I think one of the biggest reasons I consider myself a foodie is just because food is so intricately woven into our lifestyles. My memories and ideas of places and people are reinforced by the tastes and smells I associate with my experiences. Going to Taiwan as a child (where my paternal grandparents live), I have the fondest memories of my grandma waking up earlier than everyone else every morning and heading out to buy bags full of the most delicious Taiwanese breakfast goods. We would wake up to the smells of greasy, delicious fried Chinese donuts (you tiao), warm sweet soymilk for dipping said donuts, boxes of small, perfectly-wrapped soup dumplings (xiao long bao), and tightly wrapped rice rolls filled with pickled vegetables and pork floss.
Beyond the act of eating, the act of cooking together is such a simple bonding mechanism. When my boyfriend and I first started dating, our relationship was strengthened (or so I would argue) over our cooking endeavours together, where we discovered our compatibility in being able to work together and collaborate to make delicious works of breakfast in the kitchen. When we made breakfast at his house, we would waltz around the kitchen grabbing ingredients for each other, taking turns watching how cooked the eggs were, dipping slices of bread in the French toast batter. He had 11 other housemates and when we were in the kitchen, we dominated the aromas that wafted through the entire house.
And when I write about recipes and different items I have made before, I instantly think of the experiences and memories I have associated with said foods. These pistachio lace cookies I made one day I was at home before my sister finished school and when she came home and smelled the vanilla aroma from the cookies and saw the gorgeous green pistachio nuts speckling these thin treats, she was in infatuated. I remember dabbing our fingers along the cookie tray and lickng the bits of sweet oats off like they were an exotic spice. And it is for moments like this that I make and share food.
Pistachio Oat Lace Cookies (Original Seattle Lunchbox Recipe)
- 1 1/4 cup quick-cooking rolled oats
- 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
- 1 tsp cornstarch
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 cup finely chopped pistachios
- 1/3 cup butter, melted
- 1 tbsp vanilla
- 2 tbsp water
Preheat oven to 350ºF and line cookie sheets with ungreased parchment paper.
Mix the oats, brown sugar, cornstarch, baking powder, and nuts together. Add butter, vanilla and water to oat mixture.
Drop teaspoonfuls of batter onto prepared cookie sheets with a couple inches of space in between. Flatten the cookies slightly.
Bake 8 to 12 minutes.
Let cool and gobble up.