Tanya Holland

I grew up in Rochester, New York. When we walked into the first home my parents bought, I thought it smelled funny... it was an unfamiliar scent. Turns out it was either coriander or cumin. They bought the house from a Cuban family. My mother said, “don’t worry, it will soon smell like ours.” Of course, smelling those spices indicated my sensitive nose and palate. And needless to say, they are now some of my favorites. We were in touch with the family for a while, but I never had the pleasure of sampling their food. I have always had an interest in other cultures.