When Life Gives you Lemons

The 411 on what to do if life throws you lemons.

I was born in 1972 in Busan South Korea. My mom is full Korean and my dad is French American. Somewhere in there I have German, European, Black Foot Indian and Who knows what else lol. To say my background is diverse would be an understatement.

I have traveled all over the world thanks to Mac Flights and growing up as an Miltary Brat. My dad was in the AirForce and we had to relocated about every 4 years. I have heard many stores about how difficult it was growing up this way. The loneliness and never really knowing what home meant. Seeing commercials of the perfect family and wishing for the same, never really putting down roots and creating true lasting friendships. We all start off as pen pals but eventually fading away as a distant memory.

I was different in a sense because I was excited to explore the next step in my road map called life. Mainly digging my teeth into whatever new cuisine I had yet to discover. I have a pallet that is pretty hard to discribe, but if I had to use a single word eccentric would be the most accurate.

I left Korea around the age of 5 and we were stationed in the Philippines. One of my most favorite dishes from the Philippines was Pancit. We would squeeze a small calamansi lemon over the savory noodles, man was it delicious. One of my favorite drinks was Calamansi lemon juice with honey. It was hard adjusting to my life in the Philippines at first because I spoke barely any English and was fluent in Korean. The language barrier was hard to navigate and I eventually failed Kindergarten. Who fails Kindergarten??? Of course I did, but hey life threw me lemons and I got to drink the most amazing lemon Calamasi juice on the planet, freshly squeezed and refreshing. I remember it like yesterday.

After the Philippines we got transferred to Seattle Light Beach Florida. By this time I spoke Korean and Philippino thanks to my Yaya ( nanny ) and still my English sucked. My first day of school was terrifying. I didn’t know a single person and I knew I was different, no-one could tell what nationality I was and I felt like a goldfish in a fish tank everyone was starting at me. I hated spelling bees because I couldn’t spell if my life depended on it, as you can probably tell by all my typos in this short story. I would get laughed at by the other students and I felt like the dumbest kid in school. I couldn’t wait for weekends! The main reason is because that meant I got to go clamming for clams. Straight from the beach! Plant your feet firmly in the sand and wiggle, wiggle wiggle till you feel something touch your toes. Bend down and place your hand where your foot was and pull out the most beautiful clam. Throw it on a grill watch it start to ooze and open up, squeeze fresh lemon into it and slurp up all that goodness. I didn’t care about spelling bees because when life threw me lemons I got to eat the most amazing, juiciest, freshes clams on the planet.

I could go on and on about all the different places I have been and delicalacies I tried with one of my most favorite ingredients LEMONS, but I will spare all of you all the glorious details. The last station we were sent to was Guam. Where I met my husband and had three little mini me’s. 1 daughter and 2 sons, who are my world.

I want to share with you one of my favorite dishes from Guam, it’s called shrimp Keleguine. It’s kinda like the Spanish version of shrimp ceviche, which I will give you all the recipe for shorty. I just feel the need to express something very important first. For all those who are currently travel and working abroad and is never stationary long enough to plant down roots. For those who are away from family and don’t have a place you can truly call home, this is my message to you.

A foundation, roots, a home, is not a building, it is not a place, it’s the joy you carry in your heart, the family your with and the ability to LEMONAID THE CRAP OUT OF ANYTHING THAT COMES YOUR WAY. Your stronger then you know and one day minus today you will look back and say I wish I had more lemons in my life so I can start my next adventure in this life time. Trust me when I say I understand because I was once you. I didn’t let anything or anyone damper my sprit or my joy for food, I got to travel to far away land, see places that some only read about, the most beautiful sunsets, explore wonderful cultures and cuisines. Learn different languages and meet some of the most interesting people I would have not had the chance to meet if I didn’t grow up on Mac Flights and on Military bases. Would I change any of it if I could? Heck no instead I can’t wait to see what life throws at me so I can make my next dish with it.

“Shrimp Keleguin “

2 pounds of raw deveined and de shelled jumbo shrimp

I bundle of green onions chopped finely

1 pound of freshly graded coconut

5 fresh red chili pepper chopped finely

5 large yellow lemons juiced

5 limes juiced

10 key lime juice

“Be sure to not leave any seeds”

1 packet of non sweet lemon koolaid

2 table spoons of salt

Mix all ingredients ina large bowl, chill for at least 2 hours and enjoy your new favorite dish!

Lots and love, light and joy to you all.