This is
, a column dedicated to what people in the food industry are obsessed with eating, drinking, and buying right now.
When I was growing up in Tacoma, Washington, I thought my lola was the best cook in the world. In Tagalog, âlolaâ means grandmother, but my lola is actually my grandmotherâs sister. She was a military wifeâmy lolo was stationed at Fort Lewis, just outside of Tacomaâand because of her, my whole family was able to come over to the United States. Everything Lola cooked tasted better. She would serve us all these American foods that we didnât eat at home like roast beef, lasagna. But even Filipino dishes like lumpia were different at Lolaâs house. I remember thinking, âWhy does everything taste better when Lola makes it?â Only when I was older and started cooking myself did I learn her secret: Johnnyâs Seasoning Salt.