40 Recipes
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Hands: Global Finger Food From Around The World
My name is Hudson James Stiver and I am 14 years old. My passions are soccer, watching reality TV, and playing Ultimate. But most of all I have an undying passion for food. Cooking has been a part of my life since I was three years old, and my love for it has only grown as the years have passed. I enjoy the different flavours, textures, techniques, and all of the other things that fall into the culinary field. Cooking is something that I have loved, and always will love.
When I was three, I remember cooking with my dad. He worked most nights as a musician, so cooking was really the way we bonded when I was younger. I still remember going to supermarkets with my dad, and choosing what we were going to make that night. It made me happy, going through the grocery aisles with my dad, and I think that’s really what started this passion that I have for cooking. It’s been said that some of people’s strongest memories center around food, and I believe that these words couldn’t be more true.
My name is Hudson James Stiver and I am 14 years old. My passions are soccer, watching reality TV, and playing Ultimate. But most of all I have an undying passion for food. Cooking has been a part of my life since I was three years old, and my love for it has only grown as the years have passed. I enjoy the different flavours, textures, techniques, and all of the other things that fall into the culinary field. Cooking is something that I have loved, and always will love.
When I was three, I remember cooking with my dad. He worked most nights as a musician, so cooking was really the way we bonded when I was younger. I still remember going to supermarkets with my dad, and choosing what we were going to make that night. It made me happy, going through the grocery aisles with my dad, and I think that’s really what started this passion that I have for cooking. It’s been said that some of people’s strongest memories center around food, and I believe that these words couldn’t be more true.
My passion for cooking continued to grow from there. From the ages of four to ten my kitchen skills progressed from making salad dressings to actually preparing a salad and a side for dinner once a week. I received tons of praise for this new found love, and I was loving it. But, when I was 11, my cooking passion stopped. I’m wasn’t sure why exactly, but for some reason I lost interest. I was suddenly bored by cooking, and I had no idea why this happened or how I could get my passion back. It was definitely a low point in my culinary career.
But when I was 12 and 13, something incredible happened. I saw a television ad for a new Food Network Canada series called Chopped Canada Junior. Now, although I had stopped cooking for a while I hadn’t stopped watching cooking shows, and Chopped Canada was my favourite show of them all. The fact that they were finally accepting junior chefs (aged 8-13), had me bouncing off the walls. I sent in an application, and got accepted into the next round of casting! Another round of casting happened, and I was accepted again! My third and final round of casting happened, and unbelievably, I had myself a ticket to Toronto to participate in this competition! Before I continue, let me tell you a bit about Chopped Canada.
Chopped Canada is a reality TV show which airs on Food Network Canada. There are four different chefs, or junior chefs in my case, who compete against each other for the Chopped Canada title. The contestants are put in a very professional looking kitchen, with a pantry full of ingredients beside it. Here, they are put through three rounds (appetizer, entree, and dessert), in which they have to prepare a dish in 30 minutes. Sounds easy right? Wrong! The catch is that in each round, you have a “mystery basket”, that you have to open. These mystery baskets contain four ingredients that you must incorporate into your dish. That makes it a lot harder. Then, the contestants get the amazing opportunity to present their dishes to some of Canada’s top chefs. The judges taste and critique the contestants’ dishes based on presentation, taste, and creativity, and at the end of each round they decide who’s dish is “chopped”. The person’s whose dish is chopped is then eliminated from the competition. One contestant is be chopped at the end of each round, but the one chef left standing after the last round wins $5,000 , which is an amazing prize.
So, how did I fare on this competition? Pretty well actually. I beat out two of my competitors, but was “chopped” after the final round. I was happy with my performance, considering it’s not everyday you cook with ingredients like black currant jam and orange cauliflower in an appetizer, chocolate pebbles and seven layer dip in an entree, and tonka beans and margarita hot sauce in a dessert! I am so incredibly grateful for this opportunity, as it gave me a new sense of confidence, pride, and ultimately a new view and goal for my cooking, and overall lifestyle.
My ultimate goal is to inspire other kids my age to get into the kitchen and cook. Cooking is an essential life skill and, in my opinion, the younger you learn the better. When I was thinking of how I could inspire kids my age to start a culinary path of their own, and how I could help them improve their skills in the kitchen, I could only think of one thing to do: write a cookbook. I have loved filling through the pages of cookbooks all of my life. Each of my food idols has taught me their respective skills through their cookbooks. If they can make a cookbook, then why can’t I? There was only one question: What would it be about?
Going back to my childhood, one of the only things I loved to eat was finger foods. I loved being able to be uncivilized, to pick up my food with my hands and not have to worry about the mess. Finger foods were awesome! As the years went on I began to realize other traits I admired about finger foods, including the cultural diversity, the different complexities, and the different flavours in each dish. They all really appealed to me, and made finger foods interesting for me. So, I decided finger foods would be the topic of my cookbook. But what about finger foods appeal to people my age?
I can think of three reasons as to why finger foods would appeal to someone my age. One, because they can be either simple or complex. Finger foods can be easy to make (such as banana chips) or more challenging (such as churros). Because these foods range in difficulty, they can appeal to beginner chefs as well as to the more advanced cooks, which makes it so that my cookbook appeals to cooks of varying abilities.
Secondly, finger foods are great party foods. Teens my age go to tons of parties (believe me, I know!) but usually, the food is not that great at those parties. It’s always something that you can microwave or heat up in the oven. I think that learning how to make your own finger foods is a good idea for situations like this because you’ll know what’s in the food you’re making, and you can make your own variations of these finger foods that will appeal to your friends. It will probably make the food (and the party for that matter) more enjoyable.
Finally, finger foods are fun! It gets boring when you’re making a recipe that you’re not passionate about. You can make loads of mistakes when you are not intrigued with whatever you’re cooking. But with global finger foods that won’t be a problem. There are so many different types of finger foods that span the globe and all of them range in size, flavour, and skill. But all of them are fun to make, and most of all fun to eat. My goal is to make it so that everybody has at least one recipe that they will love to cook and enjoy with their friends.
And that’s basically everything that led me to this point. All of these trips and turns, ups and downs, and decisions that I had to make have led me to creating this cookbook. It’s been an amazing journey, and I hope that you all enjoy my creation!
-
Hudson
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Cookbook Recipes
Vietnam: Vegetarian Vietnamese Spring Rolls with Peanut Dipping Sauce
Thailand: Khanom Buang (Dessert Pancakes)
Cambodia: Num Pang (means “Beef sandwich” in Khmer)
Philippines: Kamote Fries with Simple Aioli
Laos: Pan Mieng (Shrimp Spinach Wraps) with Umami Vinegrette
Korea: Marinated Beef Kebabs with Orange and Soy Reduction
Canada: Chocolate and Cherry Bannock
China: Chicken and Vegetable Potstickers
Japan: Sushi Duo - Chicken Teriyaki Roll & California Roll
Southern USA: Fried Chicken Bites with Sriracha Dipping Sauce
Jamacia: Hannah's Don't Be A Jerk Shrimp Tacos
Honduras: Baleadas Taco
Cuba: Citrus Marinated Cubano Sandwich
Costa Rica: Cheddar Chili Stuffed Peppers
Northern USA: Cheddar Stuffed Bacon Burgers
Mexico: Cinnamon Sugar Dusted Churros
Greece: Spanakopita
France: Reblochon Tarts
Italy: Tomato, Beef, and Monzerella Arancini
UK: Salt and Vinegar Potato Chips
Sweden: Skagen on Toast
Spain: Patatas Bravas with Garlic Aioli
Holland: Rustic Bitterballen
Germany: Bratwurst Sandwich with Braised Cabbage and Carmalized Onion Mayo
Iraq: Hummus with Toasted Naan Chips
Lebanon: Tabbouleh
Israel: Mini Falafel Wrap with Tzatziki, Cucumber, and Red Onion
Syria: Lamb Meatballs with Pomegranate Relish
India: Indian Spiced Potato Croquettes with Cilantro Chutney
Turkey: Doner Kebab with Sour Cream Tzatziki
Palestine: Almond Baklava
Jordan: Kibbeh (Meat Fritters) with Herbaceous Dipping Sauce
Venezuela: Grilled Melon Skewers with Lime Whipped Cream and Mango Caramel Glaze
Argentina: Steak Chimichurri Sandwich with Chevre
Chile: Ceviche Salad Cups
Uruguay: Chivito Sandwich
Peru: "Completo" Hot Dog
Ecuador: Grilled Pork Tacos
Colombia: Empanadas
Brazil: Brigaderios inspired Zucchini Bread
Vietnam: Vegetarian Vietnamese Spring Rolls with Peanut Dipping Sauce
Up first is my vegetarian vietnamese spring roll recipe, with a sour and sweet peanut dipping sauce. I actually used this recipe for my Bowen Island Undercurrent article. My dad used to make these all the time for me when I was little. I loved them then, I still love them now, and I know I'll still love them in the future. It’s been a real hit throughout the community, and I think that you’ll love it. It’s fresh, fun, and packed full of flavour!!
Thailand: Khanom Buang (Dessert Pancakes)
Khanom Buang is traditional street food in Thailand. They are little airy pancakes, stuffed with a delicious orange infused cream, and garnished with some delicious toppings. Think of it as a really high end dessert sandwich! These were absolutely divine when I made them, and I hope you guys get the same success
Cambodia: Num Pang (means “Beef sandwich” in Khmer)
I didn't know much about Cambodian cuisine before I started to write this cookbook. But, they have an absolutely amazing culinary scene. They use bold and pungent flavours, that they combine with fresh produce and meats to create a perfect harmony of flavours in your mouth. This recipe is perhaps the best example. It is a Cambodian version of a classic Vietnamese dish, The Banh Mi.
Philippines: Kamote Fries with Simple Aioli
When I started to make these Kamote Fries, they were my arch enemies. No matter what I did, these fries would always burn. The sugar would carmalize way too early, and they would come out with the sugar looking like someone sprinkled charcoal all over these fries. Then one day, I decided to toss these fries in the sugar and spice after they'd been cooked. They were delicious! Paired with a simple aioli, these fries have been a family hit ever since.
Laos: Pan Mieng (Shrimp Spinach Wraps) with Umami Vinegrette
Seafood has always been one of my favourite things to cook. Growing up off the coast of Vancouver, I've always had easy access to this delicacy. I love salmon, halibut, scallops, and crab. My favourite type of seafood however, would have to be shrimp. It's what my dad cooked for me growing up, and it makes me relive my toddler years. This dish elevates shrimp, by making a balanced flavourful filling out of them. This filling is put in a spinach leaf, and garnished with a delicious vinaigrette called my "Umami Vinaigrette". I absolutely guarantee you'll love this dish!
Korea: Marinated Beef Kebabs with Orange and Soy Reduction
Tender Kebabs with A Sticky Yummy Glaze That'll make you lick your fingers for more.
Canada: Chocolate and Cherry Bannock
My first experience with Bannock was in Grade 4. We went to a place called "The Bighouse" located in Squamish, BC. We stayed at this house for roughly 2 days, and we were treated as honorary aboriginal children. We learned to scavenge, cook, and sew up here, but my favourite part of this experience was making bannock. Bannock is a beautifully soft and buttery bread, which was served with almost every meal we ate up at the Bighouse. We would wrap the bannock dough around a stick, and cook it over an open fire. It was really cool, as you kind of felt like your ancestors. I have adapted this recipe to an oven, and amped up the flavours a bit by adding chocolate and cherries. But none the less, it still tastes like it did when we were up there. Delicious!
China: Chicken and Vegetable Potstickers
My dad is the other resident chef in our family. When I find a dish that pleases my dad, I feel really good because I know I did something right. These pot stickers have a super long making process, but man, when you eat them it will make all the work worthwhile. They're crispy on the bottom, but have perfectly cooked dough on the top, and are filled with the tastiest filling. My dad absolutely drooled over these for the longest time, which makes me know this is a great dish.
Japan: Sushi Duo - Chicken Teriyaki Roll & California Roll
This recipe is a Vancouver classic. Sure sushi originated in Japan, but Vancouver owns it now. The two most common flavours of sushi that I have grown to love are the California roll, and the Beef Teriyaki roll. By making a sushi duo, I have the means to put both in this book, which I love!
Southern USA: Fried Chicken Bites with Sriracha Dipping Sauce
These fried chicken bites are amazing party food. Served with a spicy and sour sriracha dipping sauce, these chicken bites are so good, you’ll feel like you’ve been transported straight to the South y’all!
Jamacia: Hannah's Don't Be A Jerk Shrimp Tacos
This dish has been in my family for quite a long time, and the way we got the recipe is almost like a scene from a sitcom! Some woman was reading a book in a library that my mom just so happened to be in at the same time. The woman got up to go to the bathroom, and my mom (being the curious person she is), got up to see what the woman was doing. She went over, and saw the book flipped to this specific recipe. She thought this one specific recipe looked so good she just had to take it! Good thing she did, because this has become one of my favourite recipes of all time!
Honduras: Baleadas Taco
A dish my dad and sisters love are these baleadas taco. It's basically a Honduran hangover taco that contains beans, eggs, chicken, and sautéed veggies. It has so many flavours, and it really wakes up your taste buds. It's a family favourite that hopefully will also become one of yours.
Cuba: Citrus Marinated Cubano Sandwich
Cubanos first came of interest to me when I watched the movie "Chef". "Chef" is about an executive chef who's career goes up in flames, and is rebuilt from a food truck specializing in Cubano sandwiches. The Cubanos that I saw in the movie looked so good, that I had to try them at home. Truly (as described in the movie), the Cubano is one of the best sandwiches made by man.
Costa Rica: Cheddar Chili Stuffed Peppers
My mom is the queen of chili. Every Halloween before we go trick or treating, my mom makes a beautiful bowl of chili that tastes almost like the filling of a taco. I thought this would be interesting to pair in a Costa Rican classic - Stuffed Peppers. The result? A delicious finger food that had to be included in this book.
Northern USA: Cheddar Stuffed Bacon Burgers
Burgers may be the most iconic finger food of all time. A beautifully toasted bun, a thick and juicy patty, cool crunchy refreshing vegetables, and lots of melted cheese. That is the all American burger, and that is what I tried to recreate in this recipe. I thought it turned out pretty good, because both of my sisters devoured these burgers.
Mexico: Cinnamon Sugar Dusted Churros
Churros are something that I first tried on my Grade 8 sailing trip called SALTS. The cook there was named Beth, and she would serve us all of these delicious delicacies in a small crammed kitchen aboard this boat. I'm not sure how she managed to do it, but every night she would manage to feed 20+ starving children, and feed them dessert! This is her churro recipe, in tribute to her.
Greece: Spanakopita
A memory I will always have, is going to The Greek House in North Vancouver and trying my first spanakopita. It was baked to perfection, golden brown all over, and had a delicious creamy filling of cheese and spinach. I’ve become obsessed with trying to figure out this recipe, and this is as close as I’ve gotten to replicating it
France: Reblochon Tarts
A tart with bacon, cheese, and potatoes. What could be better than that? Reblochon tarts pairs these ingredients together in a dish that has French cuisine written all over it.
Italy: Tomato, Beef, and Monzerella Arancini
Arancini was one of those dishes that I knew I wanted to include in my cookbook, but I never could execute it properly. These little balls of rice were always too oily, or would explode the moment they touched the hot oil. I was getting frustrated, but I tried this variation, and hallelujah the arancini didn't explode! I finally had some arancini to put in my cookbook.
UK: Salt and Vinegar Potato Chips
I haven't met a person in the world who doesn't like potato chips. Period.
Sweden: Skagen on Toast
Skagen in my opinion, is like a high end seafood salad on toast. These flavours meld so well with one another. Creaminess, sourness, herbaceousness, denseness and freshness are all flavours you will taste in this dish. It makes your taste buds go wild in the best way possible. And best of all, it’ll take you less than 10 minutes to make.
Spain: Patatas Bravas with Garlic Aioli
Patatas Bravas translates to “Spicy Potatoes”. They are beautiful yellow potatoes that are boiled, seared until they are a crisp golden brown, and tossed in a flavourful, delicious spice mix. Served with a strong and spicy tomato sauce (entitled the Bravas Sauce), and a garlic aioli that compliments the potatoes amazingly, this “unconventional potato salad” will be a hit at any party you hold.
Holland: Rustic Bitterballen
The first time I made this dish for my family, it was a dark and cold December night. My grandparents were stuck at our house due to a windstorm. They’re like little balls of beef stew with the addition of creamy cheddar cheese. I love them, my family loved them, and I almost guarantee you’ll love them
Germany: Bratwurst Sandwich with Braised Cabbage and Carmalized Onion Mayo
Braising meat in beer is very common in Germany, and I wanted to express that in my cookbook. I knew that making a poached bratwurst would work for this, because the Germans are famous for their sausages. And because I'm underage, I decided to use root beer (one of my favourite drinks) as the braising liquid. All in all this sandwich is about as German as it gets, and I love it!
Iraq: Hummus with Toasted Naan Chips
Sometimes, I come home from school, and I'm starving for a snack. Not a high end sophisticated snack with caviar and truffles and that type of stuff. Just a comforting snack, like hummus. I've loved hummus ever since I was 5. It's the perfect combination of chickpeas, acid, and garlic, and it creates a masterpiece in your mouth. My take on this classic from Iraq, will leave your mouth watering, and will keep you coming back for more
Lebanon: Tabbouleh
Nothing makes me happier than eating a salad. Let's face it, a meal isn't complete without one. Whether it's Cesar, mixed greens, fruit, or this tabbouleh, one thing's for certain, a salad will brighten up your day, your health, and your palate.
Israel: Mini Falafel Wrap with Tzatziki, Cucumber, and Red Onion
Falafels are without a doubt one of my favourite finger foods. They're an amazingly crispy ball of chickpeas, spices, and aromatics that're fried in hot oil, and served with creamy sauces, veggies and pita bread. They're a filling, comforting dish, that has messy finger food written all over it.
Syria: Lamb Meatballs with Pomegranate Relish
Meatballs are something that've been in my family for generations. Even though we're not Italian, we can still make some pretty good meatballs, with delicious sauces and flavours involved. I thought that it would be interesting to use meatballs as a vessel to use one of Syria's most popular ingredients, Lamb. The result? Amazing!
India: Indian Spiced Potato Croquettes with Cilantro Chutney
You may notice that this recipes is formatted a bit different then all of my other ones. The reason? Well, I didn't write it. Growing up, my mom had a book where she'd write down all of the recipes she found interesting. She'd write down every dish, condiment, and snack that she loved making, and would jam the book full of recipes. Using that book has brought me so many great recipes that I've made, so I feel entitled to include one of these recipes in this book. I love you mom!
Turkey: Doner Kebab with Sour Cream Tzatziki
A Doner Kebab is a dish I had never heard of before I started this project. It is a Turkish kebab, made from meat that is traditionally cooked vertically on a rotisserie. It is usually served with tzatziki and pita bread. I decided to try this dish myself, but instead of cooking the meat on a spit, I would marinate it, let it soak in all of it's flavours, and then broil it quickly in the oven. This worked wonders, and is why this recipes is here.
Palestine: Almond Baklava
Baklava is a dessert that my family and friends have always loved. The reason simply being is that it's over indulging and over bearlingly sweet. The pastry is cooked, then doused with a honey vanilla syrup that's to die for. It's so good I'm drooling just thinking about it!
Jordan: Kibbeh (Meat Fritters) with Herbaceous Dipping Sauce
These kibbeh are almost like Jordan's version of a fried hamburger. Ground meat is put into a bread like dough, fired, and served with this delicious, fresh, and herbaceous sauce. The contrast of flavours and textures is perfect in this dish.
Venezuela: Grilled Melon Skewers with Lime Whipped Cream and Mango Caramel Glaze
Most people associate big pieces of meat with the grill. Nice juicy flank steaks, thick succulent pork chops; but did you know that fruit also pairs quite nicely with a bit of char? Well, I’m proving it in this recipe. My delicious fruit skewers have the right balance of sweet, sour, salty, and succulence. Served with a whipped cream and caramel to die for, move over meat, there’s a new BBQ king.
Argentina: Steak Chimichurri Sandwich with Chevre
This is a spin off of a sandwich I had at a restaurant called "Burgoo". Now, Burgoo's specialty is global food, so naturally I had to go there and sample a couple of their dishes. I went there twice, and this dish stood out to me. The juicy steak, the crisp refreshing cucumbers, the flavour packed chimichurri, and the creamy chevre cheese, melded so well inside of this sandwich. I couldn't recreate what I had, but this is pretty close, and it's really damn good!
Chile: Ceviche Salad Cups
This dish really shows the freshness and nakedness of fresh produce and fish. All of the veggies and fish in this dish are standing virtually on their own, with a little lime juice to accent their flavour. That's what I love about ceviche. The simpleness behind it.
Uruguay: Chivito Sandwich
Okay, here's what I'm going to do. I'm basically going to list everything that's on this sandwich, and make you want it more and more. On this sandwich there is: - Rib Eye Steaks - Black Forest Ham - Bacon - Monzerella - Mayo - Lettuce - Tomato - Eggs - Mushrooms - Olives - Roasted Red Peppers - Onion You're welcome!
Peru: "Completo" Hot Dog
South America is famous for loading up meals, that you commonly wouldn't do so with. Peru has done that here, with this hot dog they're calling a "completo". Now, before I tried this, I was thinking "Why would people want pickled cucumbers, tomato, and avocado on a hot dog?". But the first time I tried it, all of my bad thoughts went away, and it became the way I want to eat all hot dogs from now on.
Ecuador: Grilled Pork Tacos
Although my mom makes the best chili, I'd say the best tacos belonged to my dad. Whether it be salmon tacos, shrimp tacos, beef tacos, or chicken tacos, my dad can still pull it off and make it a great dish. But I kinda wanted to go a different way, and what better protein then pork. I had never seen my dad make pork tacos, so why not give it a try? Now, I make pork tacos all the time, but I'm still outshone by my dad in the taco department.
Colombia: Empanadas
Empanadas are a dish that I personally don't really enjoy, but they're probably the most popular finger food in all of South America, so they kinda had to be included in this book. A meat and potato filling, is sandwiched in between a beautiful cornmeal dough, and fried till golden brown perfection. It's a dish labor intensive, but fun to make.
Brazil: Brigaderios inspired Zucchini Bread
Ever since I was little, I've been fascinated with the idea of pairing sweet and savory ingredients together. Something about the balance between those two flavors has always interested me. So, when I found the recipe for a Brazilian truffle dessert called Brigaderios, I naturally wanted to add some sort of a savory aspect to the dish. That's when I had the idea to make a Brigaderios inspired zucchini bread. The result? Fantastic!Thank you for your interest in Hudson Stiver's cookbook and for helping support the BakeSpace community of independent cookbook authors!
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Hands: Global Finger Food From Around The World
FREE
Hello, My name is Hudson James Stiver and I am 14 years old. My passions are soccer, watching reality TV, and playing Ultimate. But most of all I have an undying passion for food. Cooking has been a part of my life since I was three years old, and my love for it has only grown as the years have passed. I enjoy the different flavours, textures, techniques, and all of the other things that fall into the culinary field. Cooking is something that I have loved, and always will love. When I was three, I remember cooking with my dad. He worked most nights as a musician, so cooking was really the way we bonded when I was younger. I still remember going to supermarkets with my dad, and choosing what we were going to make that night. It made me happy, going through the grocery aisles with my dad, and I think that’s really what started this passion that I have for cooking. It’s been said that some of people’s strongest memories center around food, and I believe that these words couldn’t be more true. My passion for cooking continued to grow from there. From the ages of four to ten my kitchen skills progressed from making salad dressings to actually preparing a salad and a side for dinner once a week. I received tons of praise for this new found love, and I was loving it. But, when I was 11, my cooking passion stopped. I’m wasn’t sure why exactly, but for some reason I lost interest. I was suddenly bored by cooking, and I had no idea why this happened or how I could get my passion back. It was definitely a low point in my culinary career. But when I was 12 and 13, something incredible happened. I saw a television ad for a new Food Network Canada series called Chopped Canada Junior. Now, although I had stopped cooking for a while I hadn’t stopped watching cooking shows, and Chopped Canada was my favourite show of them all. The fact that they were finally accepting junior chefs (aged 8-13), had me bouncing off the walls. I sent in an application, and got accepted into the next round of casting! Another round of casting happened, and I was accepted again! My third and final round of casting happened, and unbelievably, I had myself a ticket to Toronto to participate in this competition! Before I continue, let me tell you a bit about Chopped Canada. Chopped Canada is a reality TV show which airs on Food Network Canada. There are four different chefs, or junior chefs in my case, who compete against each other for the Chopped Canada title. The contestants are put in a very professional looking kitchen, with a pantry full of ingredients beside it. Here, they are put through three rounds (appetizer, entree, and dessert), in which they have to prepare a dish in 30 minutes. Sounds easy right? Wrong! The catch is that in each round, you have a “mystery basket”, that you have to open. These mystery baskets contain four ingredients that you must incorporate into your dish. That makes it a lot harder. Then, the contestants get the amazing opportunity to present their dishes to some of Canada’s top chefs. The judges taste and critique the contestants’ dishes based on presentation, taste, and creativity, and at the end of each round they decide who’s dish is “chopped”. The person’s whose dish is chopped is then eliminated from the competition. One contestant is be chopped at the end of each round, but the one chef left standing after the last round wins $5,000 , which is an amazing prize. So, how did I fare on this competition? Pretty well actually. I beat out two of my competitors, but was “chopped” after the final round. I was happy with my performance, considering it’s not everyday you cook with ingredients like black currant jam and orange cauliflower in an appetizer, chocolate pebbles and seven layer dip in an entree, and tonka beans and margarita hot sauce in a dessert! I am so incredibly grateful for this opportunity, as it gave me a new sense of confidence, pride, and ultimately a new view and goal for my cooking, and overall lifestyle. My ultimate goal is to inspire other kids my age to get into the kitchen and cook. Cooking is an essential life skill and, in my opinion, the younger you learn the better. When I was thinking of how I could inspire kids my age to start a culinary path of their own, and how I could help them improve their skills in the kitchen, I could only think of one thing to do: write a cookbook. I have loved filling through the pages of cookbooks all of my life. Each of my food idols has taught me their respective skills through their cookbooks. If they can make a cookbook, then why can’t I? There was only one question: What would it be about? Going back to my childhood, one of the only things I loved to eat was finger foods. I loved being able to be uncivilized, to pick up my food with my hands and not have to worry about the mess. Finger foods were awesome! As the years went on I began to realize other traits I admired about finger foods, including the cultural diversity, the different complexities, and the different flavours in each dish. They all really appealed to me, and made finger foods interesting for me. So, I decided finger foods would be the topic of my cookbook. But what about finger foods appeal to people my age? I can think of three reasons as to why finger foods would appeal to someone my age. One, because they can be either simple or complex. Finger foods can be easy to make (such as banana chips) or more challenging (such as churros). Because these foods range in difficulty, they can appeal to beginner chefs as well as to the more advanced cooks, which makes it so that my cookbook appeals to cooks of varying abilities. Secondly, finger foods are great party foods. Teens my age go to tons of parties (believe me, I know!) but usually, the food is not that great at those parties. It’s always something that you can microwave or heat up in the oven. I think that learning how to make your own finger foods is a good idea for situations like this because you’ll know what’s in the food you’re making, and you can make your own variations of these finger foods that will appeal to your friends. It will probably make the food (and the party for that matter) more enjoyable. Finally, finger foods are fun! It gets boring when you’re making a recipe that you’re not passionate about. You can make loads of mistakes when you are not intrigued with whatever you’re cooking. But with global finger foods that won’t be a problem. There are so many different types of finger foods that span the globe and all of them range in size, flavour, and skill. But all of them are fun to make, and most of all fun to eat. My goal is to make it so that everybody has at least one recipe that they will love to cook and enjoy with their friends. And that’s basically everything that led me to this point. All of these trips and turns, ups and downs, and decisions that I had to make have led me to creating this cookbook. It’s been an amazing journey, and I hope that you all enjoy my creation! - Hudson