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My family heritage is mostly UK, so the food I grew up with was nourishing but bland. Putting black pepper on anything was a bold move. That's why I will never forget my first visit to the West Side market, in my early 20s. The sights and smells made me dizzy with joy!

My grandma is from Brazil, and she taught us to celebrate with brigadeiros, bite-size chocolate balls covered in sprinkles. They're perfect for small hands. I remember rolling the warm chocolate before a gathering and sneaking one before family arrived, hoping the evidence didn't stick to my teeth.

Food that tastes like home for me is beet soup borscht. As someone with Polish roots, that deep, earthy flavor carries more than just taste; it carries memory. I don’t even need a full meal sometimes, I’ll buy a bottle of beet juice and drink it straight, and that alone brings me right back.

Kimbap is a comforting food for many Koreans. "Kim" means seaweed, and "bap" means rice. No matter what filling you choose, it's still called kimbap. Whether traditional or modern, there is no single right way in life or in kimbap. Roll your own way and hold tight.

My mom is Liberian and made one of the native dishes I absolutely love, Cassava Leaves, which is a savory stew. It was occasionally made but would bring such comfort and enjoyment. I thought all Cassava Leaves were the same. I learned her secret was chopped spinach which made hers the best!

Mom got up at 4 am every morning just to make me breakfast and a packed lunch for school. She didn’t verbally say “I love you” often. But from the table full of piping hot dishes with steaming rice to the heavily packed bento boxes daily, I didn’t need her to. I already knew whenever I ate her food.

Handmade Hummus (and why we don't do that any more!)
It was an epic endevor for a long while; trying every method, getting all the acaloids at parties.
One insumountable hurdle: Flatulance.

Back in 2012 I was stationed in a small town in Montana and there were only a handful of decent restaurants to choose from. After a while I became bored with the same selection and decided to begin cooking more for myself and exploring different cuisines. And I bought my first of many cookbooks.

My favorite appetizers are definitely homemade spanakopita and hot peppers in oil paired with fresh homemade bread. These were ongoing staples in my household growing up!