Tiger Mom

(by Jae Jung)

Every Asian kid says that her mom is a tiger mom, but my mom is a super tiger mom. Not only was she born in the year of the tiger, but her way always has been the highway. And that is the only way.

Mama Kim is a traditional Korean chef, although that was considered a job, not a profession in Korea. She cooked with so much care. You could taste the dedication. Do you believe that? Do the maker’s feelings become an ingredient of the dish? Can you actually taste dedication, or excitement, or longing?

I ate everything she cooked. And Mama Kim would cook, and cook, and cook. She had to. You see, her parents lost all their money in the war, so her hands were forced to work. Like many of her generation, there was little chance for a great education. I was all her hopes and dreams.