There is a time in your life when you realize how significant a former stage in your life was. It is a time when all your senses go way back, and you can feel, hear and smell the same things you did when you were a child. During my childhood years, there was no better pleasure than my grandmother's cooking. The smell of her food would make anyone near the house drool, and I was no exception. I still remember the feeling of joy as I went into her kitchen to watch her prepare dinner, hoping I could get an advance taste of whatever it was she was going to treat us with. As I grew older, not only did I wanted to try her food but also wanted to learn a little of what I liked to think about as her kitchen magic.
             When I entered my teenage years my desire to learn how to cook my grandma's recipes decreased, not because I liked her food less but because I was busy thinking and acting like a teenager. As a matter of fact, like with every teenage boy my appetite increased so much that I could eat all she cooked by myself, but she didn't allow me to do it.
             During my years of college, I often called her to ask her how to prepare some of my favorites dishes. One day I wanted to know how to make her delicious Puerto Rican rice with pigeon peas. This is a traditional Puerto Rican dish with one of our favorite beans. To get started I needed to make sure I had all the ingredients and utensils available.
             To make perfect rice, you need the perfect pot. In our culture, we use a "caldero" or cauldron. The first step is to heat some oil over medium heat and cook chopped bacon, ham, or "tocino" (fat back) until crispy. Remove the cooked meat and save it. Now you're ready to make your "sofrito" which is the base of all Puerto Rican dishes. Start with chopped onion, green and red peppers, cilantro and some minced garlic, fry them around three minutes or until tender. When this is ready, add half a cup of tomato sauce and let simmer for a couple of minute...