As I grow up in Japan, I was surrounded by very sophisticated electronics, such as very nice rice cooker or very quiet vacuum cleaner. Though I wasn't good at cooking, I always liked to help my mother cook or stay in the kitchen with her just to observe. She was using all the cute and cool kitchen tools like tamagoyaki pan which is perfect rectangle shape pan, and this piece of shredder to make very thin daikon or carrot, or even potato to make potato pan-cakes. Those items were reasonably available, and it's even at $1 store (100 yen shop) nowadays.
Having lived in New York for more than 10 years now, I somehow managed to live without those tools. You've got to live wherever you are right now. I can't spend much money on those tools, as I'd rather spend on food or other things like my children's supply etc. Living in NYC is not that cheap. Therefore, I think I became more creative in a way, just to be able to eat the same quality of food without using those tools.
When I was a college student here in New York, I was extremely busy. Living in New York as a student without full time job is pretty tough. I had a support from my parents, but that's for my tuition.Besides the scholarships, but those went to tuition or my supplies for studies and equipment on my instrument. I supported myself basically with my part-time job, as a classical musician; here and there I gigged and taught some young students. That was just good enough to pay rent and buy minimum amount of food, and NYC transportation fee, which was back then still expensive to me...
Being a starving music student, I was always hungry. Having a sandwich just two slices of bread with lettuce in wasn't enough. I missed Japanese food. I missed my mother's warm homemade meal. I sometimes slept crying because I was too hungry. Living with roommates and sharing a kitchen was not the issue: I was just too busy to be at home. I basically lived in a practice room and class room back and forth.
It's a good memory after all, but to be honest, not healthy at all. I remember being sick every month, and that wasn't fun either.....
So, I became a graduate student living in Manhattan, Upper West Side, as known as very rich neighborhood. Everything was of course expensive to me. I rented a tiny room from a rich family, but I was still lucky to live very close to my school. The classes were much less than undergraduate, so I tried to find some time to cook and prepare decent food.
First thing I've tried was to make udon and dumpling. The taste was not that bad. Actually, I was surprised that I could make it. Then, I got married, was eager to improve my skills, and always failed... I realized how hard it is to cook without proper ingredients. But, instead of spending extra money, I studied around to cook better. I am still challenging that part, but now I enjoy cooking:)
Having said, most of all, I enjoy making meals for people I love. When I see their faces smiling when they eat, I feel so rewarding. I hope I can continue and get better and better :)
