During my journey to explore different ethnic recipes I have watched many talented chefs create indigenous dishes that encompass more than just foods. There are often stories that provide a road map of just how these dishes came about. Roger Mooking is a chef that I have followed and enjoyed making his dishes for my family. His unique background includes melding Caribbean and Chinese dishes into a whole new pop culture creation.

The program has shown the use of so many varieties of spices and preparations that leave me feeling inspired. It is hard to explain just how smells can conjure up memories, but they do. Chinese five spice instantly makes me reminisce about cold winter days and having a simmering pot of something on the burner.

To me cooking is like a painting, there are a lot of things that go into it. It is a creative outlet and an educational experience. It connects many different ethnic groups through the shared love of food.

My family immigrated to the United States from Holland and they brought with them many traditions that I have today. This makes me feel particularly close to others that may have migrated from one place to another.

A research log for a major writing assignment — posts in this category will trace the evolving relationship between your “home” and Asian American/Pacific Islander American popular culture.