Cook – Eva Santiago

Day 25 Question 25: In your opinion, what is the greatest comfort of home-tangible or intangible?

In my opinion the greatest comfort of home is a home cooked meal. No restaurant can replace a meal made by your loved ones. When I was in college and money was scarce, I hated eating out because after a while, it all tastes the same. One day a co-worker invited me to come to her house for the week-end. Her parents were Cuban and I was treated to the first home cooked dinner in months. I was so happy eating black beans and rice; my friend’s mom made the best black beans ever!

Another time I was living with 3 room mates. I had cooked a big pot of beans and rice and when one of my room mates came home, she said I was eating “poor people’s” food. I laughed at her stupid insult because she didn’t know what she was missing. Beans and rice kept me fed and nourished through my whole college experience.

I love cooking because when you use the best natural ingredients available, it makes me feel good to give the best to my family. I must mention that buyiny organic ingredients will not cost you that much more than conventional. That is a myth friends. Organic IS Affordable

We do venture out from time to time to dine, mainly to celebrate birthdays and special occasions. Still, no restaurant can market the one key ingredient found in a home cooked meal: LOVE!

Please refer back to my earlier posts and read what this challenge is about so that the later posts make sense

Day 23 Question #23: What’s the best gift you’ve ever received from your children?

Answer: This question just made me chuckle as I readily knew the answer. I grew up in a very serious home where children were expected to behave as little adults. I had to suppress my humour a lot growing up because it was deemed inappropriate by the adults who raised me. I love to laugh and that is one of the best gifts my kids give me everyday. They all are hilarious in different ways.

My oldest girl loves to act and impersonate some famous celebs. Her rendition of Julia Child is hysterical. One time we had some friends over for dinner and she did her Julia child impression for our friends. They still talk about it because it was a hoot. My second daughter is witty and can come up with the best one liners. Sarcasm is her favorite way to get me laughing. My son has his own brand of jokes that he and his younger sister make up and when they get going with it, it is non-stop giggles. My youngest daughteris the girl of a thousand or more faces. I often wonder how can such a beautiful face turn ugly, goofy hilarious in five seconds flat.