My family has a good reputation when it comes to cooking. I feel sorry that I didn't inherit it in my genes. The meals and recipes were quite simple and trite, no overdecorated gourmets, but they make it taste so much better. It's rich in sauce and in herbs. Sometimes it can be strong and salty but never dull or bland. So in every gathering, you can almost picture us in smorgasbord, each carrying his own specialty and fighting for the title of "Iron Chef". My uncle would boast of his
beef stew, my granny of her paella, and my aunt of her sauted shrimp in pepper and garlic paste.
However, there's some sort of silent family feud. Everyone's claiming to be the best, criticizing one behind each other's backs. They say blood is thicker than water, but what's the big deal? Up to now, we haven't settled that debate. But what I personally look forward to, after devouring those lavish meals, is my mom's dessert. I don't have the sweet tooth, but just to balance the taste of
salt and spice, I crave for the sweets.
She usually prepares custard. You may say that it's quite easy and a perfectly normal dessert, so what's the buzz? My mom uses microwave oven to steam the raw piece of delight. Instead of using the steamer which usually takes time and ruins a perfect landscape because of drips, she places the custard holder in a flat tray with bits of water, and in no time the sweet temptation is ready. What makes it special? Because of equal distribution of heat from top to bottom, the custard turns out to be somewhat crunchy. I hate flabby, and this one is definitely firm, sweet with a kick of crunchy sweetness.
So who wins the food fight? Definitely my mom! Nobody dares to diss her custard!
