For my senior design thesis, I created a recipe book titled: Lo Que Amas: A Cookbook Dedicated to Mama Vera. It is about how food can help us honor, remember and cherish the memories of our loved ones. I have created a recipe book of my late grandmother, Mama Vera’s favorite dishes that she enjoyed cooking and sharing. Each dish is associated with memories and stories my family has shared about Mama Vera. The book contains excerpts of text relating to healing, grief, and the loss of a loved one. In addition, I designed a scarf using elements of the ingredients she most commonly used in her dishes.

With this project, I hoped to help heal my family’s and my grief from my grandmother’s passing and celebrate and remember her life. Sharing a meal can hold a special connection between people, so I hope anyone who reads this cookbook can reflect on their relationships and how food might nurture their bond with loved ones.

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