02 A dash of salt, pepper, and good ol' TLC

Congee served in a ceramic bowl, cubes of salmon still cooking slowly in a thickened broth of grain, stock and minced pork, each bite velvety on the tongue.

Tangerine pollock roe smushed into a paste, generously seasoned with salt, pepper, lemon, egg yolks and a spoonful of Japanese mayonnaise. Expertly tossed through hand-pulled udon brought to a boil only a few minutes ago. Topped with bonito flakes and an additional flavor burst of ikura — the perfect mentaiko pasta.

Home-cooked meals are the elixirs of our decadently digital present. We are always moving. Meetings, socials, commitments, responsibilities... how did duty become such a dirty word? How did such a grand, respected word lose its richness of honour and loyalty, the swing of obligation now a haunting bat to the face?

In this world of unending chaos, home-cooked meals, meticulously prepared by someone who means something, is a rarity. And on days like today, this means the world to me.

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Rollertoaster

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