Sawsawan: explicating the culinary heritage significance of Philippine condiments using bibliometrics (1972–2018)

Abstract

The Philippine condiment, or sawsawan, comes in many forms such as suka (vinegar), toyo (soy sauce), patis (fish sauce), and calamansi (Philippine lime), to name a few. This paper aims to create a bibliographic database surrounding sawsawan with the goal of preserving the culture and adding information on Filipino heritage, as well as garnering attention and appreciation for Philippine condiments to further the nation’s culinary heritage. The qualitative research approach was used to investigate three themes of culinary heritage significance: aesthetics, social relevance, and symbolic context. A total of 523 definitions of various sawsawan were categorized into seven themes: matubig, durog, pinreserba, sariwa, mamantika, maykapares, and pinaghalo. Through the bibliometric approach, the study showed that sawsawan has the potential to be more known locally and globally. About 56 references that discuss the culinary heritage significance of Philippine condiments have been found, ensuring the timeless nature of the rich Filipino culinary heritage. Some 26 publishers from four countries and 58 authors, mostly Filipinos, contributed to Philippine cuisine literature. Food enthusiasts, food writers and editors, and chefs will have a better understanding of each condiment and can choose the combinations that will work best for their dishes. This study may also be helpful as related literature to future scholars working on a related topic.