A man booked me to cook his late wife's egusi. He had not tasted it since 2019.

He brought a notebook, a stained page in her handwriting, and a list of things she would say while cooking. I followed it to the letter, even the part where I hum off-key. When he tasted it he put the spoon down and did not speak for a full minute. Then he asked if I could pack some for his daughter. If you have a family recipe you miss, bring it to me. I cook it your way, not mine. Two days' notice, home delivery on the Mainland.