Thank you Netgalley and Woldy Reyes for this ebook in exchange of an honest review

3.5 Stars

In the Kusina is a perfect combination of what it means to be Filipino-American. Woldy Reyes pays homage to his culture and the roots where it came from, but also simultaneously creating a fusion of traditional recipes that fit with his unique, American identity. Uniquely vegetarian takes with mixed flavors, I praise his creativity, especially with Chili Oil Lugaw, which is a staple that I also consume in my household.

I didn't know much about Filipino cooking before reading this book. I appreciated the background and the emphasis on plant-based recipes. I liked the formatting of the book by seasons. I am interested in trying some of the adobo recipes in the future.

𝘐𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘒𝘶𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘢 is first-generation, Filipino-American chef Woldy Reyes’ take on the recipes from his family and cultural background. His Southern Californian roots and stylish New Yorker flair are evident in his choice to center a cookbook around the concept of “vegetable forward, seasonal cooking” and artful presentation.

As a Filipino-American myself, I was excited to see a contemporary, vegetarian take on familiar foods. After going over some of his personal history, his cooking principles, and key ingredients, Reyes presents recipes for various sauces and condiments and then dishes for winter, spring, summer, and fall. Recipes range from simple and straightforward to more modern and inventive, and all are accompanied by beautiful environmental images and appetizing food photography. I am most excited to try the blueberry bibingka recipe.

As cool and inspiring this cookbook is, I was very disappointed to see two of favorite Filipino flavors missing from its pages—mango and ube. (I realize ube may be difficult to locally source in the US, but it could have been interesting to see a recipe with perhaps yam as a substitute.) Nevertheless, 𝘐𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘒𝘶𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘢 is still a remarkable work and I look forward to seeing more of Reyes in the culinary world. Thank you to Chronicle Books for an advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

I love Filipino food and am always looking for new, creative recipes that capture the vibrant flavors of the food. While these are the traditional foods that I grew up eating, it is refreshing to see them all reimagined in a vegetable-forward way, something that is not prevalent for them in the traditional sense. The ingredients, for the most part, will be easy to find for any home cook that has access to an Asian market but some items, such as calamansi, might be more difficult, and I wish there had been a substitute (although it’s not a perfect science and there really is no substitute for this unique fruit) recommended so these recipes don’t have to be skipped. . Gorgeous photographs highlight the locally-sourced, seasonally selected vegetables that showcase the recipes.