Appearances are deceiving!

I was out with my friend last night and we happened to go to our local Chinese Supermarket, something we do once a week.

Upon learning about Tantalizing Tastes, she wanted me to sample some cuisine from the Philippines, as she is Cebu born and raised. In light of this, we decided to buy a couple of pastries. We didn't find many Filipino pastries to choose from, as it was later on a Saturday night, so one of our choices was a Malaysian Steam Cake. The other pastry we managed to find was, Ensaymada, an elaborately decorated bun with margarine and grated cheese.

Upon first glance, I figured that the Ensaymada would have more flavour because of the toppings placed upon the bread. The steam cake was undecorated and bland looking by comparison. Naturally I decided to sample the steam cake last.

I unwrapped the Ensaymada and took a small piece off the edge to taste the bread itself. I have sampled many different kinds of bread in my lifetime, so I was sorely disappointed when I discovered that the bread tasted very bland. With the amount of ingredients stated on the label, I had assumed that it would be packed full of flavour.

My friend instructed me to take a sample from the centre of the bun and I did as she said. To be honest, if I wanted plain, white bread with margarine and cheese on top, I could have easily replicated this in my own kitchen. The Ensaymada reminded me of a red herring...something beautiful to look at that kept me from discovering the ugly truth.

I then took a sample of the Malaysian Steam Cake. Remember, it was undecorated and had no topping upon it. Imagine my surprise when my tastebuds were met with unbelievable, sweet flavour. It may have looked like a plain, bland pastry but it tasted better than some of the store-bought cakes I have had in my lifetime.

As I chewed and swallowed more bites of the cake, I began to think that food shouldn't be judged by appearance alone. There are lots of dishes that look and sound questionable, but are very tasty. There are also lots of dishes that are full of colour and flavour which taste like old socks.

Main moral of this story, don't judge a dish by appearance alone. If you do, you are missing out on mind-blowing flavour that will awaken your senses. Expand your horizons and try something more unusual, you cannot go wrong!

What does food mean to you?

This may be an age old question to some, but food isn't just food.

It's happy memories with my nonnos and nonnas in their kitchens. It's a shared passion I have with my husband and other family and friends...and don't get me started on travel and food, two of my favourite things.

I've decided to start this blog because I would like to share my passion for good food with others. For a Canadian, I have a very expansive palate and I want to post and share my favourite recipes with you, my readers.

Whether you want to try something new, or want to impress your guests, my recipes will be what you're looking for.

I won't lie, some are more complicated than others. Taking the time will be worth it, trust me.

And, feel free to put your own spin on the recipes. Part of cooking is exploring your own personal style.

So, let's take this journey together and enjoy good food!