Why is the job of helping to make pancit in particular such a special job for Cora?
Gilmore: Making pancit is a special job for Cora because it’s a chance to spend time one-on-one with her mother. She savors this time. Cora hears stories about her grandpa. She learns to make a traditional family dish. She has to win the approval of her family that she can do this grown-up job well. Cora experiences what many children of different cultures face. WR: The language in the story is so playful. “Lines of lumpia pranced in rows. Adobo chicken legs be-bopped in time.” Did the food itself inspire you as you wrote? Gilmore: I am always inspired by food. Two of my loves are food and dance. When I cook, I see the food dancing in my head. All the smells, the colors swirl in my imagination. My senses come alive, and I want my readers to experience that too. WR: Did you make a lot of pancit while you were working on the book? Gilmore: I make pancit on a regular basis for my family. My parents live a few miles away from me in Fresno, California. They share meals with us several times
