Ressie Fermin was the first featured cook of Seafood City’s Filipino Food Channel. Her recipe was Ilocos empanada, a turnover specialty from the northern province of the Philippines.
It was her aunt who taught her this empanada with its crust made of rice flour colored orange with achuete and a filling of shredded green papaya, split monggo, longganisa and whole egg. Fermin is from Laoag, Ilocos Norte and presently works as a nurse in Scarborough, Canada. She is also a member “Pinoy Eats” a facebook group of Filipinos who want to spread the good word about Filipino food.