Filipino Diaspora Making Waves | James Beard Foundation
Minorya-MAYUMU-Kora take over the east coast.
The James Beard Foundation, a non profit organization who celebrates and elevates food people alike in America, has recently spread more light on the Filipino diaspora. Unlike popular Asian cuisines we all know and are familiar with, Filipino food has been trying to set its foot down in the culinary world - and with the help of Minorya Coffee, MAYUMU: Filipino American Desserts Remixed, and Kora, it’s time Filipino’s make their mark. And they’re making their mark together.
Let’s start with MinoryaCoffee. A small backyard coffee farm based in Philly reviving the legacy of Filipino Coffee. Regina Santos - CEO of MinoryaCoffee and longtime friend of 18 years, has reintroduced us to the luscious and bold flavors of Barako coffee. They have collaborated with both Abi Balingit, author of MAYUMU: Filipino American Desserts Remixed, and Kimberly Camara + Kevin Borja of Kora, New York City’s online-only bakery exploring the richness of Filipino culture in the way of doughnuts and cookies - that are hella good.
Abi Balingit, James Beard Award winning author of the cookbook MAYUMU: Filipino American Desserts Remixed has greatly received her flowers. She is a self taught baker who simultaneously kills it in the fashion game, wrote a cookbook (AND WON THE MOST PRESTIGIOUS AWARD IN THE CULINARY WORLD) - and still has time to work a 9-5 job?! Filipino culture exudes from her body, and I cannot wait to see what’s coming next from her.
Mayumu - the title of Abi’s cookbook is the Kapampangan word for sweet.
She developed a recipe for MinoryaCoffee. A coconut and coffee panna cotta. I tested it. I ate it. And then I made it again for my family to eat. The panna cotta was creamy and velvety while the coffee flavor intensified with every bite — and be generous with the coffee coco jam sauce.
Kimberly Camara + Kevin Borja are co-founders of Kora, an online-only bakery that has been reinventing doughnuts and cookies with bright, unique Filipino flavors. For the months of May and June, they’ve collaborated with MinoryaCoffee and created the Barako Coffee fried brioche. It has an almond coffee praline, almond coffee crunch and coffee mousse. It was delectable. The texture and flavor of the almonds complimented the coffee so well. Rich. Bold. Crunchy. I would eat it again and again.