MAKISAWSAW

“…there is a growing concern about where our food comes from and what’s in it, no thanks to a food system that is becoming increasingly unsustainable, toxic, and destructive. A range of problems, from the rise of chronic diseases to accelerating climate change, has been linked to the way we produce, consume, and dispose of food.”
– Mabi David, “Makisawsaw: Cooking Up a Resistance”

MAKISAWSAW: Recipes x Ideas

Mabi David and Karla Rey (Editors)

On July 30, 2018, the violent dispersal of the Marilao-plant workers of the Philippines’ leading condiment manufacturer led to the widespread boycott of NutriAsia products. The shocking violence of the incident crystallized for a lot of us the truth that the food we choose to buy and eat, because of the way they are grown, made, and distributed, reflects our values, affects other people, and inevitably shapes the world we live in. This is no mere rhetoric because three times a day we make this choice.

Animated by the power of food, the book Makisawsaw! features different women advocates and activists—writers, artists, mothers, sisters—who show us how eating can be an agent of change and a site of resistance, whether through personal choices or political action. The book also contains 36 easy recipes of vegan condiments and main dishes that need no special appliance or expert cooking skills to make healthier plant-based eating affordable and fuss-free, giving us more time and energy for greater involvement.

Reviewed on VERA Files: “Beyond food porn”

Included in CNN Philippines: “The best Filipino books of the 2010s”

Cited in CNN Philippines: “6 Filipino books that tell our favorite food stories”

Reviewed on ANCX: “This book goes deep into the subject of food but not in the way you expect it”

Reviewed on Spot.ph: “This books goes beyond dishes and dives into issues surrounding food”

Reviewed on Rappler: “‘Makisawsaw’ asserts that food can be a ‘form of resistance'”

Reviewed on Yummy.ph: “This book talks about why the act of ‘Makisawsaw’ in food issues is important”