TRAVELS (and more) WITH CECILIA BRAINARD: Vibal Foundation Launches Two Cecilia Brainard Books

The following announcement is courtesy of Vibal Foundation

𝗩𝗶𝗯𝗮𝗹 𝗙𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗹𝗮𝘂𝗻𝗰𝗵𝗲𝘀 𝟮 𝗻𝗲𝘄 𝘁𝗶𝘁𝗹𝗲𝘀 𝗲𝗱𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗯𝘆 𝗖𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗮 𝗠𝗮𝗻𝗴𝘂𝗲𝗿𝗿𝗮 𝗕𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗿𝗱: 𝙎𝙩𝙚𝙥 𝙄𝙣𝙩𝙤 𝙊𝙪𝙧 𝙆𝙞𝙩𝙘𝙝𝙚𝙣𝙨 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝙃𝙤𝙬 𝙄 𝘽𝙚𝙘𝙖𝙢𝙚 𝙖 𝙒𝙧𝙞𝙩𝙚𝙧

𝗠𝗔𝗞𝗔𝗧𝗜 𝗖𝗜𝗧𝗬, 𝗝𝗨𝗡𝗘 𝟳, 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟱: Vibal Foundation unveiled two new inspiring books edited by award-winning author and editor Cecilia Manguerra Brainard: 𝘚𝘵𝘦𝘱 𝘐𝘯𝘵𝘰 𝘖𝘶𝘳 𝘒𝘪𝘵𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘯𝘴: 𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘪𝘢𝘯 𝘙𝘦𝘤𝘪𝘱𝘦𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘛𝘢𝘭𝘦𝘴 and 𝘏𝘰𝘸 𝘐 𝘉𝘦𝘤𝘢𝘮𝘦 𝘢 𝘞𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘦𝘳: 𝘌𝘴𝘴𝘢𝘺𝘴 𝘣𝘺 𝘍𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘰 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘍𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘰 𝘈𝘮𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘞𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘴.

𝘚𝘵𝘦𝘱 𝘐𝘯𝘵𝘰 𝘖𝘶𝘳 𝘒𝘪𝘵𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘯𝘴 is a rich culinary memoir that blends personal stories, faith, and over 70 cherished recipes contributed by Theresians and their families. More than a cookbook, it reflects the legacy of shared meals, childhood memories, and the enduring spirit of the graduates of St. Theresa’s College from its campuses in Manila, Cebu, and Quezon City.

In her Introduction, Brainard reflected on her concept for the book which came after the 60th reunion of her high school class of 1964 at St. Theresa’s College-Manila: “The idea rooted in my mind was that we should leave something behind for our families, friends, and the next generations—a small something of ourselves. The ‘cookbook project’ started forming in my mind… Perhaps because I am primarily a fiction writer, I considered creating a food book that tells a story. I thought of combining recipes, anecdotes, longer personal essays, and the history of our STC Foundress, Mother Marie Louise De Meester—a kind of memorabilia, thus the title: 𝘚𝘵𝘦𝘱 𝘐𝘯𝘵𝘰 𝘖𝘶𝘳 𝘒𝘪𝘵𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘯𝘴: 𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘪𝘢𝘯 𝘙𝘦𝘤𝘪𝘱𝘦𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘛𝘢𝘭𝘦𝘴. Here, then, is that food book.”

The book is under the Gastronomía Filipina imprint of Vibal Foundation, which aims to showcase established and emerging voices in Philippine food writing, while reflecting the evolving narrative of Filipino food. Its editor-at-large, food scholar and book designer Guillermo “Ige” Ramos, was also present during the launch to show his support for Brainard.

𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗰𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘄𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀’ 𝗷𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗻𝗲𝘆𝘀

𝘏𝘰𝘸 𝘐 𝘉𝘦𝘤𝘢𝘮𝘦 𝘢 𝘞𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘦𝘳: 𝘌𝘴𝘴𝘢𝘺𝘴 𝘣𝘺 𝘍𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘰 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘍𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘰 𝘈𝘮𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘞𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘴 gathers deeply personal essays from Filipino and Filipino American writers, tracing their journeys into the literary world. With 22 stories of discovery, struggle, and transformation, the collection offers insight into the lives behind the words, making it an essential read for aspiring writers and lovers of literature.

Among its contributors are award-winning and esteemed writers: Merlie Alunan, Ian Rosales Casocot, Kristian Sendon Cordero, Neni Sta. Romana Cruz, Jose “Butch” Dalisay Jr., Allan Derain, Yvette Fernandez, Caroline Hau, the late Tony Perez, John Iremil Teodoro, John Jack Wigley, and Hope Sabanpan-Yu. The book is part of the World Nonfictions imprint of Vibal Foundation, curated by best-selling author Charlie Samuya Veric from the Ateneo de Manila University. He refers to World Nonfictions as an imprint “dedicated to illuminating the Filipino experience, the Asian region, and the wider world through bold, timely, and original works.”

The twin launch included book talks led by Brainard, who later signed copies of her books. An award-winning author and editor of over 22 books, she has written three novels: When the Rainbow Goddess Wept (1999, 2019), Magdalena (2011, 2016), and The Newspaper Widow (2017, 2021). Her Selected Short Stories (2021) won the National Artist Cirilo F. Bautista Prize for Best Book of Short Fiction in English at the 40th National Book Awards, and Growing Up Filipino 3: New Stories for Young Adults (2022) was a finalist for Best Anthology in English at the 41st National Book Award. Her work has been translated into several languages, including Turkish, Finnish, Greek, and Japanese.

Brainard has received an Outstanding Individual Award from her birthplace Cebu City, a California Arts Council Fellowship, a Brody Arts Fund grant, and several travel grants from the US Embassy, among others.

She has taught at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), the University of Southern California (USC), California State Summer School for the Arts, and the Writers’ Program at UCLA Extension. She has served as an executive board member and officer of Poets, Essayists, and Novelists (PEN), Pacific Asian American Women Writers West (PAAWWW), Arts and Letters at California State University, Los Angeles, and Philippine American Women Writers and Artists (PAWWA). She also runs a small press, Philippine American Literary House (PALH), which publishes select Filipino and Filipino American books.

𝗔𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗩𝗶𝗯𝗮𝗹 𝗙𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻

Founded in 2007 as the corporate philanthropy arm of Vibal Group Inc., Vibal Foundation’s advocacy is to nurture Filipino readers and help them access Philippine culture and heritage through diverse channels such as literacy programs, open knowledge websites, printed books, and most recently, digital media platforms. The Foundation’s catalog engages Filipinos in more intellectual discussions, authored by distinguished writers and experts who are passionate about Filipino culture and heritage.

Vibal’s books are available on Shopee, Lazada, Vibal’s online shopping portal, and at the bookstores of Fine Philippine Books at Lucky Chinatown Mall, Ramada Hotel in Binondo, and Casa Vallejo in Baguio, with more stores set to open in the coming months.