pw. Can you imagine what it would be like if we all shared the same recipe for Swiss Fondue? In 2021, the announcement by the Department of Trade and Industry in the Philippines, according to which the recipe for adobo was to be standardized, caused discussions worldwide. This inspired Filipino chef, artist and author Claude Tayag to write his book “The Ultimate Filipino Adobo”. He introduced the book at this year’s book fair in Frankfurt – on his way there, he stopped by in Zurich, where members of studiyo filipino welcomed him.
During a panoramic cruise on Lake Zurich, Tayag explained that his book was not just a simple cookbook. Although it contains personal recipes for adobo, one also finds stories and memories of other chefs and personalities who love to cook. Tayag, thus, was curious to know how each of us prepares adobo. While some mentioned garlic and ginger, others make it with coconut milk and atsuete, the annato seeds that lend the adobo a red tint. It was instantly clear that there exist many different variations of the dish. In fact, Tayag would go as far as to claim that he can determine where the cook is from, just by her choice of ingredients. But which one, then, is the most authentic recipe?
In his home province Pampanga, which by some is considered the Philippines’ culinary capital, Tayag runs his restaurant “Bale Dutung“, which meanwhile has achieved international acclaim. Even the famous TV chef Anthony Bourdain has visited him in Angeles City. True to his passion as a restaurateur, Tayag had us accompany him to various Filipino restaurants here in Switzerland and, on his final evening, also shared his own adobo in someone’s home. Tayag does not claim to have the “ultimate” adobo himself, however; the name, he says, connotes the way of cooking rather than the actual components of the dish. When asked where the best adobo is to be found, his answer is simple: „It’s the adobo your mother makes!“
