Google Doodle is celebrating adobo to mark the 16th anniversary of the classic Filipino dish’s inclusion on the word list of the Oxford English Dictionary’s quarterly word update.
In December 2006, the word “adobo” was first added to the Oxford English Dictionary before it was included on the word list of the dictionary’s next quarterly update on this day in 2007.
The dish, described by Google as “tender, juicy and soulful,” is a staple of Filipino cuisine that typically includes ingredients such as marinated meat, soy sauce, bay leaves, garlic, sugar, water, vinegar and black peppercorn.
Adobo has different variants in the Philippines, with different parts of the country giving their adobo a regional twist.
In Visayas, locals enjoy adobong puti (white adobo), which exclusively uses vinegar without any soy sauce. This is regarded by some as the original indigenous style.
In Southern Luzon, creamier adobo recipes, such as adobong manok sa gata (chicken adobo with coconut milk), are loved by locals. Filipinos would also substitute meat with seafood like squid, or vegetables, such as water spinach or string beans.
The Google Doodle also marks the first food from the Philippines to be featured.
Google said in a statement:
After evolving throughout the centuries, this iconic dish is now enjoyed worldwide. It’s a symbol and expression of Filipino pride that varies from region to region, family to family, palate to palate. The history is rich, the taste is unmatched, and the aromas are enticing – the children in today’s artwork would definitely agree! Wherever and however it’s served, adobo leaves stomachs happy and mouths watering for more.
In the doodle, two children can be seen breathing in wafts of the adobo paired with white rice.
The dish’s ingredients — garlic, bay leaves, chicken and sauce — form the word “Google,” along with a wooden spoon and fork, which are similar to what may be found in many Filipino kitchens.
The doodle was illustrated by Anthony Irwin, a child of Filipino immigrants in the U.S.
While he felt comfort in his culture’s cuisine, Irwin recalled his inner struggles as a Filipino child who yearned to fit in with other American children.
“Growing up in the U.S., I didn’t want my food to be special,” Irwin said. “I didn’t want to feel different. I just wanted to be like everyone else.”
Now as an adult, I get to find all of these opportunities to be proud in ways childhood didn’t let me feel proud. I can claim Filipino food as a part of my culture and celebrate the connection it creates between my mother’s identity and my own.
The illustrator ordered chicken adobo from a local restaurant for inspiration while working on his Google art. He noted that what struck him the most about the dish was its smell.
It was so bright and nostalgic, and instantly filled my apartment with that familiar feeling: this is exactly how things are supposed to be. So I tried to capture that simple childhood joy of leaning in and savoring the kind of food that makes home feel like home. Kain nang mabuti! (Eat well!)
