Many of my fondest childhood memories are being surrounded by my family and friends - mostly at parties or celebrations. Born and raised in Hawaii, I was exposed to many different types of cultures, especially different types of FOOD!
As a child, I never really appreciated how much time, love, and care went into each dish that I ate. I never realized how comforting a homecooked meal could make a person feel until I moved away from home for college.
When I moved away from home for college, something I missed a lot was my mom's cooking. To this day, she says that my grandma was a better cook - but I believe my mom learned from the best! When I would visit Hawaii on my breaks from school, I found myself not wanting to eat out, but for my mom or grandma to cook a dish that I ate when I was younger.
After graduating college, I didn't move back to the islands. Living on my own, I found myself craving, and missing all those dishes I was so familiar with. Instead of waiting until the next time I visited Hawaii, I thought - why not learn to make them?
Once I started learning how to cook dishes that my mom cooked, I got frustrated because it didn't quite turn out how I remembered it tasting. My mom would tell me that cooking just takes doing it over and over again, and tweaking things here and there. As I cooked more often, and experimented, my love and passion for cooking grew.
Over the years, cooking and food has continued to remind me of my roots. It's also been something that allows me to be close to my grandmas, both whom have passed. I miss them everyday, and when I cook the dishes they once made for me, I feel that they are close.
After a few years of growing in my cooking journey, I am now courageous to try and cook different recipes from all cultures and parts of the world. Food isn't just a staple at every party or celebration, but a part of brining people closer together. It connects us to people and memories that are precious. Food is a way for people to bond, to share, and to build community.
I hope you find your passion for cooking through my shared recipes :)
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