Hello Reader, It's Yukari!

I hope you had a beautiful Easter and got to enjoy a little spring sunshine.

Food, Connections, and Memories

Last Easter Sunday, Aric and I were invited to our clients’ Easter crab boil party, and it was one of those gatherings that reminded me why food matters so much.
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They went all out.
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There were inflatable unicorn and lobster costumes for the egg hunt, little eggs filled with chocolates and gifts, and a few hidden golden eggs with special surprises.
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And, of course, a big crab boil feast.
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They also had a charcuterie corner, curry soup, and lobster bisque… which made us very happy. 😊

We talked, laughed, and ate a lot.

And at one point, I found myself thinking:
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Food creates memories.

An Important Thing I Learned After Our 14-day Reel Challenge​

That same feeling came up again while Aric and I were working on our 14-day Reel challenge.
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For two weeks, we’ve been sharing daily videos on Instagram. (and YouTube ... yes, we entered the new platform. 😅
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Please consider subscribing to us! 🙏 😅)
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We recreate popular frozen meals at home and compare them with Aric’s homemade-from-scratch versions.
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I’ve been trying to make them myself to see if home cooking is actually doable in real life.

Even while filming, we found ourselves talking more, laughing more, and enjoying the process more than I expected.

What Does Cooking Mean to You?

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That’s what I keep coming back to lately:

Cooking is more than just getting food on the table.

It can be about connection.

Whether it’s a holiday crab boil with friends, a simple meal at home, or even trying something new together in the kitchen, food has a way of bringing people closer.

We’ve seen that in our private dinner parties.
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We’ve seen it in our meal prep clients’ homes.
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And I’ve felt it at our own kitchen table, too.

Sometimes people ask us cooking questions while we’re serving dinner.
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Sometimes they say, “Wow, the house smells amazing,” and start eating right away.
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It’s never just about the meal.

It’s about the feeling around it.

That’s why I believe people aren’t only hungry for good food.

They’re hungry for connection, too.

And food helps create that connection.
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Whether it’s a holiday gathering, a weeknight dinner, or simply cooking beside someone you love.

Before you go, I’d love to know:

What does cooking mean to you most right now?

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And if you’d rather, just hit reply and tell me:

What’s one food memory you’ll never forget?

I’d love to hear from you. It always makes my day to read your stories about how food has brought you and your loved ones together. 🧡

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Thanks for being at our Kitchen Table, on this cozy little corner of the internet.
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We appreciate you following along and for letting us share not just what we cook but why we cook. 🧡
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With gratitude and friendship,
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Aric & Yukari
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🐱🐶 (Ka-En and Senna, who have nothing to do with cooking, but to eat. 😂)
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