Food

It seems to me that food has an amazing way of bringing people together.  My specialty is dessert.  Even when I keep it VERY simple, sometimes people act so surprised that I feel like a magician or something.  Cake is a great way to put a smile on someone's face. 

Cooking together is even better.  My very lovely (and funny and fun) Japanese teacher taught me how to make these cabbage/avocado rolls (a.k.a. Green Planet) the other day.  We followed up lunch with baking banana bread and brownies, which are both pretty rare in Japan.  I think she was surprised by how easy they were.  :)