Happy Mother’s Day from CanCulture!
By: Amie Sosa
(Conscious Design/Unsplash)
Our mothers can know us better than we know ourselves. They can sense when we are sad or happy — especially when it’s about who broke the vase on the dining room table. So sometimes our mothers know exactly what we need to refuel our energy and satisfy our taste buds when it comes to cooking. Plus, there is nothing that beats their freshly baked chocolate chip cookies or mouth-watering veggie stew.
On the other hand, though, how well do we know our moms and their dietary preferences? This Mother’s Day, CanCulture put four Ontarians to the test by having them guess their mothers’ favourite dishes. See how our delectable quest unfolds below!
Is it chicken soup?
Strong and independent are two words to describe Gabby Giron, a mom of two. Her son Daniel, an up-and-coming TikToker behind the account @ned_variant, assumed that a satisfying chicken soup for the soul would be his mom’s go-to meal.
Turns out, Gabby prefers a heartier meal such as good steak or hot grilled seafood. These appetizing meals for protein and strength that her parents introduced to her at an early age no doubt influenced Gabby’s bold, charismatic personality.
Gabby Giron (Courtesy of Daniel Giron)
Shepherd’s pie must be right
According to Debbie Hunter, who grew up with traditional, comfort family recipes, you can never go wrong with a warm, cheesy noodle hug. So her child Jayden guessed that a soothing-to-the-soul bite of Shepherd's pie would be most appetizing for their mom, a very familiar meal she made throughout their childhood.
And that was the right answer! Debbie was introduced to it by her grandma around the age of 10 as a staple comfort food. Since then, Shepherd’s pie has become a source of warmth and consolation to Debbie, who always takes the time to care about others.
Jayden Hunter (left) and Debbie Hunter (right) (Courtesy of Jayden Hunter)
Can’t go wrong with cultural delicacies
Taedra Cooke guessed oxtail with rice and peas, a flavourful Jamaican dish, would be her mother Elizabeth Cooke’s favourite meal. Well, she almost got it right.
Curry goat, roti, rice, and peas are Elizabeth’s top picks. Although her parents began cooking it for her at an early age as a way of embracing their culture, it didn’t become Elizabeth’s favourite meal until later. A culinary staple in Jamaican cuisine with a myriad of unique spices and tender meat, this is a perfect meal for the one-of-a-kind, loving Elizabeth Cooke.
Elizabeth Cooke (Courtesy of Taedra Cooke)
One tamale, two tamales
Magdalena Rodas is best known for her work ethic and determination, and her youngest daughter Heidi Sosa thinks she loves a deliciously dense Guatemalan-style tamale. This is a traditional dish often made during the holidays, such as Christmas, Easter, and Día De Los Muertos.
Sosa was spot on! Rodas does not only enjoy the savoury taste of tamales, but also the fun of creating and sharing them with others. Her sweet, caring and sensitive personality really shines through her cooking.
Magdalena Rodas (Courtesy of Heidi Sosa)
Do you think you would have guessed your mom’s favourite dish correctly? No matter what, our mothers fill the food they make with love and cultural knowledge (and sometimes way too many vegetables), but we can never get enough. We appreciate you, for the love you carry everywhere, especially in your cooking. Thank you, mothers, for everything!