Ruben Salazar, Executive Director Filipino American Historical Society of Chicago

Taste from Home is a collection of recipes and stories can be used as a way to connect with others and facilitate conversations about race, culture, and identity over a new recipe. Make a cultural dish and sit down with family and friends and have a discussion of the culture it represents.  Please consider making a tax-deductible donation today, if you are able. If you are unable to donate, you can still participate by sharing a recipe by using hashtags #tastefromhome, #tastefromhomerecipe, & #chicagocultural on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram.

The Filipino American Historical Society of Chicago(FAHSC) is a cultural institution whose mission is to collect, record and preserve artifacts and documents of history of the Filipino Americans of metropolitan Chicago; and to educate about Filipino American history and Philippine heritage.

These dishes are from the Philippines. I selected 3 of the most popular dishes that complete a typical combination for lunch or dinner – lumpia appetizer, pansit as the main entrée and halo-halo for dessert.

During the pandemic, I learned to prepare and cook these favorite dishes following the instructions that were shared with us by the chefs from restaurants that are partners of FAHSC and sponsors of Piyesta Pinoy. In support of social distancing measures, the annual outdoor festival had to be canceled. In its place, we hosted an online event that featured the cooking demos which are explained below.

I am happy to share the cooking demos of the Filipino food with you below. I am not a cook but I tried my best to follow the instructions and learned new skills. The food turned out to be delicious. If I was able to do it, I’m sure that you can do it too. Enjoy

Let’s start with the appetizer: Lumpia!

“Lumpia” is the Filipino version of the egg rolls. This recipe is courtesy of Chef Kathy Vega Hardy, owner of the A Taste of the Philippines, started as a food truck from Denver Colorado, moved to Chicago serving food at various farmer’s market and soon to open its own food stall at the French Market in downtown Chicago.

“Lumpia” can be served as a side dish or as an appetizer. It can be vegetarian made with locally grown vegetables or prepared with vegetables and meat, usually ground pork or chicken.

Next is the main dish: Pansit!

Traditionally, Pancit is a Filipino dish that is a must-have for Birthday Celebrations as it represents long life. This recipe is courtesy of Chef Garnett from the Mora Asian Kitchen. Pansit is a traditional Filipino dish that is always requested always present in every Filipino occasions such as fiestas, picnics, pot-luck parties, and every holiday celebrations. It is a must-have dish for Birthday Celebrations as it represents long life. It is also always served in after mass receptions during the 9-day Simbang Gabi religious tradition.

And finally….dessert: Halo Halo!

Halo-halo (Tagalog for “mix-mix”) is a popular Filipino cold dessert which is a concoction of crushed ice, evaporated milk and various ingredients including, among others, ube, sweetened beans, coconut strips, sago, gulaman (seaweed gelatin), pinipig rice, boiled root crops in cubes, fruit slices, flan, and topped with a scoop of ice cream. This recipe is courtesy of Chef Matthew Alfaro and Sous Alexa Alfaro, co-founders of  @Meat on the Street, A Filipino food stall and food truck in downtown Milwaukee, WI. Food truck services Madison to IL. Filipino food being served parallels what you have at a Filipino party or in a lola’s (grandma’s) kitchen.

“Halo-halo” can be served as a dessert item after the main entree for lunch or dinner or as a refreshing cold drink anytime of the day very popular during the hot summer days.  It can be made with locally grown fruits or prepared with canned or bottled fruits prepared and preserved with sweeteners.

Alaka Wali, Founder of the Chicago Cultural Alliance

Taste from Home is a collection of recipes and stories can be used as a way to connect with others and facilitate conversations about race, culture, and identity over a new recipe. Make a cultural dish and sit down with family and friends and have a discussion of the culture it represents.  Please consider making a tax-deductible donation today, if you are able. If you are unable to donate, you can still participate by sharing a recipe by using hashtags #tastefromhome, #tastefromhomerecipe, & #chicagocultural on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram.

This recipe was invented by Kashi Wali, my Mother, soon after she came from India to the United States.  She and her husband loved to entertain friends and colleagues, and it occurred to her that putting a new twist on a standard American desert would please her guests.  She used the Joy of Cooking recipe for “cheesecake cockaigne”  and added an “Indian” flavor to it by using two very special spices—cardamom and saffron.  Both of these spices are used in India for very special sweet dishes,  such as Shrikand,  a creamy sweet yoghurt desert. When I was in college and lived in a coop, I made the cheesecake for my dorm mates, and they gave it an award! Ever since, whenever I entertain guests and want to do something special, I make this cheesecake.  Now, I share this recipe with my children and with all of you!

Video made by Monona Wali.

Zainab Khan, Co-Founder and Executive Director, Muslim American Leadership Alliance

Taste from Home is a collection of recipes and stories can be used as a way to connect with others and facilitate conversations about race, culture, and identity over a new recipe. Make a cultural dish and sit down with family and friends and have a discussion of the culture it represents.  Please consider making a tax-deductible donation today, if you are able. If you are unable to donate, you can still participate by sharing a recipe by using hashtags #tastefromhome, #tastefromhomerecipe, & #chicagocultural on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram.

MALA (Muslim American Leadership Alliance)is an arts and culture organization committed to amplifying and celebrating the voices and perspectives of American Muslims through the art of oral history and digital storytelling. MALA works to build vibrant and dynamic communities and inclusive spaces for cultural exchange and community dialogue. This family recipe is provided by Zainab Khan, MALA’s Co-founder and Executive Director.

Khoresh, (sometimes spelled khoresht) or stew, is a mainstay of Persian cuisine. While khoresh bademjan, or eggplant stew, often includes meat, it’s a recipe well suited to vegetarian adaptations. This vegan version makes a delicious main dish served over plain steamed rice or crusty tahdig (crispy persian rice). For a less traditional take, serve it over quinoa or couscous. If you’re not concerned about keeping things vegan, a dollop of yogurt herb sauce is a tasty topper to this meal.

I love this dish because its ingredients are so universal, and it can take on so many different flavors.  When I was a child growing up outside of Chicago, my father used to make Khoresh Bademjan for us.  Today, I make the same dish for my son and although my recipe is slightly different, it still feels like I’m carrying on a tradition.  In many ways, I love this dish for its practicality: it’s inexpensive to make, it has a very flexible flavor profile, and it’s really nutritious as well.  My two-year-old even loves it!  Khoresh Bademjan will forever be special food for me, both for its personal value and for its cross-cultural value as well.

Recipes from The Swedish American Museum

Taste from Home is a collection of recipes and stories can be used as a way to connect with others and facilitate conversations about race, culture, and identity over a new recipe. Make a cultural dish and sit down with family and friends and have a discussion of the culture it represents.  Please consider making a tax-deductible donation today, if you are able. If you are unable to donate, you can still participate by sharing a recipe by using hashtags #tastefromhome, #tastefromhomerecipe, & #chicagocultural on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram.

The Swedish American Museum has been active for over 40 years in the heart of Andersonville, a traditionally Swedish area on the north side of Chicago. Andersonville, the “Little Sweden” of Chicago, is one of the most concentrated areas of Swedish heritage in the United States, with Swedish roots dating back to the 19th century. Tourists visit the area continually to sample Swedish food, buy gifts, visit the Museum, and partake in traditional Swedish holidays such as Midsommar and Julmiddag.

Through its arts and educational programs and its permanent collection, the Swedish American Museum interprets the immigrant experience for children and adults and promotes an appreciation of contemporary Swedish-American culture.

Probably the two most common recipes of those are the chocolate balls (Chokladbollar) and the sticky chocolate cake (Kladdkaka). Because they are both super easy to make they are staples in the Swedish household, much like chocolate chip cookies and brownies here in the US.

Chocolate balls or Chokladbollar is probably the first thing that every Swedish child learns to “bake”. Since it requires no baking time and using of hands is required, most children (and parents) love this recipe. In this video, Cyrus and Angelina will teach you how to make these simple, yet delicious treats. Angelina and Cyrus were born in the U.S. to Swedish/Iranian/British parents and all three cultures are celebrated in the home

Swedish Sticky Chocolate Cake or Kladdkaka can be compared to a brownie, but there is one important difference. The kladdkaka does not use a raising agent and is therefore more dense and as you can tell by the name, it is still sticky. People vary the stickiness depending on taste. It is usually served in wedges with a dollop of fresh whipped cream on top.

Jean Mishima, Chicago Japanese-American Historical Society 

Taste from Home is a collection of recipes and stories can be used as a way to connect with others and facilitate conversations about race, culture, and identity over a new recipe. Make a cultural dish and sit down with family and friends and have a discussion of the culture it represents.  Please consider making a tax-deductible donation today, if you are able. If you are unable to donate, you can still participate by sharing a recipe by using hashtags #tastefromhome, #tastefromhomerecipe, & #chicagocultural on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram.

Doris – SURVIVOR   

My mother, Kimiye (Doris) was born in Los Angeles, California on August 13, 1916. 

She was taken back to Japan when she was 4 years old to live with her parental grandparents.  She remembered going up the mountain every day to collect fire wood   She returned to the United States when she 11 years old on July 19, 1927.

In her high school years, she was boarded out to a physician’s family to take care of their twin sons in exchange for her room and board until she was 17. A marriage was arranged at the age of 18 to a man she met only a week before the wedding.

On August 2, 1942 during WWII, she and her family were incarcerated and put into an internment camp in Gila River, Arizona for a little over two years, and their only crime was they were of Japanese descent. 

She came to Chicago in October 1944, found an apartment and returned to Gila River to collect the family.

We lived at 55^th and Blackstone and eventually moved to the north and later west side of Chicago.

She was a survivor.  She endured many hardships:  denied family cohesiveness growing up, forced into an arranged marriage, endured being imprisoned for being a Japanese American, and raised three children as a single parent.

She died in October 1944 of bone cancer.

In 2018 Jean was honored with our outstanding community leader award. Check out her interview below to hear her story!