Things That Cooking has Taught Me About Life

Over the many years of trial, tribulation and cooking, I have found strength, insight and comfort in something as simple as preparing a meal of my grandmother's meatloaf for a cherished friend, baking a pie for a neighbor, or giving advice and recipes to you through this blog.  I consider myself very lucky that I have grown more awakened to the art of communicating through food.

Call me 'old school', but I'd much rather spend time kneading dough for my Italian Easter breads with my friend Beth or making neat bundles of Chicken Kiev with my mother than entering into a thoughtless trance with the Green Giant or Duncan Hines.  Not to knock those of you who aren't as enthused- in fact, I wonder how much easier my life would be if I weren't so...  Actually, I think I could show each of those two guys a thing or two in the kitchen ;)  The fact of the matter is that cooking is a constant in our lives and if we take the time to look a little more closely, there are some lessons to be learned.

Small Gestures Make a Big Difference
Working in the design and construction industry, most of us survive on coffee and whatever happens to be in the break room. I cannot help but to share the [food] wealth with my coworkers who are always grateful- whether its cake or leftovers from a recent party, a simple gesture makes a world of difference in a sometimes chaotic and stressful day.


Cheap Thrills Are Closer Than You Think
My husband and I are avid gardeners and truly enjoy reaping the benefits from our vegetable and herb gardens.  Nothing compares to that first picked, ripe tomato, the flush of new Swiss Chard or the bursting bunch of fresh basil.  In addition to the benefits of playing in the dirt, we reap the rewards of a carefully tended garden.  For us, it's the little things that make us truly happy, and there is nothing more satisfying than preparing a meal from a basket full of fresh picked herbs and vegetables.

Sometimes It's Best to Just Take a Break

As one who often goes on a marathon to complete whatever it takes to get a task done- whether it's preparing a gourmet meal or writing a detailed proposal, I've come to realize that productivity rates lower in proportion to the length of time contributed to the task.  You are not as astute and mistakes get made.  We've all been there- too tired to get anything right, we end up spinning our wheels and eventually give up.  Stop, take a break, relax and go back to the task with renewed enthusiasm. 

Embrace the Art of Improvision
Ok, how many times have you started a task and realized that you didn't have everything you needed? (To many times to count for me!) Depending on the situation, there is always a way to improvise without compromising the outcome.  We've all been in those situations, whether it was cooking or otherwise. Wrong size pan? Use two smaller ones.  Not the right ingredient? Find something comparable. Wrong ingredient? Use what you've got- you just might create something new and different. Applying this to your everyday life? Always be able to come up with a Plan B!

Get Back to Your Roots
It never really occurred to me until recently that there's a lot of comfort in rituals.  Probably so much so, that I've started bringing back the ritual of the Italian Sunday dinner.  For you, it might be a particular holiday or event- but whenever you think about it, memories come flooding back.  Food will do that each and every time.  Have you ever been somewhere and smelled or tasted something that brought you back to your grandmother's kitchen? Next time you feel nostalgic, prepare one of those cherished family dishes or host the next holiday meal and bring back some of those lost rituals.