tackle cookbook writing, how to get started, where to get ideas and inspiration, and publishing advice from the authors. Copies of their books will be available at the Marketplace. This is an opportunity for fans of Filipino cookbooks to meet the chefs and food writers in person and buy their signed books.
The Philippine culinary books featured by the panel and sold at the Marketplace are “The Ultimate Adobo: Stories and Recipes From the Heart” 1st & 2nd Edition by Claude Tayag; “Meat to The Side” by Liren Baker; “Ay Sus: Whole Food Plant Based Global Filipino Cuisine” by Cleodia Martinez; “Tikim” by Doreen G. Fernandez, with a foreword by Aileen Suzara; as well as the food and history memoir “Every Ounce of Courage: A Daughter’s Reflections On Her Mother’s Bravery,” by Elizabeth Ann Quirino.
Quirino is a New Jersey-based award-winning journalist, food writer, cookbook author and memoirist. She is a contributor to Simply Recipes, The Kitchn, Taste of Home and a correspondent for Positively Filipino magazine.
She develops recipes centered on Filipino home cooking and transforms traditional Philippine recipes to everyday dishes on her website TheQuirinoKitchen.com. Born and raised in the Philippines, her latest book, a food and history memoir “Every Ounce of Courage” was inspired by stories of heroism of her mother Lulu Reyes Besa, a decorated war heroine.
Claude Tayag, author of “The Ultimate Filipino Adobo” (1st and 2nd Editions) is a chef, restaurateur, food writer, cookbook author, painter, sculptor and columnist. It has been his lifelong advocacy to promote Philippine cuisine – “sa isip, sa salita, at sa gawa.” Chef Claude hails from Angeles, Pampanga, the province popularly known as the country’s culinary capital. He and his wife Mary Anne owns the popular restaurant Bale Dutung, where the late Anthony Bourdain once dined.
Liren Baker, author of “Meat to The Side,” is from San Francisco and is the writer, food photographer and creator of the food blog Kitchen Confidante, where she shares seasonal recipes inspired by her life in California, the flavors of her Filipino heritage and her travels. Liren is also the host of the successful Kitchen Confidante podcast.
Cleodia Martinez, author of “Ay Sus,” is an entrepreneur, cookbook author and holistic nutritionist. She is the founder of Midsummer Kitchen, a full-service banquet catering company based in San Francisco.
Aileen Suzara, MPH, UC Berkeley, who wrote the foreword of the U.S. edition of “TIKIM: Essays on Philippine Food and Culture” (Brill) by the late Doreen G. Fernandez, is a chef and educator dedicated to creating healthy and sustainable food systems. Her work celebrates the intersection of social justice, farming, health and cultural revitalization, with an emphasis on the Filipino American diaspora.
The book festival celebrates this year’s theme: Kaisa’t Kasama, Celebrating our Diverse Voices and Solidarity. Events are free admission for all, and will be held at the San Franciso Public Library on 100 Larkin Street, San Francisco, CA. For updates, check out the website filbookfest.org.
