Eat, Darling, Eat 

Mom was too sensible for costly gifts. But her cinnamon rolls were indulgent—perhaps to give some extra sweetness to her daughters, and herself.

Mom would never be described as a prankster. But a grilled cheese sandwich became her medium for tricking her daughters into a new family tradition.

How to celebrate a daughter's one year of recovery? Sharing a space that was not a hospital, courthouse, or therapist’s office, and included junk food.

For a mom who's "killing" old age, an extravagant birthday menu was planned. But the party produced surprisingly different family memories.

Sometimes a surrogate mother or "other mother" fills in when Mom isn't around, providing nourishment, both culinary and personal.

Nobody cooked like Mama (the only Chinese-American mom for miles). But her delicious food couldn't make up for the dysfunction at home.

When two branches of the family shared a home, dinner could be upstairs or down. Dinner downstairs with Bubbie was always the better deal.