Cooking

My love for cooking (and eating… : ) started in late childhood when my grandma came to live in our house, making the preparation of food in the kitchen one of my best childhood memories.

She could turn everything (including broccoli and spinach which, under different circumstances, I would pretend to be sick in order to avoid eating) into delicious meals!

When I grew enough to reach the stove and be trusted with a knife, I naturally became my grandma’s helper in the kitchen. I started from peeling and slicing and gradually mastered 36 family recipes, including the “Royal Casserole” that has been kept as a secret recipe in the family since my great great great grandmother’s time.

Today I mostly cook dishes that resemble Chinese cuisine but lately I have gotten an interest in Greek cuisine as well. Mousakas, Fakes (lentil soup) and Giouvetsi are now among the most popular dishes that my friends “order” when we gather for a potluck.

I value cooking not only for the tasty and healthy foods that are coming out of my kitchen but also for the joy I get seeing family and friends coming together to enjoy my meals. That is why I try to remember my grandma’s first lesson of cooking every time I go to the kitchen — always put the ingredient of love into your dishes, and you will be able to make great food!