I don't know what is about food your mother makes you, especially when it's  something that anyone can make--pancakes, meatloaf, tuna salad--but it carries a certain taste of memory"--Mitch Albom

 

*Image is credited to Rain Tajon via www.bitlanders.com 

Me and my family has the same love, food. Since we love to food, we love to cook. It is like what our parents taught us, to eat and to be able to cook and we won't get hungry. Nothing fancy though, we just have that typical Filipino food, particularly Northern Philippines' food.

But before I have loved eating and being in the kitchen, I got a story to tell, the one that started it all.

 

My story of cooking

Mothers may have taught their kids to cook, me, it was my father who put me in the kitchen.

I was in high school then, the dish was "burudibud" or ilocano vegetable dish with thick broth for it has sweet potato or some root crops on it. Sounds easy, but I have to be back the the basic.

Basic for me since I have to build a fire on those firewood. And the pot, the earthen pot.

Every ingredient have to be prepared by me, with the guidance of my father, in every step. I was so hesitant at that time, but I have to follow him.

My father didn't leave me until I cooked that dish, since then he always wanted me to be a help in the kitchen.

Thought that after graduation in college, I will be not in the kitchen but I was wrong.

When I have to look after my father after I resigned in an office work, being in the kitchen and cook for our food is a part of my responsibility. Even on his wheelchair, he will still be guiding me with the dish he will ask me to cook and from then on, I never get out of the kitchen, I have gained weight.

Being now in the kitchen and eating those dishes brought me back a lot of memories of me and my father, our cooking time, our bonding time.

No one who cooks, cooks alone. Even at her most solitary, a cook in the kitchen is surrounded by generations of cooks, the advice and menus of cooks present, the wisdom of cookbook writers".-- Laurie Colwin

*Image is credited to Rain Tajon via www.bitlanders.com 

Cooking and Learning.

I admit, I am not that good yet, but I can tell you no one has ever got their stomach upset after eating my food, I am still learning.

When I fell in love with cooking, I have started to collect some recipes on every can labels, I detached them and put them in the box, I think I have just tried cooking maybe a couple since the availability of ingredients is rare or hard to find. I have also been a frequent buyer of cook books, that of Mama Sita's, since they are homecook and Filipino dishes. And I have tried a lot from those cook books.

On line researching for more recipes too is what I always do. That fish cooked in coconut milk was from the internet and so it that pork dish with lots of tomatoes. Both have tasted great, or maybe I am just good in following instructions.

But, there were times that I go with my "gut", the kitchen had become my "laboratory" and I just do those "experiments" when I am alone, and it will be just me the "lone victime" of my own "crime" if ever.

So far, I haven't felt anything bad yet, or haven't been sickly.

Good food is very often, even most often, simple food."--Anthony Bourdain

*Image si credited to Rain Tajon via www.bitlanders.com 

Other culinaries, not the same tongue.

When I was in Hong Kong, I have set my mind that their food is far different from the food the I always prepare and eat, it will be a big adjustment with my tongue, but thinking of adventure in terms of having a new taste. Though Japanese cuisine is close to the taste of Filipinos', I still have a hard time.

The dish that I can say I have a hard time swallowing is the Japanese curry. The first time that I had it made me think of this local chichirya or snack, that I have more of the food being thrown that eating it. But, when i get into its taste, I loved it, next thing I know, I am cooking for my employers' kids and myself.

When in comes to Chinese cuisine, I have made an adjustment too. Though I haven't cooked anything Chinese there, my employers sometimes eat in Chinese restaurants. And their fastfood like McDonalds, is offerring a different menu. The struggle is real. Now, I am into Korean cuisine, ramen and kimchi.

But what I have learned about having the taste of different cusine is to taste the food more. Get into the busrting flavor in every dishes and until now, I am doing the same even with Filipino food.

Eating with the fuillest pleasure--pleasure, that is, that does not depend on ignorance--is perhaps the profoundest of our connection with the world. In this pleasure we experience our dependence and our gratitude, for we are living in a mystery, from creatures we did not make and powers we can not comprehend."-- Wendell Berry

 

*Image is mine credited to Rain Tajon via www.bitlanders.com 

Food and Family

 

Me and family is not just connected with blood, we are also connected with food. With food, it seems we bond more, we talk and discuss more over meals or have aconversation about a certain food. We have so many things to talk about family and also food, and I am happy that with food, we just do not become stronger physically, but also the relationship is muc stronger. And I am very thankful for food.

 

*Image si credited to Rain Tajon via www.bitlanders.com 

 

If you can eat with mates, friends or family, I mean it's such a brillian thing isn't it? If you feel really rubbish and you have a nice bit of food it makes you feel good, you know?"--Jamie Oliver

*Image is credited to Rain Tajon via www.bitlanders.com 

Here is a video of some food facts

*Video is credited to www.youtube.com via eatmyclick