Growing up, we used to tease my mom for being the most serious person in my immediate family, but among her extended family in Taiwan, she’s the class clown, as evidenced by the charming speech she gave at dinner

Sorry for the radio silence this week, but I’ve been traveling again.  Last weekend, the hubby and I flew to Taiwan to meet up with my parents, who haven’t been back to their homeland together in 38 years.  I’ve never been to Taiwan with my parents either, and dodging through tiny alleys with my dad in search of good eats in his old ‘hood reminded me that my effervescent food love comes from deep genetic origins.  The highlight of the weekend was a massive 12-course family dinner with 30 of our relatives in attendance.  Afterwards, while the hubby and I were convalescing from our day of gorging in my Auntie Pen-Ho’s house (him: by moaning; me: face down on the sofa), one of my cousins dropped by with a box of 36 fresh-baked Taiwanese cream cakes and urged us to try one, because it was absolutely unacceptable for us to leave Taipei without tasting them.

My family’s gastronomic appetite is insane.  But I love them for it.  (And of course those cream cakes were amazing.)