Guest post: Squid kid

My oldest about to eat a guava

My oldest did a guest post this week just in time for Mother’s Day.

Ever since I was little, I’ve loved food. From corn dogs to duck confit, I’ve always been excited to try it. Mostly because of my awesome parents, who encourage me to try new things. It’s sort of become the norm. Like it or not, you can’t say anything until you’ve at least tried a bite.

Getting my friends to understand this little philosophy isn’t always the easiest but the lunch table has become my place to share.  First I started with simple stuff, like homemade tortillas or Japanese candy and soon it became the thing at my table to see what I’ll bring.

And when I do bring something, I can never expect to eat it all, because an open package of food in front of hungry teenagers is doomed.

The best part, by far, about getting my friends out of their food comfort zone, is when they find something they genuinely like. Like when I discovered that my two best friends are appalled by the thought of coconut. That just wouldn’t do. So, I did what any good food-savvy friend would do, and brought in the chocolate banana coconut muffins my mom made. But, they didn’t know what was in it. Like usual, they helped me finish it of within a couple of seconds.

A couple days later, I couldn’t help but laugh when they both requested that I bring those muffins on a road trip we are going on. When I told them about the coconut in it, they both were amazed.

And getting to make cool food with my friends is so much fun! At their house, it’s not uncommon for me to be foraging through their fridges for any leftovers, and making dinner for us. I still remember when I used the pulled pork they had leftover and made spicy pulled pork nachos, with every cheese they had! And at my house, we got another spicy punch as we all made salsa with my mom.

Now, instead of “Let’s go to a restaurant,” I get to hear “Let’s go to Kayla’s house!”

And I love it, because food with a friend is always better.