Daddy's Taste

Desiree called home and asked me how to gril the Japanese Ayu fish. I remember I had grilled Ayu for her few times in her childhood. She is missing the rare taste from her Daddy’s cooking even after she married.

Grilled Ayu

The frozen Ayu are imported directly from Japan in American Japanese Supermarket. Ayu is growing in very clean water in Japan. After thawing in the refrigerator, the Ayu are ready for cook without removing its scales and internal organs. Put a little coarse salt covered on the fish fins and tail to prevent from burning out during grilling. Sprinkle little sea salt on the fish skin and place Ayu on top of the oven rake. Set the controller in Broil and temperature in 450F–475F degree, bake about 10 –15 minutes. But I told her she shall go outside for Ayu in any Japanese restaurant for convenience. For a pregnant woman, she may lose her appetite when the food will have been cooked by her-self.

Morning Sickness

I remember my sister always asked me to get some food from the street for her when she was pregnant. For the Taiwanese plain noodle soup, I would run to buy it in the nearby street corner or alley. She used to give me a five dollar bill and I used to keep the change after paying two to three dollars for soup. Sometimes, I had to ride my bike to the night market for the sticky meat ball soup or ell noodle dish. It took me more than 30 minutes to get the food, so she used to give me a ten dollar bill and I kept the rest change again.  I loved to buy food for her and make money for me as a Win-Win event. Besides, I would eat the left-over food when she could not finish the dish, or, sometimes, I could eat the whole if she already lost her appetite when I brought back the food.

I told Desiree to call and ask her young brother to buy food for her, same as Daddy bought food for Daddy’s sister, as long as, she would give him the tips. Desiree told me her husband can buy food for her without paying the extra, Haha!

Dealing with God

Last month, the children were coming home from the South or the North to celebrate the Chinese New Year Eve. In the dinner, Desiree announced and congratulated me to be a grand father soon. I was gently back to say, Oh! Well! I just changed my praying that it is time for you to get pregnant! Desiree asked me when I changed my praying statement. I used to pray that, such as, Don’t get pregnant before marry! Don’t have a baby too soon after marry! Don’t be a single mother! Don’t have to marry! Or, don’t have to have a baby! All of them are the Life-Long Attachment in Buddhism. But, I changed my mind to ask God a beautiful baby for you when you and Chris were taking vacation to the beautiful ocean resort in South Africa two months ago. Very surprised Desiree said “Really? Chris and me decided to have a baby at the trip”! I smiled! I just have made a deal with God.

The Joy for a New Life

After talking how to grill the Ayu, Desiree told me she is missing my Taiwanese Style Pork Sweet Rice very much. I shall drive with her Mom to her house soon after my surgery recovery. I will stay there for few days and cook what all dishes she missed for her morning sickness. It is so joyful to see the ultrasound scan image of the tiny baby for a new life.