The Kitchen

I come from a family of great cooks. They are all female. They all cook(ed) for their husbands but more importantly I think they cook because they enjoy it. I think I got this gene because I love to cook. I'm not the best but I can hold my own. I like to cook for others but also I like to cook because my mind will stop and I can just focus on the task at hand. I usually get so focused on what I'm doing that after I am done, I have to reorient myself to the present. Does that makes sense? When I was trying to figure out what I wanted to do with my life, I thought about going to culinary school but didn't have the motivation to apply. Now, I can take cooking classes or just try a recipe on my own. I like to entertain and any reason to have a dinner party is good enough for me. I wish I had more money to have people over for dinner more often but I don't....I feel like over the past month I have been getting more inspired to cook which is a good thing. The more I do it the better I get. It's funny because when I think about the way the females in my family cook we all hold the same position. We stand with one leg (or foot) behind the other and kind of tilt one hip to the side. I am thinking about all of this because of cooking with my Grandmother and Aunt over Thanksgiving. I observed the way they cook and thought they look similar to my mom and myself (those who I am talking about are all from my mom's side of the family). Also, we all think that if you feel like something is missing just add more salt. I guess I just appreciate people who do cook because I know it is a skill. It is also a selfless act because you are making something with your hands and your attention to give to someone else. I would recommend reading Like Water For Chocolate and you will further understand this idea. Otherwise, I challenge you to cook a meal this week.