Pocket Change Collective: Food-Related Stories by Gaby Melian

Author:Gaby Melian [Melian, Gaby]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Penguin Young Readers Group
Published: 2022-01-18T00:00:00+00:00

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FOOD IS PATIENCE.

It’s a product of a slow and steady mixture of the elements—of water, of air, of earth, and of fire. Cooking is a process that cannot be rushed, even if sometimes you’d like for things to go just a little bit faster.

I am known for having an impatient personality at times. But not in a bad sense. More like in the way that a tornado crosses in front of you, slightly stops for a second to compliment your shoes, and continues its way to the next stop. Always moving, always doing something or the other, always looking forward.

When you are young, nothing seems to stop you, or at least, that is how I see it now. Nothing seemed to stop me. Or maybe it’s that I did not want to stop.

Coming to New York City felt like an easy decision, and deciding to stay was an easy decision, too. Staying meant that I could keep learning about all that New York City had to offer, discover more about myself, and, of course, try all of the fruits, veggies, chocolates, and nuts in the world. The best part was that I didn’t have to go far. Everything was right here, within arm’s reach in front of me.

When I arrived in New York City, my mom wanted to show me everything. She had only been living in the city for six months, but she knew Chinatown, SoHo, and the West Village better than even some locals. Her excitement to show me everything about the city was infectious, and one of the things she insisted on showing me was the food. All of the food. Every delectable confection on every street in every corner of this city. And my first taste of all the city’s wonders happened when she introduced me to none other than the Gourmet Garage.

The Gourmet Garage is now a minichain of supermarkets all over the city, but in the 1990s, it was a small neighborhood place in SoHo that had a hidden treasure beyond my wildest dreams. I couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw the amount of different olives and cheeses and specialty cookies and candy and ingredients that I couldn’t pronounce. On top of it all, you were allowed to try anything you wanted. My head exploded, so much so that I applied to work there twice, but they never called me back. Nevertheless, I wanted to taste it all.

Gourmet Garage was the start, and after that, I visited every single specialty food store in the area. My outings were always around a food destination and not even necessarily a restaurant because I couldn’t afford it. My favorite places to go were New York City’s indoor and outdoor markets where the deliciousness was endless and the vendors would let you try anything. I knew I wanted to cook and eat all of these new flavors. Above all, I wanted to put a name to my passion. I wanted to become a chef.

Culinary school was never in my plan.

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