my mother always allowed me to experiment in the kitchen. the first meal i remember making was beef stew . . . i had to stand on a chair to reach the counter. i learned to braise the meat and chop the vegetables in uniform pieces so they cooked together at the same pace. feeding our family gave me a sense of satisfaction, and i enjoyed the creative process of cooking. and now, combining colors, textures, and flavors of food has become a pursuit that occupies most of my free time.
