That Filipinos love to eat is perhaps most evident in the national custom of eating while in transit. Vendors plying just about anything would enter public conveyances to hawk their edible wares: from peanuts (roasted or boiled), (worm-thin salty crackers—the local version of salted and slightly unraveled pretzels), the famous balut, chicharon (deep-fried pork rind) to hopia and yes, ice-cold bottled water to wash down the morsels.

On foot, on the way to the bus or to the light rail transit station, it is customary for pedestrians to stop by any of the sidewalk ihawan to sample a variety of grilled items. In fact, while waiting for the barbecued items to be cooked is probably the only time that Filipinos stay in line quietly. Ihaw-ihaw, the local term for barbecue, is so famous and well-loved that every street corner seems to have its own resident ihawan.

The local affection for barbecue is so innate that anything and everything that can be held steadily in place by pointed bamboo skewers are deliberately marinated (normally in soy sauce and calamansi; but others have concocted their own marinade to include soft drinks and beer) and thrown over the hot charcoals.

Consider the unusual chicken and pork parts that make it to the grill and consumed with gusto by hungry pedestrians everyday—and the amusing names they have contrived to call these strange tidbits: chicken feet (adidas), chicken head (head—the brand of shirt, or helmet), intestines (IUD, the contraceptive device for women), pig’s ears (walkman), cubed pork blood (betamax), and chicken wings (PAL, short for Philippine Airlines). Other bestselling barbecue items are the grilled chicken liver and gizzard (atay at balunbalunan).

Of course, in many restaurants and finer dining places, the classic chicken and pork barbecue are still extremely popular choices—the stars of the menu. Families still flock to Aristocrat restaurant in Roxas Boulevard on Sundays to enjoy the restaurant’s famous barbecues, which are served with a sweet-tangy peanut sauce, atchara on the side, and golden Java rice. At night, famished bar hoppers and habitués of nearby casinos drop by their favorite barbecue restaurant to get their fill of the barbecues before finally calling it a night.

So pervasive is the affection for barbecue that any important family gathering is bound to have the chicken or pork variety on the banquet table. The grilled meats serve a dual purpose—as delicious and filling viands during the meal, and later, as a tasty pulutan (literally, pick-up food) when the drinking ensues. The barbecued meat, many drinkers swear, encourage one to imbibe even more alcohol—ensuring that the merrymaking lasts long enough while the spirits flow freely.

Arguably the best way to experience the goodness of Filipino barbecue is to savor it right off the grill—while the golden meat is still sizzling and dripping with juices. And what better way to do this than at home, in a lively barbecue party with family and friends? While creating a flavorful barbecue marinade remains mostly guesswork (cooks and chefs have their own secret marinades), housewives and budding cooks who are uncertain about their mettle in creating the perfectly-flavored barbecue need not worry. Thanks to Mama Sita’s barbecue marinade mix.

The barbecue marinade mix, the secret to Manila’s legendary barbecues, is a special blend of Asian spices based on Mama Sita’s famous recipe. The blend combines the irresistible sweetness of cane sugar made spicy with special garlic powder, the golden color of caramel and the robust flavors of spices to create the inimitable flavor of honest-to-goodness Filipino barbecue. What’s more, even health buffs and the figure-conscious can enjoy its tasty goodness because this marinade mix has no calories.

Simply sprinkle a pouch (1.76 oz or 50 gms) of the marinade mix over 1.1 lb (1/2 kg) of meat cutlets or chicken parts and mix well. Marinate for at least 30 minutes and let the flavors of the marinade work its magic on the meats. Thread the meat onto skewers and grill over hot charcoal until done.