Friday, May 6, 2011

Fried chicken and spaghetti in the Philippines




Fried chicken and spaghetti?  It's surprisingly familiar.  Fried chicken is relatively simple to prepare and spaghetti with its noodles is symbolic of longevity which is something in the minds of Filipinos preparing food for occasions such as birthdays.  Family get-togethers commonly have both.  I was tempted to suggest that it's a reflection of the American cultural influence, but that may only be true in part.  The presence of chickens dates back into pre-history.  Pinikpikan is a traditional Igorot dish.  Max's Restaurant has been serving its simple signature unbreaded fried chicken since 1945 (which makes it older than American fastfood giants like KFC or McDonald's).  Of course Jollibee, the Filipino hamburger fastfood chain found almost everywhere in the country, serves both, compelling the local McDonald's to follow suit.  Jollibee though serves Filipino spaghetti which is distinctively topped with sausages or hotdog slices.

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