I decided to make Tabghulu (a traditional Chinese snack of candied fruit) as a more delicious way to eat the strawberries that had been served at my mom’s birthday party. I put the strawberries on skewers, dipped them into the syrup to coat them thoroughly, and placed the skewers on a plate one by one. Tanghulu is only successful when the syrup hardens to form a crisp shell, so it can make a crunching sound and fill your mouth with sweetness when you have a bite. In my case, however, the syrup didn’t harden no matter how long I waited. Finally, I gave my mom only three of the twenty strawberries, which had fully hardened. After tasting Tanghulu, my mom asked me for some more. As I refused, saying that my Tanghulu had railed, she said it was okay. I was embarrassed, but I gave her all the leftover strawberries. She enjoyed the strawberries, saying they were very delicious, too. I felt proud to see her eating them deliciously. A similar thing happened whenever I prepared food for my parents’ birthday: Hotteock (Korean sweet pancakes made with a yeasted dough and sweet nut filling) hardened, the soup cooled down, and the food got burnt. However, my parents always ate my handmade food deliciously. That’s why I can try new food every year, despite my poor cooking skills. The love and support of my parents gives me the strength to get back up, instead of being discouraged. Mom and Dad! Would you receive my food at your birthday next year, too?
