Best of PH Coconuts Showcased in 1st Taste the Philippines DC Filipino Food Festival
The Philippine Embassy in Washington D.C. showcased the best of Philippine coconut products in the first ever “Taste the Philippines DC Filipino Food Festival” held at the District Wharf on 22 June 2019. (Washington PE photo)
WASHINGTON, D.C. 01 July 2019 — The Philippine Embassy in Washington, D.C., through the Office of the Agriculture Attaché, showcased the best of Philippine coconut products in the first-ever Taste the Philippines DC Filipino Food Festival held at the District Wharf on 22 June 2019.
More than 10,000 visitors gathered at the District Wharf to try out unique Filipino dishes catered by various Filipino restaurants, tabling organizations, and vendors from all around the DC Metropolitan Area (DVM) area.
In addition to the excellent line up of Philippine cuisine, cultural presentations and musical performances by YO-YO Inc., SNRG, Mabuhay Inc., Aira Renee Curameng, Pinaktay Arnis, SUAV, and the Migrant Heritage Fil-Am Dance Ensemble provided outstanding entertainment to the audience.
Among those products that were sampled in the Embassy booth are Magnolia Macapuno Ice Cream sourced from Ramar Foods by Tito Al’s 2A Marketing; Trader Joe’s Coconut water with pineapple juice; Kirkland coconut water sourced from the Philippines; NUCO coconut wraps of original, moringa, turmeric and cinnamon flavors that can be purchased from organic food stores such as Wegman’s in Alexandria; Ludy’s coconut jam, Florence coconut jam and Lady’s Choice tuna spread that were best paired with the coconut wraps; NUCO coconut crunch cereals; Butter Cream Macaroon flavored Biscuits; and North Star’s buko pancit. Free samples of Carrington Farms’ virgin coconut oil ready-to-go packs sourced from the Philippines were also given out to the festival visitors.
Visitors to the Philippine booth were encouraged to post photos of their enjoying the Philippine coconut products, or any dish with coconut ingredients from the participating restaurants, for a chance to win a US$100 dollar-gift card from Kaliwa restaurant. The winner will be drawn on 26 June 2019, National Coconut Day.
Some of the dishes by participating restaurants that also made use of coconut were Kaliwa’s pastry with coconut and ube, and Kuya Ja’s lobster laing.
“National Coconut Day is celebrated in the United States every 26th of June, and the DC Filipino Food Festival was an excellent platform to raise awareness and promote the Philippines’ very own coconut products and other agricultural exports that are readily available in the US market,” said Embassy Agriculture Attaché Dr. Josyline C. Javelosa.
“We consider this as an important means to support the 3.5 million coconut farmers in the Philippines,” she added.
“The success of the first-ever Taste the Philippines DC Filipino Food Festival and the overwhelming reception for Filipino food and food products is proof that Philippine cuisine is slowly making a name in the US mainstream. We are delighted to introduce and showcase our very own coconut products in this event,” said Philippine Ambassador to the United States Jose Manuel G. Romualdez.
Taste the Philippines DC Filipino Food Festival was organized by Kaliwa restaurant, Mindset Communities, and the Philippine American Foundation for Charities. Participating restaurants include Purple Patch, Daikaya, Tigerfork, Ekiben, The Game Sports Pub, Timothy Flores, Kuya Ja’s, and Kaliwa. END
Patrons of the Festival flock the Embassy booth for its free samples of Philippine coconut products. (Washington PE photo)
Joni Rayos Samilin, one of the organizers, with Ambassador to the United States Jose Manuel G. Romualdez (right) at the Embassy booth. (Washington PE photo)
Magnolia Macapuno Ice Cream and NUCO coconut crunch cereals were a hit to Festival visitors. (Washington PE photo)
The Embassy booth also gave away free samples of Carrington Farms’ virgin coconut oil to interested visitors. (Washington PE photo)
More than 10,000 visitors gathered at the District Wharf to enjoy the first-ever Taste the Philippines DC Filipino Food Festival on 22 June 2019. (Washington PE photo)
For more information, visit https://www.washingtonpe.dfa.gov.ph, www.philippineembassy-usa.org, https://www.facebook.com/PHinUSA or https://twitter.com/philippinesusa