Always In Good Company
Ingredients
2 cups Sweetness
2/3 cup Optimism
1 1/4 tsp Love
1/4 tsp Empathy
1 2/3 cups Delight
4 parts Affection
1 tsp Devotion
1 cup Supportive
1 1/3 cups Yes (Yum)
Bake in a 350ºF oven 30 to 35 minutes or until your soul feels refreshed. Cool for 10 minutes, and remove your worries while spending time with her. Enjoy your time with your grandmother.
My Amah had a love for sweet treats, which is probably where I get my craving for desserts. Whether it was a small bag of candy in her purse or desserts at her house, she made sure everyone ate... I'm certain that most of her grandchildren went through a 'plump' phase.
Some of my favourite desserts include her double-layered jello, her chiffon cake, and her chocolate cake. There was also a coffee cake that I loved, which is also probably the reason why I only enjoy coffee in dessert form. I recently tried to make my Amah's chocolate cake, but there was something off.
My cousins and relatives all have tried to make this chocolate cake, and yet no one can come up with the same results - perhaps it's the touch of a grandparent that I need to acquire with time. Just goes to show that even when you have the recipe, you'll never get it to be the way your grandmother made it... to say that love is the secret ingredient would be an understatement.
When I was younger, we would have weekly dinners with all of my relatives and cousins, making my Amah's house the social hub. If you ever needed a news update on a specific person, my Amah would know before everyone else. To see everyone once a week and spend time with one another was a treat itself, especially when Amah would be so happy to see all of us; those were the days...
In recent years, I made sure that I went to visit my Amah on my days off from work. My aunt and I would always invite her to go out for lunch - most days she would decline, but when she said yes, we made lunchtime into an event.
One time, we planned to go out for lunch, but I didn't tell her that we were going downtown. Everyone who joined us for lunch (my aunt, my cousin, and my Amah's caretaker) knew about the plan, except for her. More of a local person, my Amah quickly knew once I was driving towards the bridge that brought us into the city. We had a nice lunch by the waterfront, and even went for a small stroll after we ate. Not sure if my Amah remembered the last time she was downtown, but I'm glad we all got to share this memory.
The most fascinating thing about my Amah would be her knowledge. Despite only studying up to Grade Six, she was a very intelligent woman. When I would pick her up to run errands, she would tell me which streets to take so we can get to the places much faster - she was the GPS. Even on days when I would order take-out, she would make sure the restaurants I selected had a deal... how she knew about everything is definitely an eighth-world wonder.
Spending time with my Amah could have been enjoyed with simple pleasures, from taking her to the doctor to going out for pedicures. I don't think it really mattered what you were doing, as long as she got to spend time with you. My aunt once cut my Amah's hair, and she was happy for simply doing such a small task.
My Amah was treated like the Queen she is, especially by her seven children. There are many aspects each child took care of their mother, whether it was financial or medical. All of them grew up to be outstanding adults, raising some incredible children and grandchildren of their own. As our family continues to expand, I hope that one day that I get to be amazing as her Royal Majesty.
There are a lot of things I could say about my Amah, but I think my cousins have said it best: She is the heart of the family. She raised a whole village herself, and is one of the biggest inspirations in our lives. She treated everyone like one of her own, and we are so blessed to have her in our lives. The last moments were peaceful, and heaven just got much sweeter because of her. To the Queen, our House Sy Matriarch, we hope that she is reunited with Angkong and cooking up one delicious feast. Thanks for everything Amah.
May you be baking up a delicious dessert
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