ABOUT FILIPINO FOOD

Egg Cracklets. Photo by Mildred Cruz.

Otap is a crisp, flaky, even crunchy, oval-shaped “puff” pastry that’s a popular snack in the Philippines.

Photo by Mildred Cruz of Biscocho from the Panaderia Pantoja branch in the province of Batangas.

What is Biscocho? A hard pastry strongly associated with Iloilo province, biscocho is essentially bread that is baked to a toast, and then topped or coated with butter and sugar, sometimes garlic.

Pacencia by Angie Pastor. For orders in Manila, 09369815475.

Small drop cookies that look sort of like Nilla (that’s short for vanilla) wafers. The name for this Filipino treat comes from the Spanish word paciencia, meaning “patience.”

Lengua de Gato by Angie Pastor. For orders in Manila, 09369815475.

Literally “cat’s tongue” in Spanish.

It’s the shape of these cookies!

Rosquillos are one of the baked goodies most associated with Cebu. Rumored to have been coined by Philippine president Sergio Osmeña himself, the name comes from the Spanish word rosca, meaning “ring.”