“God can’t be everywhere, so he created mothers.”

I don’t think I am alone on this, but as a teenager I was always embarrassed when someone told me that I looked like or acted like my Mum. It’s funny how no matter what you do, the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. I inherited my mother’s mothering. I inherited my mother’s excellent organisation skills. I can see my Mum in many of the things I do and it doesn’t bother me anymore. I don’t see her in the mirror, but I do see her in photos of me. Mum is my eternal consultant and groupie. I love my Mummy.

Both my parents are excellent cooks and can both cook and huge repetoire of Cantonese dishes and Western fare. Although I never cooked while I lived at home, I adore cooking now. I’m sure my adventurous cooking style came from my parents. My mother never made food aversions an option. Or maybe we tried it all with relish? I remember when I was 8 or 9 and sushi came to New Zealand big time, all the kids at school talked about how gross it was. My sister and I had been eating sushi (or as we called it Sauw-See) for ages and didn’t realise that as kids we weren’t supposed to enjoy it. We also ate dried seaweed for play lunch back then. In my childhood, I also ate jellyfish, raw oysters and sashimi, fish eggs, chicken feet, brown marbled tea eggs and other things most kids probably wouldn’t touch. We ate normal kiddie stuff sometimes too. While my parents had yum cha we were allowed to eat our McDonalds at the table. I cringe thinking that there was a time that I’d happily give up Siu Mai and prawn dumplings for a cheeseburger. What must the waitstaff have thought of our BYO burgers? My relish for eating has not ceased and I’ve out eaten even my parents.

I’m quite experimental though and I can’t seem to follow even my own recipes. Mum requested dinner at our place for Mother’s Day and we do anything for our Mummies, so I dreamed up a feast to make. I asked Mum if she had any requests and she joked that as long as I didn’t cook her a snake, she would be happy.

I’m not so good with maths and I’m used to cooking for two so when you add 4 more bellies into the equation, I tend to over compensate. I had most of the menu sorted out but at the last moment, decided it wasn’t enough food and added in the salmon dish. We had leftovers for lunch the next day, dinner the next night and lunch the day after that. I’m sure I could have done away with a few dishes.

I’m first to admit that desserts are not more strong point and my sister kindly provided not one but two desserts! Mum is a fantastic baker and made some of her bread rolls for the occasion.

I lit some candles, pulled out my one and only tablecloth, found some matching paper napkins, almost matching crockery used our nice cutlery and wine glasses. It looked like a proper grown ups dinner.