 Hi! My name is Kristen, and I’m happy you’re here! I am a mixed Chinese-Japanese Asian-American with a long history in America – I’m fourth generation on both sides! I was born and raised in southern California, but I now live in the Pacific Northwest with my husband and two daughters. While food blogging is my hobby, I actually work as a pediatric speech-language pathologist. I have degrees from UC San Diego, University of Washington, and San Diego State University.
Being of mixed Asian descent with ancestors who first immigrated to America over 100 years ago, we’ve got a very long history with Asian foods that have been passed down throughout the generations. My Chinese side of the family is originally from the village(s) of Toisan in Guangdong, China. My mom likes to remind me of how my Chinese great grandparents came over to California to work on the transcontinental railroad. My grandparents, like many immigrants, spent time working in the family restaurant. Later, my grandfather served in the US army, went to college, and became an accountant. Although my grandfather was a cook in the army, it’s my grandmother who is the one who is in charge of all our large family feasts. All of my Cantonese/Toisan recipes come from her! She’s also great at sewing and gardening. My family calls her the Chinese Martha Stewart.
Meanwhile, on the other side of my family, my Japanese great- great grandparents first immigrated to Hawai’i, where my great grandmother was born. She, in turn, had seven kids, and their whole family eventually moved to California, where they kept many of their Japanese-Hawaiian culinary habits. I didn’t realize until I was an adult that many of the foods we ate at my Japanese family gatherings were actually from Hawai’i and not Japan!
Like other fourth generation Japanese Americans, my family was a victim of the incarceration of Japanese Americans during WWII. As a parent now, passing on my heritage through food is an important part of reclaiming some of the cultural traditions that were lost because of that time. I’m grateful that growing up, I also had a community of 3rd and 4th generation Japanese Americans like me. My family went to church with a predominantly Japanese and Japanese-from-Hawaii population where food played a crucial role in bringing people together: we had church potlucks, church cooking classes, and church cookbooks! Many of my recipes come from the moms, aunties, and grandmas of that church community.
Aside from cooking and food, I also enjoy keeping up with Asian TV shows and cosmetics, so you may see a few shopping posts sprinkled here and there among my recipes. I also enjoy gardening, going to Disneyland, and taking ballet classes!
Thanks for visiting my page! I am honored to share my creations with you!
