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by Dorina Lazo Gilmore

I grew up in the kitchen with my mama and grandmas and aunties. When I was a little girl my mama sprinkled flour across the counter and let me draw pictures in it while she baked. As I got older, I got to do more grown-up jobs. She taught me how to read recipes, measure ingredients and decipher spices.

I loved being in the kitchen because that’s where I found the greatest samples of food and the best stories cooking.

When I sat at the table with my grandma rolling lumpia, she would tell me about her childhood growing up in the Philippines and Hawaii. Grandma would giggle about the days when my grandpa would dedicate songs to her on the radio. She would share techniques for Filipino cooking, which is as much about the process as it is about the ingredients.

When I would pull up a stool to the counter, my mama would tell me about her adventures in the kitchen with her dad. I learned about our Italian-American heritage. I discovered the secret pasta sauce recipe. My mama unraveled the stories of her dreams, failures and the roots of her faith.

We bonded right there in the kitchen.

As a mama of three girls, I spend a lot of time in the kitchen today. We create, we taste, we dream up stories. One day I heard that familiar scrape of the stool across the kitchen tile. My middle daughter, who is named after an Italian chef, wanted to help mama. I happened to be making a Flourless Chocolate Truffle Torte. When she saw the chocolate swirling in the mixing bowl, she looked up at me very earnestly and said, “When does the licking begin?”

A classic line that will go down in history in our family. I am sure it’s also a line that will climb into one of my manuscripts one day.

And that’s just what happens in the kitchen: stories are born. My latest book, CORA COOKS PANCIT, details the story of a Filipino girl who learns to cook her family’s favorite noodle dish with her mama and uncovers some family history in the process. The story came out of my own experience cooking with my grandma Cora.

I happen to have a hand-scrawled copy of my grandma’s pancit recipe. I believe recipes are also a kind of story, a narrative of ingredients and traditions. That’s why we decided to include the recipe for the dish in the back of my book. When I do school visits, I talk about the ingredients with the kids and we cook pancit together.

I also included some details in the book from a Filipino friend who grew up in California’s Central San Joaquin Valley. One day when we were cooking together she told me about her dad who cooked for the hundreds of farmworkers who picked strawberries and grapes in the fields. This added another layer to my original manuscript because I could share a piece of California history as well.

The kitchen can also be a place to test out a lot more than just recipes. If your writer’s brain is blocked, droopy, stuck or uninspired, go feed it. Throw open the cupboards, dig in the refrigerator, turn up the burner and make something. I call it cooking therapy. Sometimes just the act of making myself a snack or cooking up a meal gets my creative juices flowing. While I’m cooking, I’m working out the kinks in my plot or adding nuances to my characters – sometimes consciously, sometimes subconsciously.

Julia Child said, “This is my invariable advice to people: Learn how to cook. Try new recipes. Learn from your mistakes. Be fearless, and above all, have fun.”

Sounds like great advice for writers too.

Bon appétit!

A SPOONFUL OF WRITING PROMPTS TO HELP YOU COOK UP YOUR NEXT MANUSCRIPT:

1. Describe the most delicious meal you can imagine. What are the smells, the colors, the tastes that inspire you there?
2. Sketch a scene in words or pictures from your childhood that involved food. Was there a traditional dish or meal you often made with your family?
3. If you were inviting a famous chef to dinner, what you would you serve? Invite your own children or perhaps your inner child to be a part of that story.
4. What food makes your stomach turn or your nose turn up? Write a story about a child avoiding or facing that food.
5. Go in the kitchen. Make yourself a snack. Dig in. Then imagine what would happen if that tantalizing snack came alive.

Dorina is the author of three books for children, including CORA COOKS PANCIT which won the Asian Pacific American Librarian Association’s “Picture Book of the Year.” Her poetry has also been published in Cricket magazine.

Dorina loves creating healthy recipes for her family and friends. To balance all that eating, she runs half marathons with her hubby and knits. When Dorina is not writing or stirring up stories in the kitchen, she is the director of The Haitian Bead Project. The project features upcycled jewelry made by Haitian artisans who are rising out of poverty. Dorina loves working with the Haitian women and sharing their stories in the U.S.

Visit Dorina online at DorinaGilmore.com, Twitter @DorinaGilmore or check out some of her recipes on the Health-full blog at MissionFitness.com.

Dorina is giving away a signed copy of CORA COOKS PANCIT!

This prize  will be given away at the conclusion of PiBoIdMo. You are eligible for this prize if:

1. You have registered for PiBoIdMo.
2. You have commented ONCE ONLY on today’s post.
3. You have completed the PiBoIdMo challenge. (You will have to sign the PiBoIdMo Pledge at the end of the event.)

Good luck, everyone!

We are extra lucky today as not one but two experts have concocted a gourmet feast of their Top 10 favourite multicultural stories about food.  It seems fitting that authors Grace Lin and Jama Rattigan should each select food as their theme, since they have both written stories revolving around tasty recipes – as you will discover by looking at each of their menus.  In fact, each has put a book by the other on her menu, while unaware that the other was cooking up their own recipe, so it seems fitting that we should bring you the whole spread for you to gorge on at a single sitting – and it’s also interesting to see which books come up as double portions…

Jama Rattigan is the author of Dumpling Soup illustrated by Lilian Hsu-Flanders (Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, 1998);  The Woman in the Moon: A Story from Hawai’i illustrated by Carla Golembe (Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, 1996); and Truman’s Aunt Farm illustrated by G. Brian Karas (Sandpiper, 1996).  As well as her website (check out the recipe for Dumpling Soup), Jama also hosts the truly delectable Jama’s Alphabet Soup, a must-visit blog for anyone interested in children’s books, food, or both at the same time.

Grace Lin‘s latest book is Starry River of the Sky (Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, 2012), the much-awaited companion novel to Newbery Honor Where the Mountain Meets the Moon (Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, 2009).  She has written and illustrated many books for a wide age-range of children, including The Ugly Vegetables (Charlesbridge Publishing, 1999) and Dim Sum for Everyone (Knopf Books for Young Readers, 2001); and picture books she has illustrated include Where on Earth is my Bagel? by Frances and Ginger Park (Lee & Low Books, 2001).  You can read our 2010 interview with Grace here, and view some of her beautiful artwork in our Gallery here and here.  And do check out Grace’s website and blog, where she has a fantastic giveaway on offer in celebration of the launch of Starry River of the Sky.

Top 10 Favorite Multicultural Picture Books about Food by Jama Rattigan

Whether it’s a big platter of noodles, warm-from-the-oven flatbread, fried dumplings, or a steamy bowl of Ugly Vegetable Soup, there’s nothing tastier than a picture book about food. You eat with your eyes first, then step into the kitchens or sit at the tables of friends and family from faraway places, all of whom seem to agree that love is the best seasoning for any dish, and food tastes best when it is happily shared. These tasty tales always make me say, “More, please!”

~ Apple Pie Fourth of July by Janet S. Wong and Margaret Chodos-Irvine (Harcourt, 2002)

~ Aunty Yang’s Great Soybean Picnic by Ginnie Lo and Beth Lo (Lee & Low, 2012)

~ Bee-Bim Bop! by Linda Sue Park and Ho Baek Lee (Clarion, 2005)

~ Cora Cooks Pancit by Dorina K. Lazo Gilmore and Kristi Valiant (Shen’s Books, 2009)

~ Duck for Turkey Day by Jacqueline Jules and Kathryn Mitter (Albert Whitman, 2009)

~ Hiromi’s Hands by Lynne Barasch (Lee & Low, 2007)

~ Hot, Hot Roti for Dada-ji by F. Zia and Ken Min (Lee & Low, 2011)

~ The Have a Good Day Café by Frances Park and Ginger Park, illustrated by Katherine Potter (Lee & Low, 2005)

~ The Ugly Vegetables by Grace Lin (Charlesbridge, 1999)

~ Too Many Tamales by Gary Soto and Ed Martinez (Putnam, 1993)

 

My Top Ten Food-Themed Multicultual Books by Grace Lin

In my family instead of saying hello, we say, “Have you eaten yet?” Eating and food has always been a successful way to connect us to culture, familiar as well as exotic–perhaps because it’s so enjoyable! So these books about food can be an appetizer to another country, a comfort food of nostalgia or a delicious dessert of both. Hen hao chi!

~ Hiromi’s Hands by Lynne Barasch (Lee & Low, 2007)

~ Ganesha’s Sweet Tooth by Sanjay Patel and Emily Haynes, illustrated by Sanjay Patel (Chronicle Books, 2012)

~ Bee-Bim Bop! by Linda Sue Park,illustrated Ho Baek Lee (Clarion, 2005)

~ How My Parents Learned to Eat by Ina R. Friedman, illustrated by Allan Say (Sandpiper, 1987)

~ Apple Pie Fourth of July by Janet Wong, illustrated by Margaret Chodos-Irvine (Harcourt, 2002)

~ Everybody Cooks Rice by Norah Dooley, illustrated by Peter Thornton (Carolrhoda Books, 1992)

~ Yoko by Rosemary Wells (Hyperion, 1998)

~ Auntie Yang’s Great Soybean Picnic by Ginnie and Beth Lo (Lee & Low, 2012)

~ Peiling and the Chicken-Fried Christmas by Pauline Chen (Bloomsbury, 2007)

~ Dumpling Soup by Jama K. Rattigan, illustrated by Lillian Hsu Flanders (Little, Brown, 1998)

Today is the official launch of Asian Heritage Month Official Launch in Canada and a special celebration will be held at the Parliament Buildings in Ottawa. Parliamentarians, government officials, community leaders and the general public are invited to share in an evening celebration hosted by Citizenship and Immigration Canada, that will include welcoming remarks, several cultural performances and a reception.

For more information on Asian Heritage Month events being held throughout Canada click here.

Asian Heritage Month is also celebrated in May in the USA where it is known as Asian Pacific American Heritage Month. On May 1st,  the Smithsonian Museum, located in Washington, DC, is hosting their free kickoff celebration of Asian Pacific American Heritage Month.  Held in conjunction with the exhibition The Art of Gaman: Arts and Crafts from the Japanese American Internment Camps, 1942-1946 the day will include many events, a highlight of which will be tales from storyteller Anne Shimojima. Anne always receives rave reviews for the way she delights youth and adult audiences of all sizes with her graceful and spirited tellings of folktales from her Asian heritage!

If you’re looking for some great reads to take you through the month, take a look at this year’s winners and honor books of the Asian/Pacific American Awards for Literature. These awards, given by the Asian/Pacific American Librarians Association promote Asian/Pacific American culture and heritage based on literary and artistic merit. Bear these books in mind for any time of the year!

For a full calendar of Asian Pacific American Heritage Month events happening across the USA click here.

If you’re in Evansville, Indiana on July 25th, come out and meet Kristi Valiant, illustrator of Cora Cooks Pancit! She’ll be autographing books at Barnes & Noble (624 South Green River Rd) at 2:00pm. Kristi says she’ll be bringing her red apron and some pancit for everyone to taste.

Cora Cooks Pancit! is a lovely story about a Filipino girl who cooks her favorite noodle dish with her mother. However author Dorina Lazo Gilmore notes that it is not just about cooking pancit and neither is it a book just for the Filipino audience. “It is about celebrating the family. It is about cooking with your parents.”

Here’s a review of the book from publisher Shen’s Books:

Cora Cooks Pancit! tells the story of Cora who loves being in the kitchen, but always gets stuck doing the kid jobs like licking the spoon. One day, however, when her older sisters and brother head out, Cora finally gets the chance to be Mama’s assistant chef. And of all the delicious Filipino dishes that dance through Cora’s head, she and Mama decide to make pancit, her favorite noodle dish.

With Mama’s help, Cora does the grown-up jobs like shredding the chicken and soaking the noodles (perhaps Mama won’t notice if she takes a nibble of chicken or sloshes a little water on the floor). Cora even gets to stir the noodles in the pot—carefully– while Mama supervises. When dinner is finally served, her siblings find out that Cora did all their grown-up tasks, and Cora waits anxiously to see what everyone thinks of her cooking.

Dorina Lazo Gilmore’s text delightfully captures the warmth between mother and daughter as they share a piece of their Filipino heritage. With bright and charming illustrations by Kristi Valiant, Cora’s family comes alive as Cora herself becomes the family’s newest little chef.

To read a great interview with author Dorina Lazo Gilmore, visit Tarie’s blog Into the Wardrobe.

    
  CORA COOKS PANCIT by Dorina K. Lazo Gilmore,
  pictures by Kristi Valiant (Shen's Books, 2009).
  Picture book for ages 4-8, 32 pp.

Here's a thoroughly delicious, lip-smacking picture book, perfect for celebrating Asian Pacific American Heritage Month!

Just released by Shen's Books in April, Cora Cooks Pancit is the heartwarming story of a little girl's first experience helping her mother prepare a favorite Filipino noodle dish.

As the youngest in the family, Cora usually gets stuck with little kid jobs, like drawing pictures in the flour or licking the spoon. But one day, while her older siblings are out busy with other things, Cora, who longs to be a cook, finally gets her chance to be Mama's assistant. When Mama asks Cora what she wants to make, this is what happens:



All her favorite Filipino foods danced in her head.
Lines of lumpia pranced in rows.
Adobo chicken legs be-bopped in time.
She saw a large bowl of pancit. 
The thick noodles and vegetables curled and swirled in a dance party. Mmmm.

Wearing Mama's red apron, Cora finally gets to do grown-up jobs, like soaking the noodles and shredding the chicken. She lines up the vegetables while Mama slices them. Best of all, she gets to stir everything together in the big pancit pan. It looks and smells so good. But what will her siblings say when they find out she did their jobs? And will they like Cora's pancit?



Dorina Lazo Gilmore's text is delightful, engaging and wonderfully sensual. Mouths will water when, "The pot began to hiss and sizzle. Mama added spices too -- garlic, ginger and a splash of soy sauce. Mmmm. Cora loved the smell of garlic."

I love the mother/daughter bond in the story, and children will likely appreciate how special Cora feels, as the youngest of four, to have Mama all to herself. The red apron is also a very nice touch -- Cora learns it originally belonged to Lolo, her grandpa, who grew up in the Philippines and cooked for farmworkers in California. 

Kristi Valiant's illustrations are the warm stuff of golds, browns, and rich jewel tones. Cora's expressions are convincingly hopeful, joyous, pensive, and tentative, as she anxiously tries her hand at new tasks. Kids will especially love the added storyline of the family dog, who follows Cora around with a toy in his mouth, wanting her to play. The true joys of cooking -- from the initial anticipation, through every step of preparation, and finally, the sharing and tasting, is palpable with every page turn. By the time you come to the final double page spread of the whole family at the table, you'll wish you were right there, feasting on the adobo chicken, lumpia, and Cora's first pancit. 

Recently, I asked Kristi about how she created the pictures for this lovely book, and she graciously shared these thoughts:

The text for Cora Cooks Pancit is very sweet and charming. After I read through it numerous times, I created small sketches called thumbnails to get an idea of the general flow of the illustrations, and how I would divide the text between pages. Picture books by definition tell part of the story through pictures, so I tried to pick out parts that can be expanded upon to tell a deeper or funnier story by "reading" the illustrations.

For example, I like humor in picture books, so I added a dog who wasn't mentioned at all in the text. He follows Cora around and keeps bringing more and more toys hoping she'll play with him. She ignores the dog all the way through the book, until the very end when she's lying on the floor playing tug of war with him.

After I did quick sketches, I took photos of a 5-year-old and her mother as a reference for the poses, and I checked out all the books from my library about Filipino food. Then I drew more detailed sketches. I work digitally, so I do everything from sketches to the final color paintings on my mac using a wacom tablet and an electronic pen.

I played around with the brush creator in Photoshop to get my computer brushes to look like pastel, watercolor, or acrylic, and I use the electronic pen as a paintbrush. It allows a lot more editing freedom than traditional paints, and the undo button has become a big part of my process! The author, Dorina K. Lazo Gilmore, included her family recipe for pancit in Cora Cooks Pancit, so part of my process for this book was to make this Filipino noodle dish. It is delicious! Super yummy! I hope you enjoy it too.

In addition to Lolo's Pancit Recipe, there's also a short glossary, and the back flap features fetching photos of both Dorina and Kristi with their noodle bowls. I know you will enjoy this feast of a book -- not only is it a rare title featuring Filipino culture, it's so delectable, the whole family will ask for repeated servings!☺

                                    ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

Dorina Lazo Gilmore, who grew up spending a lot of time in her Filipino-Italian family's kitchen with her mama, grandma and aunties, also has a fabulous blog, health-full, where she and her husband and daughter share budget-friendly, healthy recipes. 

You can learn more about Kristi Valiant's work by visiting her website and blog. Stephanie Ruble recently interviewed Kristy here.

Check out the publisher's webpage for more about Cora Cooks Pancit!

If you're looking for a few more delicious ways to celebrate Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, click here for my 2008 posts, featuring several Asian American authors and their spicy recipes, an interview with Debbi Michiko Florence, poetry, sushi, and book reviews. I also interviewed Grace Lin  and Edna Cabcabin Moran, who shared her recipe for lumpia.

The Queen of Resource Lists, Elaine at Wild Rose Reader, offers lots more here.


photo by Happy Jack Eats.

Hungry yet?

*Spreads posted by permission, text copyright © 2009 Dorina K. Lazo Gilmore, illustrations © 2009 Kristi Valiant, published by Shen's Books. All rights reserved.