This article is part of our Cocktail Chatter series, where we dive into the wild, weird, and wondrous corners of history to share over a cocktail and impress your friends.
Filipino fast-food chain Jollibee is known for its fried chicken, peach mango pies, and, of course, its famous Jolly Spaghetti. The menu item was introduced a year after the chain was founded in Quezon City in 1978, and has held a place in the hearts of customers ever since. It’s both a classic Filipino comfort food and the stuff of some nonna’s would-be nightmares: spaghetti tossed with ground pork, chopped hot dogs, banana ketchup, and sweet peppers, all topped with grated Velveeta cheese. The dish still strikes a delicious chord for many as a childhood staple, a cultural icon, and a stateside reminder of the Philippines. But how did that even happen?
Canned Goodness
In the late 1800s, European traders were sailing the high seas in search of salt and spices. When they got to the Philippines, they introduced the nation to pasta. The years that followed were largely marked by the American colonization of the Philippines, and during that time, American immigrants brought with them canned goods like tomato ketchup. Locals quickly took to the stuff, incorporating it as a condiment in just about everything.
But when World War II hit, these then-beloved canned goods were in short supply. Since the humidity of the islands isn’t conducive to growing tomatoes, residents got crafty and began making the stuff from
