Contribution by Gregory Han

GH: Food brings people together, and nowhere has food brought me closer to my neighbors than while living in Altadena.

What is a dish that reminds you of home? Alternatively, what is a food or drink memory you feel really speaks to Altadena more generally?

GH: I have two:

1. the brisket our across the street neighbors and friends [Anton & Andre] slow-cooked for an impromptu summer potluck, shared with our cul-de-sac neighbors (some were longtime residents who once knew each other as kids, but who moved away, then recently came back to the 91001), and

2. the fantastic revolving menu of backyard pizzas our friend [Jon] would make for a semi-regular gathering on Friday nights.

Both gatherings made me feel like we had found a place to call home that extended beyond our own four walls.

Do you remember the first dish you cooked in your Altadena kitchen? If so, what was it?

GH: I cannot recollect the first, but I can remember one of our most memorable last meals prior to evacuating: we hosted a small gathering of longtime friends after my wife was diagnosed with cancer. It was a potluck and also a reunion; we had not seen our friends in awhile while navigating countless doctors/hospitals. As much as I recollect my wife Emily making a delicious salad and a very umami-rich wagyu steak I cooked at the table to share, I also remember her sharing afterward how much the laughs and food among friends that evening made her forget her worries for a few hours.

If you are currently displaced, has there been a dish that has brought you comfort? If so, what is it? 

GH: Every time I head back to visit our still standing home (to meet with insurance, FEMA, etc), I like to drop by Prime Pizza for 3 slices and the positive community energy that goes beyond the food.

Gregory Han is a design writer who loves poking under fallen logs for fungus, slim molds, and slumbering salamanders. He resides in The Meadows of Altadena with his wife Emily and his two cats, Hobi and Hanni. While their house survived the fire, they were displaced for months. Gregory and Emily co-authored “Pocket Nature: Mushroom Hunting” and “Pocket Nature: Tree Hugging: Seek Wisdom in the Forest.” The pages of the later are inspired by the trees of Altadena, particularly in Millard Canyon which their home overlooks.

Note: This contribution was sent to Altadena Cooks through google form and email correspondence, and responses have been edited lightly for clarity. See an issue? Please email me at altadenacooks@gmail.com