blooming daizy

I grew up surrounded by family members who love to cook. I have memories of my maternal grandmother going to the market everyday to get fresh ingredients. She would take her empty woven basket with her (come to think of it, that was certainly environmentally friendly compared to using plastic bags) and would leave us sometimes in the care of my uncle or the housekeeper to watch over us until she returned. Around that time, grocery stores only sold dry goods. One bought fresh meat, fresh produce, etc. from the open market. Anyhow, she was the first person who trained my very young palate as to how certain dishes should taste. When she passed away, my uncle (my mother’s youngest brother) followed my grandmother’s footsteps. He, too, provided me with some informal instructions. His passion for cooking showed in every dish he cooked. Many of my friends would attest to this. After all, they had their fill of his cooking when they spent time at our house for quick visits or sleepovers while I was growing up.

The food from my native hometown has Spanish, Chinese, Japanese, American, and other Southeast Asian influences. Additionally, regional variations of certain delicacies also exist. Anyhow, not every household back then owned an electric or gas oven. Some of the homemade native desserts were steamed. Others were cooked in earthenware pots lined with banana leaves placed on top of preheated charcoal. Some were cooked on the gas hob. Moving along, as I’m afraid I might start writing a full historical account of … Right here is just the right amount to provide you with some flavorful context…

As a teenager, my oldest sister was the one who showed me the ropes ‘unintentionally’. I used to watch her bake cakes—which pans to use for which cake, the finicky measurements, the different ingredients. As a young person, I rarely cooked or baked anything because there were people around me who, by default, were the cooks or the bakers. However, just like any thing I take interest in, I intently observe people who do and voraciously read about it—be it baking, hiking, etc. In the past few years I have spent copious hours reading about baking—on print, online, watching videos, documentaries, etc. and trying recipes out.