if you're not from the philippines, my mom hates food from your country :(
By sandragellar
@sandragellar (440)
Philippines
March 15, 2009 3:43pm CST
whenever i eat out, i tell my mom about the delicious food i ate, especially because she seldom gets a chance to eat out herself.
then i try to bring home some of the food i like. i buy her japanese maki, or vietnamese pho, or thai bagoong rice, or mexican burritos.
alas, she only has one response: "ugh, what is this?"
i always get disappointed! somehow, i always want to hope that she will learn to love food from other countries. the rest of my family is the same. imagine my frustration when, during graduation, i treated my family to upscale chinese food and they didn't like the honeylemon chicken, salt and pepper spareribs, and fried bean curd with shiitake mushrooms & oyster sauce. they grimaced as they ate the food! i asked them what they wanted, and they went for beef with broccoli (as filipinos commonly eat this). when the beef with broccoli arrived, i was so ashamed when they said out loud, "now, THAT's good food!"
i know everyone is entitled to their own preferences. but i feel that theirs is verging on insulting to other people, as they express their disgust very openly even while still in the restaurant.
what would you do if you were in my shoes? give up and just bring home filipino tocino (cured pork) and tuyo (dried fish) again? or try and try again? lol ^_^
2 people like this
18 responses
@felisanavidad (79)
• United States
16 Mar 09
It's useless to try and change your parents. Sometimes they can embarrass you - (my dad embarrasses me sometimes). You just have to remember that you are not responsible for what they do. I wouldn't judge you on how your parents act. Hopefully no one else will. Maybe it's best to find a restaurant with lots of agreeable choices to everyone.
PS.
I find this kind of amusing - my mom was from the Philippines. I try and learn as much as I can about her culture. I try and cook filipino and I even found a restaurant in New York. I didn't like the food very much...lol. the only things I tried so far that I like is adobo, pancit, and lumpia
1 person likes this
@felisanavidad (79)
• United States
16 Mar 09
I will look for a kare-kare recipe. It sounds interesting. I'll let you know how it goes.
When my sister graduated, a bunch of us went out. Her friends are from Croatia, Russia, HongKong, Philippines, adn Venezuela. They all eat everything, especially Thai and Indian. Anyway, we went to Friday's figuring it would be a good choice that my dad would find something he liked (one time we took him to an Ethiopian restaurant and he left hungry). WRONG! The American complaining about the American restaurant! Sometimes you just can't win.
@sandragellar (440)
• Philippines
17 Mar 09
HAHAHA that was funny! even TGI fridays didn't make the cut? hahaha ^_^
hope you find a genuine recipe for kare-kare. the secret is in the shrimp paste: it hs to be a little sweetened (sugar has to be added while the shrimp paste is being heated in a pan).
we once had an australian visitor who loved kare-kare. he said the combination of sweet (from the peanut sauce) and salty (from the shrimp paste) makes for a combination that is never boring and makes you want to reach for the sweet, then the salty, then the sweet, and so on... hehe. wonder if he's the excpetion to the rule.
wouldn't blame you if you don't like the dish. but you have to taste an authentic kare kare recipe before you close your doors on it... ^_^
talking food with you is making me hungry! lol ^_^
PS try asking your mom about it. she might know how to prepare it for you. ^_^
PPS if you want to recommend recipes, feel free! the actual recipes can't be posted here, but we can always post the links, hehe!
@sandragellar (440)
• Philippines
16 Mar 09
lol ^_^ yes, i find a lot of foreigners loving adobo. it seems to be less of a challenge, so to speak, as it has very taste-friendly ingredients.
have you tried kare-kare? it's meat in peanut sauce. then you eat it with shrimp paste. sounds weird, huh? believe me, filipinos love it. i can't say the same for foreigners, but i'd love to know... ^_^
i know, parents can sometimes be embarrassing. lol! after the graduation dining out incident, i never brought my parents to a non-filipino restaurant again. oh wait, i did try... but she didn't eat anything and just sat there, sulking. man! my mistake... lol ^_^
@jazzsue58 (2666)
•
15 Mar 09
(Sigh) Parents, eh - who'd have 'em?
My dad was the same - often hilariously so. He didn't like 'foreign muck' but he'd have a takeaway curry as according to him that was different. British foreign muck, I suppose.
I once made him a bolognaise but, realising he'd turn it down, put piped potato on top and told him it was Shepherd's Pie. Then I hid. A bit later on, he said: "Hm, that was nice Sue. What did you put in it?" I told him garlic. "Oh," he said. "I won't eat garlic - that's foreign muck."
It was a family sized pie - and he'd scoffed the lot!
1 person likes this
@sandragellar (440)
• Philippines
16 Mar 09
hahaha yes, it seems my mom is the same way. she hates something if it sounds foreign. but tell her it's filipino and she'll eat it, although it's actually the same "foreign" food that you offered days ago, lol ^_^
by the way, did the title sound racist to you? i was hoping to come up with a title that might make readers want to read the post. but the member who responded right below you said that it's so racist.
and i know it's not meant to be, as i'm only indicating how "racist" my mom is when it comes to food... :/
@sandragellar (440)
• Philippines
17 Mar 09
that's true, most "refined recipes" on the net are usually just adapted recipes, and not the original ones. i usually find that the rather rough recipes (the ones that don't sound too professional) are the ones written by true-blue people who cook the genuine thing. ^_^
whew, i know what you mean about what the food does to your waistline! i find the same problem with mexican food, which i so love. but if i go one week eating just mexican food, i immediately gain weight! hehe! perhaps it's just so good that i tend to overeat... ^_^
your post has made me a bit hungry. makes me want to try a new restaurant tomorrow! *writes notes on calendar* ^_^
@sudiptacallingu (10879)
• India
16 Mar 09
Well don’t lose heart…most moms are like that! They like solid home-cooked food and they are against any kind of experimentation when food is concerned. My mom is something similar…she does not really enjoy eating out or the snacking when we go shopping so its quite a problem going out with her. My hubby is like that too…he only likes the same old rice and pulses and fish curry which is the staple food of us Bengalis. Give him that and he is most satisfied…it’s a problem with him too! Last time we went to Pizza Hut my son and me enjoyed our pizza but hubby dear was far from satisfied. Same with McD’s and any other Chinese restaurant. Guess, some people will never change.
1 person likes this
@sandragellar (440)
• Philippines
16 Mar 09
hehe guess so... ^_^ thank god we still love them. ^_^
oh, at least your son loves pizza. he seems to have taken after you... ^_^
@ShepherdSpy (8544)
• Omagh, Northern Ireland
16 Mar 09
Has Your Mom ever Travelled much outside the Philippines? If She's never been interested in trying other cuisines apart from home cooking,or travelled to experience others at first hand,then she's never felt the need to experiment with what else is out there! That's one thing I enjoy about travelling-the ability to try new foods! I visited my Brother and Sister-in Law last Month to meet my new baby Nephew where they Live in London-She took me out for Lunch when I arrived to a Portuguese Restaurant,and while we were sitting there enjoying that food, facing the place across the street was a Japanese/Asian Restaurant! You don't even need to travel far from where you live to experience new eating opportunities,they'll come to You! Some people are set in their ways..they won't eat spices they're not used to,or foods not prepared the way they grew up with..Maybe your Mom's happy enjoying her home cooked foods to the exclusion of others,(There's nothing wrong with that-home cooked dishes can be wonderful too- it's "comfort" food!)but I hope you can find some dish that'll open her eyes and leave her wanting more!
@sandragellar (440)
• Philippines
16 Mar 09
hi, shepherdspy! (nice word play on your username, by the way... ^_^)
oh, my mom hasn't travelled much, but then again so haven't i. yet i still loooove food from all over the world! perhaps my mom is a lot more conservative, so to speak, when it comes to food...
i do hope she finds a foreign dish that will make her say, "eureka!" till then, i won't bring her to restaurants because she makes quite a scene and i feel like the waiters hate us because of it. not that i blame them! lol ^_^
@modstar (9605)
• Philippines
16 Mar 09
They're your family. You should have known better on how they would react on such situation. They could be used to Filipino dishes. There's nothing wrong with that as some foreigners don't appreciate Filipino food either. It's just a matter of preference and a lot of getting used to. I think you culture shocked them by bringing them in a restaurant with unfamiliar chinese food. Now, do you think chinese will enjoy dining in a Filipino restaurant? Wait, they ordered beef and broccoli in that same restaurant? Then it shouldn't matter because they haven't lost a customer. Its not a racial thing because for sure i'd enjoy the food you mentioned and i'm a Filipino. Try harder but be gentle next time. Lol!
@modstar (9605)
• Philippines
16 Mar 09
Upon reading your comments on previous responses, i'm convinced that it's just not about the taste, it's more about the behavior. Could it be culture within a culture? Do you belong to a tribe who normally talk aloud and quite upfront? Omg, regardless, if you're single, i may not want to be their manugang. I might get the "yuck!" reaction. Lol! Just kidding!
@sandragellar (440)
• Philippines
16 Mar 09
actually, i didn't even think they'd reject the food. honeylemon chicken is actually served in some filipino restaurants... :/
i should have known better, but i haven't been with them for ten years. that's why during my graduation, when they came to visit, i treated them to a chinese restaurant. if they were indeed culture-shocked, they should at least have been nice about it instead of making a scene even with the waiter right there in front of us.
say, if you receive a gift you don't like, do you say, "yuck, i hate your gift"? or do you still say, "thanks for the gift"? i could only wish they would at least be thankful that i treated them to an upscale restaurant.
maybe some food is not acceptable to other cultures... but rudeness is never acceptable in any culture, right? ^_^
@sandragellar (440)
• Philippines
17 Mar 09
HAHAHA i know! ^_^ i am as afraid for my future in-laws, believe me! and yes, you got that right, it's more about how they react rather than their preferences...
i don't exactly belong to a tribe... but then again, filipinos who live in the provinces tend to have really solid beliefs about all sorts of things, including food.
i've been trying to tell my mom to try not to insult any host/ waiter because they want nothing but to serve her good food. well, we're working on it. :o
@abanerji (1026)
• India
15 Mar 09
taste is something that i very personal and one should not be forced to have that does not fit to one's taste preference. in your case, i think you should either eat your favourite stuff while you are with friends etc. or when you carry food home, then you can buy your favourite food for yourself and their choice for them. this way they would also enjoy the food and you too would enjoy the food.
even when you go out for dinner. go into a restaurant that offers filipino food and also other recepies from different countries and order accordingly.
@felisanavidad (79)
• United States
16 Mar 09
I agree with you. Bringing home different food will allow for others to try a little if they wish. I enjoy and cook different foods from around the world. My family is very set in their likes, but they at least try what I make or bring home. Then if they don't like it, there is always something they do like in the house.
@sandragellar (440)
• Philippines
16 Mar 09
there wouldn't be much of a problem if they simply disliked food from all around the world... but it's more than that, as i stated in my post. they actually make noise while in a restaurant about how "yucky" the food is, which embarrasses me a lot, lol ^_^
@manya_pearl (1901)
• Singapore
16 Mar 09
Hahaha... let me share with you one food from my tribe- manadonese porridge. Manadonese is one of the tribe in south sulawesi island in Indonesia. the food that im talking about is called as tinutuan. This tinutuan is made of boiled rice with water (makes it creamy and watery) and its mixed with vegetables like kangkong, corn, and also lemongrass, and some ingredients but i dont know what they are called in english. We eat this tinutuan with fried fish and dabu2 or called as sambal (mixed of hot chili- red ones, unions, garlic, salt, little bit sugar, and dried shrimp extract).
Anyway, its mixed of vegetable and watery rice. My friend, who is a javanese, transfered from jakarta to manado city, she said that this food is like "pig food"... mygosh... she said that to me... and i almost vomit at the time im eating my tinutuan. I said to her... try this... let see if you still dont like it... after that time...
and until today, she become addicted to this food... "her pig food is become her food" or for short, she is the pig actually. ahahhahahaha.
she is in java now, working in one company in jakarta. whenever we chat, she asked me, if i could send her the food. my gosh?
you wanted me to send it? i said... you bid in ebay... ahhahaha
;)
@Rikza1 (295)
• Finland
16 Mar 09
Haha, If she doesn't like food from any other countries you shouldn't try to change her mind. She will change her mind if she wants to, but you can't force her, but if you want to bring her food from other countries, never bring her food from Finland before she gets used to eating something else. Our food doesn't look very good, but tastes very good. Like our "mämmi" looks horrible, but tastes good. People always think food is bad if it looks bad...Well I also think like that. I always have hard time eating something that doesn't look good.
@sandragellar (440)
• Philippines
16 Mar 09
hi there!
it's alright with me that she has different preferences... it's that she's really rude about them. :/ everytime i take her to a restaurant, she says things like, "what crap are we being served now?" and i feel so embarrassed. the waiters hate us for sure. i won't be surprised if they try to spit on our food! lol ^_^
i could only wish that she'd be more grateful that i bring her food everyday. it's like getting gifts you don't exactly like... you still say "thank you" instead of "yuck, i hate your gift"...
@raclie (1732)
• Singapore
16 Mar 09
I think everyone is entittled to say what food they like and what they don't.
It's just preferences.
For me personally, I like all kinds of food.
The raw sashimi from japan to the green curry from thai.
But we are all different.
My advice would be to stop trying.
It's a sad thing to experience, people not showing appreciation for the effort we are putting in.
:(
Bring them oversea one day.
They have no choice but to taste what's outside the Philippines sooner or later and appreciate it
:)
LOL
@sandragellar (440)
• Philippines
17 Mar 09
good one! lol ^_^ yes, they'll be forced to taste and appreciate the food, lol ^_^
but i think my mom will cry and throw a tantrum before she consents to being transported to another country! lol ^_^
@sandragellar (440)
• Philippines
19 Mar 09
HAHAHA you're funny ^_^ the picture will probaby win an award for accurately portraying the emotion known as "frustration"! lol ^_^
@gracie04 (4549)
• Philippines
16 Mar 09
Aww, you can't please everyone.. i guess you just need to respect whatever your mom likes.. you know, we have different taste buds.. i might not like other cuisine but it doesn't mean that i'm a racist or something.. i'm sure you have your own preferences too and i guess your family respect whatever makes you happy.... but who knows? they might like other cuisines someday.. maybe they aren't just prepared for the taste test challenge yet.. 
@sandragellar (440)
• Philippines
16 Mar 09
hi there!
i'm aright with my mom not liking food from anywhere else... it's just that she keeps saying rude things, even in front of waiters, about the food they serve! lol ^_^
she says stuff like, "this food tastes like crap," or "do they use garlic like we drink water?" she makes it plain to see for everyone that she hates all other food. sigh...
@Porcospino (31366)
• Denmark
15 Mar 09
That sounds a lot like my grandmother. She loves Danish food, but she doesn't want to eat that "strange" foreign food that I love. When I was younger my grandmother, her friend and I sometimes travelled together and my grandmother always insisted on eating at McDonald's instead of trying the local food. I strongly disagreed with her, because I love eating new kinds of food, and I can easily relate to you situation. If I were you I would probably keep on introducing your family to foreign food. You can't change them, and they might never find anything that they like as much as filipino food, but I don't think there is anything wrong in introducing them to new food. On day they might find something that they like.
@sandragellar (440)
• Philippines
16 Mar 09
yes, porcospino, maybe one day they will like something that's not entirely filipino... ^_^
so much food in this world, so much good food to taste... sigh. ^_^
i understand that perhaps my mom (and your grandmother) aren't very adventurous when it comes to food. but my mom makes a scene when we are in a restaurant. she mkaes it clear (to everyone including the waiters) that she hates their food! lol ^_^
@suzzy3 (8342)
•
15 Mar 09
they know what they like and nothing will change them.My husband is like that as well.So everynow and again I go with a friend and eat chinese or indian food for a welcome change and it is lovely.I think you are wonderful for trying to eduacate your parents palate but I do feel you are wasting your time and your money.Bless you.xx
@sandragellar (440)
• Philippines
17 Mar 09
haha yes, even my friends have laughed from my story. my folks can be a handful, but their rather stubborn ways are endearing and oftentimes funny. hehe ^_^
@sandragellar (440)
• Philippines
16 Mar 09
hahaha yes, waste of money indeed ^_^ it's just hard to find an upscale filipino food all the time. it also becomes hard especially if we are in the company of visitors who want to eat in non-filipino restaurants...
i feel that i won't have a problem if they simply disliked the food. but i've been embarrassed so many times when we are in a restaurant and they make faces and make sounds of disgust and say things like "yuck!" or "what crap are we being served here?"
kinda like when you are being given a gift you don't exactly like, you don't tell the person, "your gift sucks," right? :/
1 person likes this
@bubbletush (1332)
• Philippines
16 Mar 09
Oh it's sad that they are not adventurous with food. My mom also does not like certain foreign dishes but she does not limit herself only to Filipino food. Me and my sisters are the adventurous type and so we tend to enjoy food from different cuisine. Honestly, the food you've mentioned are some of my favorites especially the burrito and the thai bagoong rice. I so love the thai bagoong rice and I really feel disappointed that I could not share the satisfaction with my parents. They find the food weird. Even though I know that it's a hit and miss when it comes to letting them try foreign dishes, but I still let them try it (and most of the time they don't like it).
@sandragellar (440)
• Philippines
17 Mar 09
oh, then perhaps we are on the same boat. :/
well, look at it this way... at least your folks don't make a lot of noise about the "crappy food" whenever you eat out. hehe ^_^
gawd, talking about bagoong rice is making me sooo hungry! the weird thing about it is, although it is indeed thai, the food they use in it is filipino. nevertheless, after i introduced it as "thai" bagoong rice, my mom grimaced and snobbed it. haha lol ^_^ my mistake! i should have just said it's filipino! lol ^_^
good luck to both of us! may we taste many more new dishes in the future. after all, life is short (so let's eat like there's no tomorrow! lol) ^_^
@okkidokitokki (1736)
• United States
16 Mar 09
Don't feel bad they are just like every other familly, they have the things that they do that drives you crazy. I had to beg my husband to try different foods when we got together. And my brother in law will only eat hamburgers or shrimp when we go out because he refuses to even taste different foods.
I have given up on my brother in law, if we invite him to eat with us it is always somewhere that serves food that he will eat. Other than that my husband and I go without them.
You can always go eat the food you enjoy and bring them home what they like, but if you are uncomfortable with how they act leave them at home.
@sandragellar (440)
• Philippines
16 Mar 09
hahaha you're right, they really should stay at home IF i'm not taking them to a filipino restaurant lol ^_^
and i will still keep bringing home foreign food because, well, it's everywhere. it's kinda hard not to bring home food that you see everywhere... ^_^
@Jason_king (14)
• China
16 Mar 09
Yes, I think you should try again and again.I'm a chinese,so I know if you try many times,your family will accept your idea one day,of course that day will come soon if you treat them enthusiastic in the restaurant.Come on,I am approve of what you did.
@sandragellar (440)
• Philippines
16 Mar 09
you're chinese? i love chinese food! hehe.
hm, it seems i'm getting hungry, and craving for chinese takeout. lol ^_^
@lingli_78 (12822)
• Australia
15 Mar 09
woww... your mum must be missing out on a lot of great food in the world... i eat japanese, chines, korean, western, indian and any kind of food from other countries as long as it is eatable... it will be very boring to only eat the food from your own country all the time... may be you have to keep on trying and persuade your mum to learn to eat food from other country... good luck... take care and have a nice day...
@sandragellar (440)
• Philippines
16 Mar 09
hehe thanks. ^_^
i've been trying. there's so much good food out there! i just want my mom to know the goodness that is out there lol ^_^
and there's also that embarrassing thing that they do in restaurants... she says things out loud like, "what crap are we being served here?" and i have no idea how to react while we are eating in the restaurant! lol ^_^
@tamarafireheart (15384)
•
16 Mar 09
Hi Sandra,
Well that is their lost and not yours, so try not to give them any foreing food, as I am from England, they might like it.
Tamara
@strawberrychocodahi (4818)
• Philippines
15 Mar 09
Your topic sounds so racists, hope you won't be offending other nationalities here when you say that your mom hates to eat their kind of food.
But sticking again to the topic, well you may not be able to please your folks specially if their palate is stiffed hard and cannot be adjusted to foreign foods.
Yes, they will appreciate more if you buy them tuyo, bagoong, tocino and more homely delicacies and foods from our country. That's what makes them Filipino anyway. You may never change them as they really are because they have grown old of eating our own food. So if you think these things will make them more happy and be appreciated, stick to what they like or you may ask them first what do they like to eat before you go to a certain restaurant. Happy Mylotting.
@sandragellar (440)
• Philippines
16 Mar 09
hi there!
i think you misunderstood my post, lol ^_^ i'm not being racist. i'm just saying that my parents are the ones who don't like food from anywhere else, not me! lol ^_^
that's why it's important that a very intriguing title (such as mine) is thoroughly explained (by the person who posted it) and read (by the members who want to comment on it).
it's really true, my mom hates food that's not filipino. that's WHY i'm bothered by her behavior, because SHE is the one being racist, hehe. ^_^
hope that cleared things out... ^_^
anyway, it's not just their preference that bothers me. it's the fact that, like i already stated in my post, they make a rucus and loudly criticize the food even while we're still in the restaurant, which is really embarrassing... ^_^
happy mylotting!
