“Secret Bao,” by Alexander Chu: February 2025 1st Place

Chang stood in front of the freshly fried batch of golden-brown dumplings, steam rising gently, the aromatic scent filling the air. He bit into one and frowned, the dissatisfaction spreading across his pale face, something was still missing. Chang had already tried dozens of recipes, but to no avail, he could not capture the fond flavor; something was amiss. Ever since his beloved wife had passed away from cancer, he had been trying to resurrect their memories through their shared love for dumplings. However, the recipe that they used eluded him. He sighed in disappointment and decided to go for a walk to clear his mind.

He strolled past the plum blossom trees, the vivid vermillion petals slowly floating past his face. Chang slowly walked into the center of the park, drawn by the faint lullaby of a familiar song. The notes of the tune evoked long lost memories of when he proposed to his wife, offering all of himself. That’s when he remembered, the miracle ingredient that brought together their love for dumplings and each other. Chang ran as fast as he could back to his home, by the time he had arrived in the kitchen, he was soaked in sweat, out of breath from his trip. Silent, salty tears trickled down his rosy cheeks, how could he not have realized. All those serene Saturday mornings they would spend together, laughing and chatting. It was not the quality of the ingredients that went in that mattered, it was the amount of fond memories they had made with each other while doing so. The secret ingredient was love.