Live to eat... or eat to live?
Food plays an important part in everyone's life, especially Asian. There is a Chinese saying: people see food as big (important) as the sky.
Food is a big part of my everyday life growing up. Not in a way that eat, eat and eat. As a middle child with elder brother help out in the farm with parents, cooking for the family was my contribution to the family. Remember far before I learned to cook, everyday at 10am, I start the fire in the stove (wood fire stove) so my mom can get down to cooking when she return from the farm at 11am. She was a school teacher and a fabulous cook. She never attended any culinary school, but she get down to details like what cut of meat is good for what dishes.
I was facinated by her cooking and while keeping her company when she cook, I slowly moved in to help her stir the food in the wok and cutting up vegetables. At the age of 9, I officially took over the task feeding the family.
My aunt always think that I will have my own restaurant one day. Who know, maybe I will!
