I’m tempted to say I’ve never been a huge dessert person, but almost every week in high school involved at least one large bubble tea, my cravings a pendulum swinging between green tea and mango – there may have been a taro phase. Bubble tea in hand along with cheap (and good!) sushi found at what seemed like every block in that Vancouver neighbourhood, and with homework tucked in our backpacks: a past vision of our version of the Central Perk couch from Friends. That one month we became obsessed with High School Musical, which started with a bootleg CD passed among the student body, was a good one.

My dad was always the one known for making and bringing Filipino leche flan to parties, but his version was always a little too rich for me.… read more