ABI BALINGIT is the young, energetic Filipino American woman behind the blog, The Dusky Kitchen. She made waves during the pandemic by selling pasalubong (which means souvenir in Tagolog) treat boxes filled with incredibly imaginative Filipino-inspired desserts and donating the proceeds to help those impacted by COVID-19 and has been covered by Thrillist, Eater, Bon Appetit, Food52, TimeOut, VICE, and more. She lives in Brooklyn, NY.
Simultaneously nostalgic and eye-opening in its novelty, Mayumu is the perfect example of what makes the modern Filipino American food movement so exciting. By building on the basics of both American and Filipino desserts, Abi shows us how refreshing and fun it can be to loosen the boundaries of tradition and let the two schools mingle a little more. — Bettina Makalintal, food writer at Eater Every recipe and every story in Mayumu bursts off the page with joy, love, ingenuity, and personality. Abi’s work is vibrant, eclectic, comforting, funny, deeply moving, and, to me, feels like a uniquely perfect articulation of the intricacies, depths, and jubilations of being Asian American. Mayumu is a celebration of what it means to be human and alive today. I absolutely adore this book. — Jonny Sun, New York Times bestselling author of Goodbye, Again As a Filipino-American baker, I’ve very much longed for the representation in the culinary world that is Mayumu. Abi's recipes are a creative blend of Filipino and American flavors and treats, marrying the best of both worlds. — Michelle Lopez, blogger at Hummingbird High and author of Weeknight Baking