One hundred twenty-eight years ago, the Philippines got its first taste of freedom. On June 12, in a simple home in Kawit, Cavite owned by then-President Emilio Aguinaldo, our ancestors declared the nation’s hard-fought independence from Spain. This marked the end of more than 333 years of colonization and oppression. An achievement this significant called for a well-deserved celebration, and food, of course, was the star of the table. But have you ever wondered what our forefathers feasted on during this significant occasion?

While there are no official records of what was served on the day itself, a banquet was held during the formal ratification of Philippine independence by the Malolos Congress on September 29, 1898, in Malolos, Bulacan, according to public historian Ambeth Ocampo. Interestingly, the menu for the occasion was written in French rather than Filipino.

The meal began with an array of appetizers, including oysters, prawns, buttered radish, olives, Lyon sausages, sardines in tomato sauce, and salmon with Hollandaise sauce. The main course featured crabmeat in its shell, filled pastry shells, chicken giblets, mutton chops with potato straws, stuffed truffled turkey a la Manilloise, beef fillet a la Chateaubriand with green beans, and cold ham with asparagus. Guests then enjoyed a selection of desserts, such as cheeses, fruits, jam, frosted strawberries, and ice cream. Accompanying the elaborate feast was a variety of beverages, starting with Bordeaux, followed by Sauterne, sherry, and champagne, then moving on to the liqueurs Chartreuse and Cognac, and concluding with either coffee or tea.

The full-course meal was not what we would typically expect from a Filipino celebration. However, beneath some of the fancy French names were dishes familiar to Filipinos, such as rellenong alimasag and chicken adobo.

Indeed, a hard-fought struggle for freedom deserves a sophisticated feast!