Philippine Ambassador to Germany brought a taste of the Philippines to members of the Wilkommen in Berlin (WiB) during an Filipino Afternoon Tea Reception at the official residence on 25 September 2019.

The WiB is the largest international club composed of members from the diplomatic corps, business, academe, media, and other sectors. It is the only international club which is affiliated with the German Federal Foreign Office which ensures its wide reach in the international community in Berlin.

 

The Filipino Tea Reception kicked off the WiB’s Fall 2019 calendar and saw members enjoying afternoon tea with a Philippine twist. Instead of scones and cream, guests were treated to Chicken Adobo Canapes, Cassava Cake, Kutsinta, Puto (Steamed Rice Cake), and empanadas. Also on offer were Philippine organic teas like Lemon Ginger, Tanglad, Banaba, Pandan, Coco Melange, and Blue Flower from fair trade company Tsaa Laya and organic coffee grown in Mt. Apo, Davao and Benguet. Guests were also given tokens of Philippine chocolate-covered dried mangoes.

 

Ambassador Dizon-De Vega presented a glimpse of the Philippines during the reception focusing on the history, tourism sites, weaving traditions, and the cuisine of the country.  A special guest, Ms. Miranda Konstantinidou, owner of Konplott Jewelry which has 35 stores throughout Germany spoke about her Cebu-based design center and workshop. She shared her positive experiences working with Filipinos in Cebu and praised their creativity, discipline, and skill.

 

Chef Bulawan Callanta of AYAN Restaurant in Berlin and Lighting Designer Troy Gonzalez who also dabbles in cooking shared what makes Filipino cuisine special.

 

The WiB members expressed delight at being introduced to Philippine culture and cuisine and were particularly taken by the unique flavors in both the beverages and the dishes they sampled. WiB member Jane Williams-Boock, a German-American law professor, praised the Philippines for being a country doing its best to be more ecologically sensitive and for the warmth and positivity of its people. END

 

 

The Philippine Booth was one of the most popular destinations and adjudged second best at the Festival of Nations held on 7 September 2019 at the Nelson Mandela International School in Berlin, one of the premiere primary and learning institutions in the city.

 

The Philippine participation was spearheaded by the students, teachers, and parents of the school’s 6-D Primary Class. Filipina-German faculty member Lea Millares-Sylvester worked with the Philippine Embassy in Berlin in the Philippine booth presentation featuring traditional Filipino fare such as pancit palabok, pancit guisado, puto, empanadas, banana and cassava cakes, and lumpia. Philippine tourism and Jose Rizal brochures were likewise given away to the visitors. A quiz about the Philippines was offered to the booth visitors while Nelson Mandela students made “beaches in a jar” crafts while promoting Philippine beaches as well as the protection of the environment.

 

Philippine Ambassador to Germany Theresa Dizon-De Vega joined the Philippine Embassy and the booth team with volunteers from the Filipino-German community in talking about Philippine culture, tourism, and traditions at the Fair. This marked the Philippine Embassy’s first time to participate in the Festival which included 24 other countries. The event attracts nearly a thousand visitors annually throughout its one-day run. END

Philippine Ambassador to Germany Theresa Dizon-De Vega joined the Lord Mayor of Osnabrück, Germany Wolfgang Griesert and Bürgermeisterin Eva-Maria Westermann in launching the Kulturnacht (Culture Night) of Osnabrück, Germany on 31 August 2019.

Lord Mayor Wolfgang Griesert who welcomed Ambassador Dizon-De Vega as the first Filipino dignitary to officially visit Osnabruck. The City is now known as an industrial base with many companies in the automobile, paper, steel, and grocery-retail sectors. Ambassador Dizon-De Vega also met officials of Systemgastronomie, a leading company in the city in the course of her visit.

The opening was witnessed by members of the Filipino-Germany Community in Osnabrück including Ms. Maria Malaca, Proprietor of the top Spa-Wellness Center in Osnabrück, Mari-Jing Spa. The members of the Filipino Community took part in the Kulturnacht with a free Hilot massage service, a sampling of Filipino cuisine, and introduction to Filipiniana attire and dances like the popular Tinikling. The event takes place in the historic center of Osnabrück to mark the end of summer. Attracting several thousand visitors from the city and nearby areas, the event further promotes Osnabrück’s reputation as a City of Peace and Multi-Cultural values.

The active participation of the Filipinos in Osnabrück in various cultural, gastronomic, and economic events was lauded by the city officials.  End

 

METRO, one of the largest supermarket chains in Germany and Europe held its Metro Cup Young Chefs Competition in cooperation with the Brillat Savarin Culinary School on 23 August 2019 at the Metro Cooking Academy in Berlin.

 

This year’s competition focused on a five-course challenge featuring international street food and snacks. The six (6) young German chefs were tasked to prepare Lebanese, Argentine, Japanese, New Zealand, and Philippine street food or snacks.

 

The street food chosen by event organizer, Chef Niklas Siebecke, for the Philippinec course was Binaki und Latik (Binaki and Latik), a popular corn-based snack in the Visayas and Mindanao, in particular in the provinces of Cebu, Cagayan De Oro, and Iligan.

 

The adjudicators are all active chefs in Germany, including for the Philippine course, Filipino-German Chefs Bulawan Callanta of AYAN Street Food restaurant and Maite Hontiveros-Dittke, a Dusseldorf-based Chef and food advocate.

 

Philippine Ambassador Theresa Dizon-De Vega lent her presence to the occasion and awarded young German Chef Caroline Glusa with the award for the best Binaki und Latik and a native Philippine bag with Philippine cookbooks and food items.

 

Asked what was the most challenging part of preparing the sweetish Southern Philippines snack, Chef Glusa mentioned that getting the sweetish corn meal consistency right was most trying because they had never attempted to prepare or tasted Binaki before.

 

The Embassy of the Philippines continues to have a full slate of culinary-related activities for the remainder of the year as part of its Culinary Diplomacy thrusts.  END