Learning Culture through Cooking

Cooking has been a staple in my family. Since I was a young child, I've always wanted to learn how to cook the traditional Filipino food like pancit, lumpias, and adobo. I would be the kid in the kitchen always wondering what my parents were doing when they were cooking. Maybe I was a bit annoying, but my persistence definitely helped me become more culturally aware and helped learn to cook some delicious food.

The key things I've learned from my parents revolved around humble abundance and family. If I were to share three things they taught me, there would be the three:

Tip #1
Cook with what you have, things are always waiting to be made

Tip #2
Be happy while you cook because people can taste your emotions

Tip #3
Cook more than you need since you'll never know who'll come and visit

I always cook nowadays from regular dishes I find online to the staple Filipino dishes I was taught when I was young. Every time I do, I make sure I remember those three tips. I believe learning your traditional dishes are essential in continuing traditions and passing on culture to the next generation. Although, I don't make the best pancit, I do make some delicious lumpias and chicken adobo, so I know I did do something right.

Don't be afraid to pick up a pan and just cook some ingredients, the more practice you have cooking -- the better it will be become. Trust me.