A dream we all have as children, is to help our parents. Another dream some children have is to grow up and have some inspiring job, perhaps a chef. So our parents, trying to be helpful, let us try new experiences.

My nana always cooks the most delicious treats. I would always sit in the kitchen and watch her chop, slice, dice, mince, stir, shred, and finally cook and/or bake her creations. She would pull them out of the oven and let them cool. Finally, when it was cooled enough, we would get to plunge our spoons and forks into her heavenly meals and then her delicious desserts. They would ooze goodness out of them, and when the taste settles on your tongue, you can’t help but smile.

One day, she stopped letting me just watch, and started making me help her. This is probably one of the reasons that I enjoy cooking now. We would make many different things, but my favorite was chocolate chip cookies.


My nana always makes cakes, cupcakes, brownies and other treats for our birthday parties. She would bring them to school so I could share them with my classmates. One year, she was so busy, she couldn’t make anything. She had time to come, so she went to the grocery store and picked something up. It was a surprise, and I enjoyed it.

She came to my class with a giant cookie cake. It said happy birthday, and was covered with rich creamy frosting. She opened it and put candles on top. The class sang happy birthday and then she cut the cake. We bit into the moist cookie, crunching the chocolate chips in our teeth. The sweetness was almost overpowering, but it was still delicious.

Most people had frosting on their faces, and their teeth were multicolored from the food coloring. We all sat and talked and ate our cookie cake pieces. I thanked my nana for bringing it in, and I thanked my mama and papa for visiting as well. Even though we didn’t get to make the cake together, we still made a special memory that I hope to never forget.