How to cook authentic ethnic cuisines that aren't a part of your ethnic heritage

This picture was taken on my 46th birthday. It was a planned celebration that turned out to be a Surprise Birthday party when the word got out I'd kept my birthday a secret from our friends.

As are most of my favorite memories, this one took place around a table filled with amazing food.

Mom is diabetic so she's rarely allowed the joy of cake. But ... who could tell her no on my birthday.

After all she's one of the reasons I am here. Despite what she says I do look just like her, as you'll see in the picture.

Not only is she one of my heroes, but I learned how to cook by watching her. I also learned tons of other things from her, but food ... well that's the cornerstone of who I am.

There's a funny story my father used to love to tell about Mom, that I'll share with you now.

They were dating, and both in college at University of Missouri - Columbia. They'd gone on a picnic at a place called "The Devil's Icebox". Mom's family owned a poultry farm, and she decided to make Pop fried chicken, which he loved.

Problem was Mom had not yet learned how to cook. She just failed to mention that to Pop.

So there they were out in the middle of nowhere, literally nowhere, with a loaf of white bread (one of Pop's other loves), some soda, and this fried chicken Mom had made.

Pop was drooling because the chicken LOOKED so delicious. So ... he bites in to a leg ... and his face changes from glee to disgust.

Why?

The chicken was perfectly golden on the outside and bleeding RAW on the inside.

Suffice it to say she did learn to cook, and was an amazing cook until she decided she didn't want to cook anymore. They stayed married til his death in their 34th year together.

Lessons in this story?
1.The way to a man's heart is not always through his stomach, at least not in the beginning.

2. Things, especially fried chicken, are not always what they appear to be.

3. Always have a backup plan, especially when it comes to cooking.

4. You can make a meal out of a loaf of white bread and a bottle of soda. (if you absolutely have to).

5. Life's most cherished memories often happen around food, even when the chicken is bloody and raw. The company with whom you share the food is the most important ingredient.

Here's a group photo from one of our gatherings to celebrate life, and of course food.

Pictured are some of our authentic ethnic cookbook contributors and our families.

Happy little group, aren't we? You'll meet everyone on our website, but pictured here are Hugo - Costa Rican contributor and his parents, Rosa - Argentine contributor, my Mom, and me in the background with Mario our wine afficiando, and half of Ariel- Mario and Ysa's son. You'll meet Ysa later, she's one of our Dominican Republic contributors.