Hello Reader, It's Yukari!

Mother’s Day can bring up a lot of different feelings.
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For some people, it’s joyful.
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For others, it’s tender.
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And sometimes, it’s both.

My Mom, Me, and Secret Sauce

For me, one of the things Mother’s Day makes me think about is how love stays with us through food.
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My mom and I had a complicated relationship, and she wasn’t someone who taught me to cook.
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But one thing she made stayed with me. Her “Secret Sauce.”
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It was simple.
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It even makes me chuckle to think about the “Secret” recipe because it was just a mix of ketchup and Kewpie mayo.
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AT the time, I didn’t think much about it. It was just something she made and was proud of.
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But one day, long after my mother was gone, it hit me.
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Sometimes the people we love stay with us in recipes, in flavors, in little habits our hands remember before our minds do.
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If you’d like to read a bit more about how my mom's Secret Sauce lives on in my kitchen, I've written a blog post that shares the story.
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Click this [LINK] for a heartfelt reflection on the dishes that keep loved ones close.

Aric, His Mom, Marge, and Pierogi

One of the dishes closest to Aric’s heart is Pierogi, which his Polish mom used to make.
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He first made them with his mom and sister when he was 16.
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He never got to make them for her again.
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But after she passed, he started making them for us, our friends, and our extended family.
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Same recipe.
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Different kitchen.
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Still a labor of love.
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His mom used to make them all by hand, even cutting the dough with a glass jar.
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Now he makes them on a stainless-steel table, with a mixer nearby.
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Different tools.
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Same love.
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I think that’s one of the most beautiful things about cooking.
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It carries memories.
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It carries care.
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It carries people with us.
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So if Mother’s Day feels meaningful, complicated, tender, or all of the above, I just want to say.
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You are not alone.
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And if there’s a dish that reminds you of your mom, grandmother, or someone who cared for you, I’d love to hear about it.
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Just reply to this email and tell me what recipe, flavor, or dish brings that person back to you?

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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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