Sharing Love through Sweets

Cinnamon Rolls with raisins before being iced

Growing up in a family of good cooks, I learned at an early age that food is a great way to show love to those around you.  Whether it was Grandma Irma making me mashed potatoes, Grandma Hazel baking me a birthday cake, or Mom making cupcakes for my sports teams, the women in my life always made delicious food for the people dear to them.  (Perhaps they are to blame for my sweet tooth!)  It was always special when they cooked for me, not only because it tasted great, but because I knew it was “made with love” … corny, I know!

Showing love through food is not limited just to American culture, however.  My Chinese friends also give food to one another as a thoughtful gesture.  In fact, a few of the moments that I have felt most loved in China are a result of people cooking for me.  I guess the saying that food is the way to a man’s heart is also true for me, haha.  Not sure if that’s good or bad?!

A few months ago, Liying walked into my office with a plate of “pancakes.”  (They taste like a combination of American pancakes and crepes).  Her mom had made them for breakfast and made extra especially for me.  I was so surprised and it meant so much that Liying’s mom (Click here to see a picture of Liying's Family) thought of me and cared enough to make me breakfast.  And ever since then, Liying's mom cooks things and sends it to the office every couple of weeks.  Isn't that so sweet?!  Sometimes it makes me want to tear up because it is just so thoughtful.  In the same way, JJ buys extra fruit at the market for me; and when she goes to her hometown, her mother often sends food – like dumplings- back for me.

It is just incredible how a plate of pancakes, fruit, and dumplings can touch a person’s heart and make one feel so loved.

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Last weekend I was feeling adventurous and wanted to show these women how special they are to me.  What better way to do it then through food?!  so I decided to make them homemade cinnamon rolls! 

First, I made several trips to the supermarket and the foreign import goods store to buy the correct ingredients.  This is an important first step because although you can find many goods in China, many things do not have the same flavor.  For example, China has granulated sugar, but it is really coarse and the granules are large so it tastes grainy.  To rectify this problem, I buy South Korean sugar because it tastes like our sugar.  Similarly, Chinese brown sugar is terrible and can ruin your dessert because it is so dark and syrupy, so you have to buy it imported.  This means that white sugar, brown sugar, powdered sugar, butter, cinnamon, and yeast have to be purchased at the foreign import store.  For my cinnamon roll recipe, this basically means that the only Chinese ingredients you can buy here and still maintain the same quality as at home, are eggs, milk, and flour.  Pretty bad odds, haha.

The imported ingredients were worth it though as my cinnamon rolls turned out great!! They almost tasted as good as the many batches we helped Mom make as kids.  And best of all, I was able to give a plate of cinnamon rolls to Liying and her mother, as well as for JJ to take home to her mom.   It is true that there is no better way to show love than through sweets!  And I am just happy to show these women how much I appreciate the kindness they have shown me : )

Tada!  Finished product. 

Are these ready to be displayed at the State Fair or what?!?!

P.S. If this picture makes you hungry, you're in luck! Kelly is still selling HOMEMADE cheesecakes for her service trip to Jamaica.  Click here for more details. 

P.P.S.  Editor's Note: Liying informed me that her mom didn't like the cinnamon rolls.  Like most Chinese, she thought they were too sweet.   I guess this is where "it's the thought that counts" comes into play.... haha!