Pasencia

Pacencia by Angie Pastor. For orders in Manila, 09369815475.

Small drop cookies that look sort of like Nilla (that’s short for vanilla) wafers, which have been on the market in the United States since the late 1960s.

The name for this Filipino treat comes from the Spanish word paciencia, meaning “patience.” Pacencia cookies may well be the only snack named after a virtue!

During the latter years of the Spanish colonial period, Pacencia was a popular name given to girls… The wife of Philippine President Jose P. Laurel was given the name Prudencia at birth, but was known as Pacencia. Who knows? Maybe these biscuits were named after a woman; maybe even after the First Lady herself.

Spelling variations from most common to less: pasencia, pacencia, pasensiya, pasensya

Essential ingredient: egg whites

Popular brands: Marby, La Pacita Biscuits, Marky’s Prime Bake, La Luisa Biscuits, Nissin Eggnog