When I was growing up, my grandparents were the two best cooks in my life. My grandfather was a meat and fish wizard, able to grill, stew, braise, and roast everything to perfection. My grandmother, a Sefardic Jew from Algeria, imbued every dish with flavor and could whip up shakshukas and fruit pies with the same innate talent. And as an only child (and only grandchild until I was 10), I got to enjoy the quasi-exclusivity of all their greatest dishes.
