Growing up in the Philippines, merienda was the heart of our afternoons . Always at 3 o’clock, always in the kitchen, always with root vegetables on the table. Cassava was one of our favorites, made from yuca, naturally gluten‑free and full of the simple comfort we grew up loving.

When my mom visited us in Florida in 2025, those memories came rushing back. Just like the old days, we’d meet in the kitchen and ask,“Nanu ing merienda tamu?”
(What’s our snack?)The laughter, the stories, the smell of coconut .Everything felt like stepping back into my childhood and cassava became our way of keeping tradition alive.





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