The Little Things That Taste Like Home

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Monday, 1 September 2025

Today the whole team was complete at home:

  • My husband, running a marathon of online meetings in the bedroom.

  • My eldest, attending online college in another bedroom.

  • My youngest, school online in the living room.

  • Me, working at the dining table.

  • And my mom, the true CEO of the kitchen. :D

The day started with my mom cooking fried rice, complete with vegetables and eggs for protein. I swear, no matter how old I get, food made by my mom always hits differently. Maybe it’s not just the taste, but the love that gets stirred into the pan.

By noon, she decided to experiment with a new potato recipe. She boiled them first, tossed them with Japanese Garlic Butter (seriously addictive), sprinkled some dried parsley leaves, and a dash of “I Love Popcorn” butter seasoning. Then, I showed her how to roast them in my beloved mini retro oven air fryer. The result? Perfect. Crispy on the outside, soft on the inside. 

Later in the afternoon, my eldest took over the kitchen, making salmon steak with Secret Element Montreal Steak seasoning. The method was simple: coat both sides, pop into the air fryer, and done. While waiting, she stir-fried her favorite napa cabbage with soy sauce and oyster sauce. Both dishes turned out delicious, and I couldn’t help but admire how fast she moves in the kitchen. 

And that was pretty much my day. Nothing groundbreaking. Just another day at home, everyone safe, doing their own thing, gathering in the kitchen when it’s time to eat.

But you know, sometimes “nothing special” is actually the most special. These little domestic rhythms: sharing meals, experimenting with flavors, laughing over who does what chores, are the very essence of home. They remind me of a line from The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry: “It is the time you have wasted for your rose that makes your rose so important.”

Cooking potatoes with mom, watching my daughter rub salmon with confidence... these aren’t wasted moments. They are the invisible threads that weave safety, love, and meaning into our days.

If you’re reading this, maybe you’ve also had “ordinary” days that secretly carry extraordinary weight. Don’t dismiss them. Treasure them. They are your rose. Pay attention to your everyday table: the food, the faces, the laughter. These are the moments that nourish more than your stomach. They nourish your soul.

From my table to yours,
Nuniek Tirta 

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