Coconut vinegar - sap is extracted from coconut flowers and naturally ferments after coming into contact with wild yeasts which are naturally existing in the air. As the sap ferments, it starts to become sweet and slightly alcoholic, then after a few days it acidifies turning into coconut vinegar. Coconut vinegar is the perfect mix of the Filipino love of sour flavours and the cuisine’s extensive use of the coconut palm tree - the fruit’s flesh, milk, water, heart of palm, which is similar to other Southeast Asian countries. Your box includes a vinegar from the brand Datu Puti which has cultural significance, recognised as the dominant vinegar brand in the country, well-loved through the generations as well as in Filipino kitchens across the diaspora. The brand name is a combination of the founder’s mother’s surname (Datú) and the tagalog word for the colour white (puti) which is the main colour of the traditional palm.

Filipino soy sauce - the filipino word for soy sauce is 'toyo' and it was introduced to the Philippines by Chinese traders. Traditionally soy sauces are made from a mixture of soybeans and raw wheat starch which is traditionally left to naturally ferment for seven or more days, before adding a salt solution and filtering. Filipino soy sauce has a more "liquidy" texture, a darker colour, and a saltier taste compared to varieties from other Southeast Asian countries. In filipino cooking it's often used to add a salty flavour and is often combined with vinegar as the base for many dishes and dipping sauces, including the Adobo.