Made With Love: Family Recipes, Global Flavors & Heartfelt Food Memories

Daily writing prompt

What’s the most delicious thing you’ve ever eaten?

View all responses

Made With Love

This one was easy.

There’s something sacred about food made with love. 💞

I’ve been blessed to travel and taste flavors from all over the world, but the dishes that truly stay with me are the ones that linger in my heart! The ones steeped in family tradition. 🥗

It’s the little food trucks on a tucked-away street, the tiny family-run diners, the roadside carts where recipes are passed down like heirlooms. Meals made slowly, with patience and purpose, where love is the most important ingredient. Each bite tells a story of someone’s roots, someone’s home.

When I think of comfort, I think of my grandpa’s fried green tomatoes and the fan favorite, his potato soup. My dad’s smoked whole chicken comes to mind. My mom’s shrimp and cauliflower salad also brings me comfort. These dishes don’t just fill the belly—they fill the soul. They remind me of laughter in the kitchen, the smell of something simmering, and the warmth of being together. That’s real nourishment. I look forward to passing these recipes on—gifts of love wrapped in flavor.

Some of my favorite food memories come from places I’ve traveled with my family. Hawaii, with its pineapple soft-serve and juicy Maui Mike’s Chicken, was unforgettable. In Spain, we shared Paella under the sun and learned the art of the Spanish pour- how the locals pour their drinks “the right way!” In the Dominican Republic, we feasted on enormous avocados, sweet mangoes, spicy shrimp, and crispy plantains. Even the Mamajuana, though not my favorite thing, we shared smiles and laughter. The love the locals had for their food and company was something you felt in every bite.

And of course, being married to an Italian, food is a love language in our home. Though we can’t always indulge, we know exactly where to go when we want to sit down to creamy sauces, buttery noodles, warm garlic bread, and a glass of wine. It’s not just a meal—it’s an experience.

So what’s the best thing I’ve ever eaten?
Anything made with care.
Anything that feels like home.
Anything that warms my soul.

SK-