Newfoundland and Filipino culture combine for a great summer BBQ

Lumpia, pancit, and rice may not be the first things that come to mind when you think of a barbecue, but they fit right in alongside chips and cake at a special gathering of Filipino-Newfoundlanders. 

The Filipino community in St. John's is over 1000 strong, and some like to get together for barbecues that celebrate local food and drink from St. John's, like Quidi Vidi beer and Filipino staples, like rice.

"The most important part of a Filipino meal [is rice], and they would never survive if there is no rice, so this food tastes nothing without that," said James Rosario.

After leaving the Philippines, Rosario lived in Santa Monica, California before moving to St. John's. Whenever he tells people he left sunny California for less-than-sunny St. John's, they look at him in disbelief.

"I always tell them the same thing, the warmth of the people more than compensates for the weather," he said.

This warmth showed itself right from the start. The first week Rosario arrived in St. John's there was a blizzard, but that didn't stop his landlady from showing him around.

"You know what she did, she drove me to Signal Hill, she drove me everywhere. Nobody does that in other countries, like, you'd be crazy, you'd get mugged. The trust that people give to another human being, it's amazing," said Rosario.