The Magic of Grandma's Food (Revision of Blog Post #1)

The aroma of traditional Chinese dishes evokes happy childhood memories.  I remember eating numerous delicious entrees prepared by my grandma and the flavors always spoiled my taste buds. As you could imagine, the memories of eating grandma’s dishes have dominated my food experiences as an adult. The food I ate growing up in China has always been a blessing to me both physically and mentally. In Chinese culture family bonds were created and strengthened around meals.

 Our entire family would gather together on the eve of holidays, like the spring festival, to help grandma prepare traditional meals. I was always enthusiastic to be part of the cooking process. During the meal, I was able to talk to cousin Wen about studying, and chat with cousin Yang about the latest fashion news. The conversation always strengthens the brothership between us. The assembly of the entire family around the dinning table also helped to overcome depression, for example when uncle Wang died. We would share funny stories about him with each other throughout the entire meal. When I eat eel rice noodle and rice porridge I remember the fun times with uncle Wang. Eating these foods encourage me to be strong even in times of despair and conjure vivid memories of my grandma.

My Grandma was raised in a rural city of China. She had to wake up everyday before the sun rose to water the grains in the field as well as feed the chickens. Grandma’s passion to use the freshest vegetables in her cooking has not diminished after moving to the city. She is very picky on the food offers at the grocery store. She never tolerates the soft texture, dark color, or wrong smell on the vegetables. Her dedication to present the most nutritious food on the dinning table alters my opinions to eat healthy food. Grandma was careful to design every meal to incorporate all possible nutritious elements. For example, steamed egg offers great amount of proteins. She cooked the egg just so to create little holes that trap in the steam; once you take a bite the heat from the steam warms your tastes buds. The pork cake was fried in oil just for enough time so it doesn’t get dried, but still retains the tenderness of meat and is cooked all the way through.  Another dish prepared by grandma is fried cabbage. The unique aspect of the dish was not only the crispy texture of the cabbage, but also the flavors of garlic and pepper intertwined together to elevate the natural flavor of the cabbage. The final dish was always a green vegetable soup. Only a quarter scoop of vegetable oil, and no condiments are added. I was fortunate enough to have grandma prepares nutritious meals for me everyday. This food not only energized my body, but also taught me to practice the habit of eating healthy well-balanced meals. The balance of the dishes also reminds me of the balance of our family.

Every summer, I would accompany grandma jogging through the field to escape the clamor of city traffic. The fresh and tender smell of the vegetable always offers a sense of originality. I always enjoy eating the vegetables pulled out of the soil. However it is difficult for someone who has never had fresh vegetables to imagine the taste of the freshness. Grandma is always excited to tell me her stories eating fresh vegetables. Last summer I had an opportunity to visit my grandma in China.

The first night I arrived at my hometown, grandma prepared over 10 dishes to celebrate my accomplishments in America. The stewed chicken accommodated by nutritious herbs. Pepper fish fired up by the most elegant spice from Sichuan province. Dry fried string beans incorporate the crispy texture from the boiling oil as well as the salty and spicy fermented bean. Of course, the steamed egg, fried pork cake, and a fresh bowl of spinach soup. Grandma dedicated an entire afternoon to cook the nutritious meal for me again. The dinner again brought the family together to share each other’s stories and catch up on all the happenings in our lives.

As you can tell, I was spoiled through my entire childhood. Grandparents deliver their love to me through food. The food presented on the dinning table always had meaning behind it waiting for me to discover. My grandparents reinforced into my mind to try to eat healthy and not to waste food are essentials. Since living in the Unites States for almost four years, I miss the food grandma cooks, miss the family dinners. If I want to eat an authentic Chinese meal, I have to buy the ingredients and cook it on my own. Every time attempting to cook a traditional dish from my childhood always stimulates my memory cells to remember the meals grandma made for me. I really cherish grandma’s effort to cook food for me. The food offers in America will never reach the quality grandma can master. I enjoy eating meatball spaghetti in a western restaurant such as Romano’s macaroni grill. However, that entrée contains over 4000 calories and is high in fat. I always question my food choice since I came to America. The dessert in America contains a lot fat and calories, and fast food happens to be the cheapest food I can eat on my budget. They all taste delicious, but the nutrition value can never compare with the food grandma offers. 

The past summer, my cousin and I helped grandma start growing vegetables in the backyard. The best gift I have ever received is grandma’s proof on the vegetable. The joy on her face as she presents the fresh vegetable on the dinning table was my accomplishment. The memories of grandma’s food have accompanied me for 14 years. The food grandma cooks not only nurtured me, but also reminds me of the importance of unity in the family.

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www.bestmalaysianfood.com/ steamboat/, Wednesday, 12th November 2008 by Sze Fong