My mama always like really good food. It didn't just have to taste good, but it had to be made of high quality ingredients as well. She'd always go to Sprouts or Trader Joe's a few times a week and get everything organic, no matter how much it cost, because she didn't want any pesticides and funny chemicals getting into our bodies. When we'd go out to eat, her thing to say after every order was "No MSG, less salt and oil please".
From before I can remember, she has been making all this crazy food. For breakfast before school, she'd whip up these awesome egg pancake thingies in a few minutes and if I had time, I'd eat maybe four or five of them. Then she started getting all creative and learning these funky dishes like paella and pork katsu and whatnot, and it was all good (I'm salivating as I'm typing this). She'd always make me eat vegetables though, even though I hated it.
Mama's favorite kinds of foods were ones that were very fragrant and had lots of citrus flavors in it. When we'd go out to eat pho, she'd squeeze maybe three or four limes into her bowl; a little too much for me, but perfect for her.
When she started to lose her sense of taste, it was crushing for me, but I have no idea how she could have felt. Having such a love for food and not being able to enjoy it, but dreading the mealtimes instead...I can't even imagine it. She would still make food for us, but I'd always have to go over there and taste test to see if it's salty enough because she would never be able to tell. As the months went by, her choices of food dwindled significantly, as everything started to taste the same.
I tried to make meals for her and the rest of the family a few times, but they failed for the most part. My last one involved using london broil and searing it like a steak, but it just turned out kind of hard and nasty. She still ate it anyway, playing it off like it was good. I know it sucked, though.
Mama's cooking was a way to show me and the rest of the family her love, because she wanted to feed us with good food that not only tasted good but was nutritious as well. Even when she didn't want to cook, she whipped something up quick because she wanted us to eat as a family so we could spend time together.
I'm going to miss all those times with you, mama. I'm thinking of you every chance I get. All those memories will always be here. Love ya!