yum yum yum

   Jay has spent the last 6 years on a quest to expose me to FOOD! Since we started dating I have been in restaurants that I cannot pronounce the name of, attempted to read menus written in a different language, and eaten foods that I didn't even know existed. Jay was not gentle with his introduction to all these cuisines. I remember eating Pho for the first time. He ordered the Pho Special and was annoyed by me when I couldn't stomach the idea of tripe. I "lovingly" told him that the broth was great, but that I was NOT ready to eat stomach lining. Today, my love of Mexican cuisine has been replaced by an obsession for Vietnamese, Korean and exotic fruit. I cannot believe that I ever lived a life where Pho, mangoes, persimmons, and Kare Kare didn't exist. I now crave Pho on a weekly (almost daily) basis, search the web for boba places, and always have a mango in the house. I still do not venture into the tripe, but quickly order a large rare steak Pho and a thai tea with boba.

   Last night I actually attempted to cook Persian food! Jay happily ate it, but then proceeded to tell me to text our friend (whom I was bragging to about my cooking skills) and tell him that it was a Mexican/White version of Persian food and that he could of never guessed what it was that I thought I had made. His friend very cordially responded that Jay needed to "Just shut up and eat it!" Thanks for the support Dip!

   Jay's love of food has heavily influenced me and we now pass this love on to our daughter. She is 16 months old and has had Vietnamese, Japanese (real sushi, raw yellowtail with a dab of soy sauce), Filipino,  Korean, Mexican, Thai, Indian and American. She has tasted kim chi, devoured fish dipped in vinegar, sucked down Pho, and eaten a huge amount of Kare Kare. Her Mamita calls to find out when we are in need of a fresh batch for our little eater.

   We feel so proud exposing her to all different cultures and expanding her palate. And I am proud of how far I have come. If you would have told me 6 years ago that I would serve a roasted pig at my 30th birthday party, I would have laughed my a$$ off! Now, by the time the big 3-0 rolled around, the pig was my idea!

Thanks baby, for sharing food with your family. We better hope that our little man doesn't come out of the womb a picky eater!