US food magazine Bon Appétit published the article, “Ode to Halo-Halo,” in July this year. However, the violent reactions to it seem to have only gained traction recently.
Halo halo is a Filipino dessert whose name is roughly translated as “mix-mix” in English. Carla Herreria of The Huffington Post accurately described it as “a combination of sweet flan, toasted rice, colorful cubes of gelatin, tapioca pearls, jackfruit, macapuno, toasted coconut flakes, ube halaya (purple yam), and sweet red beans, all piled over finely shaved ice that’s been soaked in condensed milk.”
Apparently, Bon Appétit did its own interpretation of the classic Filipino dessert. Their take included Kosher salt, blueberries, blackberries, lime juice, coconut flakes, gummi bears, and/or popcorn.
The Huffington Post pointed out: “We’re all for creativity in the culinary arts, but Bon Appétit’s take on the traditionally Asian dessert — which is also made in Singapore, Thailand, and Malaysia — is more of a whitewashing than it is an homage. It’s right up there with putting quinoa and broccoli in your pho.”
Bon Appétit was further admonished by in The Huffington Post report with these words: “If you must make an American version of a classic Filipino dessert, at least include a link to a traditional halo halo recipe. We found one here, made by a Filipino nonetheless.”
That said, many people have also complained about the halo-halo fiasco on Twitter.
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