by Jilah Bakhssayesh
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29 May 2021
Half Iranian Half English , I grew up in the UK and continue to live there now. I have always loved food and eating, and especially loved time spent with my Iranian Granny who was a fantastic cook. I loved to watch her cook, ask her questions and get involved myself. My Mother was a good cook too and she let me bake and cook at home so that once I went to Secondary School I was able to cook a meal and bake cakes myself un-attended. Cooking cheered me up, connected me with my sense of source and an important facet of myself. It gave me optimism, strength and energy again if I ever cooked at times when I was feeling low, serving as my joyous pick me up. I loved to make my own recipes up too and as well, took a pride in identifying with my taste buds what ingredients might be in a new dish that I had been served by my Granny (and later by my Iranian and Kurdish friends who sometimes cooked for me) then trying to recreate it myself .