Weekend event at Play Lounge and Cafe celebrates Filipino culture through Halo-halo workshop ⋆ The Palm Springs Post

Chef Michelle Castillo mixes ingredients during a pop-up. She will be presenting an interactive workshop this weekend — Merienda — teaching participants how to make Halo-halo.

Mark your calendar for this Sunday, when Lola Sally’s Kusina will present Merienda, an event and interactive workshop where attendees can learn about the history of the Filipino dessert Halo-halo with Chef Michelle Castillo.

Merienda, a time to rest and enjoy snacks between meals, is a huge part of Filipino culture. People participating in the workshop portion of the experience will learn how to make their own Halo-halo dish with ingredients they might already have ready in their homes.

Castillo, who was profiled by The Post in this 2021 article, is the host and organizer of Merienda, which has special meaning for her.

“I feel by sharing our stories of what, why, and how we eat, we can learn a lot about one another’s cultures, which allows us to break down barriers between communities,” said Castillo.

After the event portion, people will get their hands dirty by making the ingredients for the Halo-halo dish themselves. Regardless of whether they have any experience cooking these kinds of dishes, anyone can participate in Merienda.

“There’s no prior knowledge of cooking necessary. You don’t have to be an expert or anything, or even [have] prior knowledge,” said Castillo. “We welcome everyone to come enjoy, learn, engage, and connect with one another.”

It is worth noting that this is the second time Chef Castillo and Lola Sally’s Kusina have put together an event surrounding the Halo-halo dish.

“Lola Sally’s Kusina has been providing educational workshops and cooking classes focused on Filipino cuisine and ancestral plants,” said Castillo. “We host anything from our supper clubs to our popular Kamayan feast, which is a Filipino communal dining experience that celebrates our ancestral roots.”

Lola Sally’s Kusina and Castillo hope to continue organizing educational workshops and events like these in the future.

“When we host our workshops or our public events, it allows people to connect, [and] bring each other closer,” said Castillo. “We feel food brings each other closer like it’s a universal language of love.”

Details: The event takes place this Sunday, July 28 between 3 p.m. and 5 p.m. at the Play Lounge and Cafe, 2825 East Tahquitz Canyon Way. To Purchase tickets and find out more information about the event, visit this page.