My Introduction

For as long as I can remember, I've had a burning passion and an insatiable hunger for good food.  Much of it has to do with my upbringing.  My mother hails from Taiwan, an island off the coast of mainland China, whose culinary roots are deeply entrenched in traditional Chinese flavors, but always seem to boast a modernized, almost daringly rebellious twist.  My father attended the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York, and he has a true affinity for the study of baking and French pastries, although his forté was always more that of a Saucier.  I am forever grateful to both of them for the wisdom they have instilled in me, and for the ambitions that I have as a result.


Some of my fondest memories involve being a young child, standing at the side of either my mother or my father, with my small eager hands and my very own apron.  Rather than playing tag outside or spending time with friends my own age, these were my absolute favorite times.  My childhood consisted of learning about the art of French pastry making, how to properly wrap a bao zhi (Chinese dumpling), the intricacies of sauces and reductions, why it is significant to steam a whole fish rather than merely serving fillets, how to slow roast a duck to perfection, and countless invaluable cooking lessons.  It felt as if I was allowed into this secret society of culinary geniuses.  I observed the way in which they handled and treated each ingredient with such respect and care.  I watched as my mother's delicate hands made quick work of a huge batch of potstickers as if she had invented them.  I knew what an honor it was when my father finally asked me to help him lattice the top of a pie crust with him.


I find that food memories are so powerful.  In my encounters with people, mainly other foodies, I so enjoy seeing that twinkle in their eye as they discuss their favorite pasta dish that their grandmother used to make, or the smell of freshly baked cookies they remember waking up to during Christmas time, or the memory of that pecan tree outside that provided the family and neighbors with more nuts than they knew what to do with.  There is something so special through the art and culture of food that cleaves people together.  "Mmm," is a sound that transcends every language, generational gap, cultural barrier, and personality difference in this world.


It would be an honor to have you join me in my adventures as I taste my way through life!