Hey, I'm Jason Genao
from On My Block, and I'm back in my hometown of Jersey City.
Now I'm a proud Dominican but being out in L.A.
You don't get too much of that food.
So I'm back here to see my Tia and my Mom
for some bomb-ass cooking!
And I got a friend with me who I haven't seen in a minute.
So... whats goin' on, how you been?
So, you ready to try some Dominican food?
- I am
you ready to try my aunt's food?
-I am
ready to try my mom's food?
I am. We taste buds.
You don't cook.
Hi, Tia.
- Hello, how are you? - Oh, nice to meet you.
It smells so good in here. What are you cooking?
I'm doing sancocho and white rice.
Locrio de Longaniza.
And your mom is coming later.
- She's bringing flan. - OK, perfect.
- That's what I love about food it's like - Yeah
Being with your aunt
and making food and eating food
that's just like recharging that battery.
So when did you guys start cooking together?
what's your earliest memory, you said you grew up on this chicken,
so her daughter is only like four years younger than me, as opposed to my brothers
being like ten years older than me.
- So I was closer to her daughter. - Right?
And I would just go over every day.
She would cook every day.
My mom worked a lot like during cooking time or whatever.
so...
And so like where you just like, Hey, teach me how to make this like,
this is food like because I feel like you love food.
Like, if there's one thing I know about Jason,
like food genuinely brings him joy to make food for people.
So like, when did you discover like that?
I think it was the knives.
Honestly,
The knives?
- Yeah - What's wrong with you?
Somebody, somebody...
You see sharp knives, you're like, can I help cut that?
Can I touch that?
So like she would be chopping. I'd be like, Tia, right?
I'd be like, Tia, can I help you cut? But she would always say no
Good.
But she would let me like, I don't know. She let me like what?
Like chop, like cucumbers or something like that with like a little knife.
But she'd have this big like butcher that you still have.
Like, it's older than me.
I think the first thing I ever cooked was something from Rachael Ray.
What?
- She had that thirty minute meal - Like the show. Yes. Yeah.
30 minute meals.
And I was like, Yo, I, I can do that.
I remember. I know.
I remember.
Like, the first memory I have of
what I cooked by myself was Risotto
Risotto?
Interesting.
It's like a rice dish that's--
I know what a Risotto is
See he try'n to come from a...
My palate has expanded.
- Yeah, OK... - Since The Block.
The Block.
I'm going to tell you a story about the Risotto.
He did the Risotto one day for Christmas.
I was like, He's like, This is what I'm going to do
for Christmas.
So he started doing the Risotto.
And by the end of the day, we had no risotto because they were
they were eating it.
It was arancini balls.
And, you know, like at the end of like, like really they're like fried balls.
And like, you know, when you fry something, you try it right?
And so like, everybody's trying it.
And she lived upstairs and we were frying it downstairs.
- So by the time I went upstairs, - There was none left.
There was like ten.
- Wow - I was like, Are you kidding me?
This is what we're going to eat. Yeah,
I was super influenced by Julia Child,
but also by Meryl Streep being Julia Child in Julie and Julia.
And the other part of that movie is that some girl named Julie buys
Julia Child's cookbook and does every single recipe.
I thought I could do that,
- but Jason - so I got her cookbook,
and then I went to the boeuf bourguignon page, and then I went
and I bought all the stuff, and it was like 100 and something dollars.
I was like, Yeah, I'm done after this.
Yeah, I think it is. I'll get a job.
I was like 13, and I was like, or less
But you made it.
I made it.
OK, so what are what are we making now?
So now we're going to make the Sancocho
What exactly is Sancocho?
It's like a traditional stew soup thing.
I hear it like it's supposed to have seven meats traditionally
but that's insane.
We're putting Oxtail and Gallina,
which is Hen.
Hen?
Beautiful the Sancocho, right?
It is!
Let's do this!
You excited?
I am excited.
Let's do.
I want a nice, colorful plate.
Hmmmmmm.
What would you rate Dominican food?
Ten out of ten, ten out of ten.
Food is good, it's hearty.
It feels like family and community and love.
You know, it's like you guys are sharing
your love with me and your culture with me
it's who you are.
So I'm very appreciative to be here.
- Thank you so much for everything. - Thank you, Tia
It's amazing.
OK, so what are what are we making now?
So now we're going into the Locrio.
I'm chopping the celery one more time.
The... one more time
The Locrio
Lo-cri-o
de Longaniza
Locrio de Longaniza!
Come on.
I lived with Brett for like how many years did we live together?
- Too many.
Oh, wow, that's nice.
Yooo what's going on today?
No, it wasn't too many, you know, it was it was a good.
I actually missed it.
I know that was just one season.
Oh it smells so good.
I forget, we lived together.
for like
It was two seasons.
I had a great time living with you.
No, it wasn't three.
I don't know that it was Paul's house.
And then the second season it was the the the most.
The loft. Yes.
Where was that? It was like right outside of...
That was crazy.
- I've never been there ever again. - I had to buy.
I went to make a flan when I went to make the flan for a friendsgiving or whatever.
There was no stores.
I had to go to a Mexican restaurant and buy two eggs off of them.
No. What was it four eggs?
And they charged me $5 and I had no option
because we lived around nothing, so I paid them $5.
You see,
that's the difference from Jersey City.
- Yeah - We got everything here.
- I used to make pancakes every morning. -Yes.
first of all, my pancakes are special.
I used to really make them every single morning.
And like, it got to the point where, like again, you just make extra.
And I'd just be like, Hey, if you guys are hungry before
you got to set, like there are pancakes here.
And for the first two weeks, Jason was like,
Why are you making these pancakes like this?
Like, I like to just do it the most unhealthy, horrible way.
But it was like they didn't look so bad.
- I would use a full stick of butter - on what, three or four?
Yeah, like for pancakes?
A whole stick of butter.
So a lot of taste.
So imagine like how much butter in the pan
In the pan it looks like, you know, it doesn't look so...
Like, it's going to man.
I was like, he was like, Crazy, what are you doing?
That is crazy? What is happening?
- And then I remember, like, whatever - We had to really late call time and like,
you know, you get there, there's not going to be breakfast.
So Brett says, I'm making pancakes. You want some?
I was like, OK.
He ate the pancakes.
And I ate a pancake
- And it was it was. - He thought it was so good.
Like every morning he'd be like, Make sure you make me extra pancakes.
It was crazy.
It got to the point where, like, if we didn't have time,
he would pick it up with his hand and like, Eat it like a cookie.
In the Uber like as the Uber leaves
But now looking back, Tia, a regular pancake.
But he uses like a little like like a little pan like this.
So like, yeah, maybe the one pancake at a time.
So it's like, these are deep fried in butter.
So it's like, but I'm like thinking back and I'm like,
of course, is going to be good.
You used a whole stick of butter.
Who's your favorite character?
Ummm
What's his name, the other guy, Diego?
El que tiene el caquito pelao'
Julio? or wait...
Julio, Yes.
Spooky, Spooky
I will take that.
I mean, you guys did a great job, oh, now we did a great job.
Look, I love you there too.
But like, I don't know.
Spooky was amazing.
I mean, Julio, sorry.
Everyone's like, if it's not us
Spooky or Diego, because obviously the girls.
- Yes. - Yeah, the girls falling over him.
Oh my gosh. I did a video the other weekend.
Somebody was like Diego's my favorite character.
And I was like, Huh?
I am so proud of him, he's like a little miracle to us.
You know, he went through so much, though I'm like,
so happy that he's, you know...
I'm getting misty
it's the onions, ya'll, it's the onions.
He's pursuing his dreams and I'm I'm really proud of him.
Yeah.
Oh, look, Jay, the food is ready
Oh it's done, can we smell it?
Watch your face tho, cause' of Covid...
Haha
Oh my god, this is it!
This looks amazing!
It reminds me of gumbo.
That's kind of what it is.
Yeah, it looks so good.
Yeah, I can't wait to try this sausage.
This right there, you got to let me catch up now because
my mouth is watering!
This is what I had growing up.
I'm talking with my mouth full, but...
that's how much I like it.
Now taste the chicken
Honestly, thank you so much
This is amazing.
I hope the invite is still open because I'll be here
I'm your Tia anytime.
You know, you can come home anytime soon.
My first Tia.
Jason gonna' be mad.
No he would not.
Jason's gonna be at your mom's house.
The music is lacking Brett,
- So if you can... - OK are you going to learn this with me?
I want to hear you sing.
OK, OK, ready.
The first part goes.
Gucci Bag on back
when I’m on my block
Feeling blessed in my rafs
and my fear of god
Prada shoes and all black
when I’m in the lab
Balmain jeans Michael Jackson
I’m feeling bad
New, new job
That's crazy right.
How are you?
Hi Jason.
So is everybody ready for my dessert?
- Absolutely! - Let's do it!
The flan
Jason's favorite dessert.
Ain’t nobody switch up
I was already like that
I ain’t Hollywood
even though you might see me in Hollywood
ain’t stopped home in a minute
I probably should
I ain’t worried bout nothing
if Holly good
Cuz they know they know they know
My legacy only thing I’m pursuing
What am I doing?
Met all my goals
now I need me some new ones
Dominican vanilla.
It's so weird...
yeah, it just sits at the bottom.
Yes, it is done.
Should we set the table up?
Yes, you should.
Oh, yes, thank you.
Oh, you smell that.
It's so good, it's really good.
It's amazing.
Thank you.
This tastes so good.
What do you think?
I love it.
It's all of my favorite textures
it's cinnamony
it's sweet.
It's just amazing.
And it's cool.
Yeah, it's like a nice little dessert.
Well, on that note,
new beginnings.
Cheers.
Thank you so much.
Thank you guys.