Binalot
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In the Philippines, especially in the provinces, the locals have the unique way of serving food wrapped in banana leaves. This method of storing or packing food is termed binalot which originated from the word balot meaning wrapped. In the Philippines there are numerous companies selling meals wrapped in banana leaves which even dates back in the early 1900s.[citation needed]
[edit] History
Meals wrapped using banana leaves were common as early as fire was discovered.[citation needed] In the Latin America and especially in Asia where banana plantations abound, the tradition has evolved over time. The leaves were the most common and easiest means to be used for packaging food before the technology of creating paper was developed for other uses other than archiving/writing.
When the Westerners introduced plastics and styro packings that the "binalots" were seemingly forgotten over time. But in the Philippines where "binalot" was made famous by the country's ancestors due to its rich plantations of banana trees, the tradition has become business to some entrepreneurs as early as the 1900s.
The word "binalot" is as common as the word "inasal", referring to manner a chicken is roasted and "pugon", referring to the manner a bread is baked in the Philippines.
