My interest in cooking started when we lived in Sri Lanka, Obviously you could not buy certain western foods and as a teenager that was a bit of a culture shock.
I read lots of recipe books my mom brought over. I especially checked out the cookie and cake sections from The Joy and I think there was a great one bowl chocolate cake from The New York Times cookbook. I was forced to make this flourless hazelnut cake for my mom countless times I wonder where that recipe went?