Sius and Fruit

It's known in my family that my mom and her side of the family have, among many great things, a knack for two particular things: fruit and grilling. We jokingly refer to it as the Siu fruit-peeling and meat gene.

My mom can peel an orange so precise and almost effortlessly, that she's spoiled all of us from enjoying an orange any other way. My grandma makes the best apple pies and lemon meringue pies. My childhood is filled with memories of my aunt making all kinds of tropical juices like tamarind and saril, and family parties at La Finca (translated best to a ranch?) with my mom and uncles manning the grill with all sorts of yummy meats. I remember my uncle created this fruit-picking device that was a long stick with a hook and small basket at one end, so the fruit would fall right in and not get bruised - oh the yummy mangoes and avocados that were saved!. Even these days, family get togethers are not complete without my mom's ham, ribs or stuffed chicken/turkey, or my uncle's fruit juice.

Today, I pay homage to the Siu fruit gene. I think about this and feel blessed when I have fun peeling a pineapple (don't waste, cut eyes in diagonal groups of 2-3); or when I cut grapefruit wedges or hack away at a giant watermelon (remembering my mom's christmas-tree watermelon slices); or when I peel a whole bunch of mangoes in a row. One time I cut a whole box just because! I ran out of places to put them and made mango sorbet to give away to friends.

So here's to the Siu side of our family - Thanks Mom!