As far as I can remember, I've always enjoyed cooking for other people. I find something emotionally healing and peaceful in preparing a good meal for my family or friends. The progression for this started when I was young. Both my parents worked and though at the time I thought it was terrible, I took on the responsibility of many of our family meals. I did always love making an entire meal when everyone actually enjoyed it. Besides, if you cooked you didn't have to clean and that was the worst part! My first few cooking experiences were quite dreadful actually. I remember one time making one of those horrific microwave cakes. Do you remember those? It came with all the ingredients and you mixed it in a plastic bowl and nuked it for like eight minutes. Well, it was my first lesson in measuring. I learned that 3/4 of a cup does not equal 3-4 cups. I remember sobbing uncontrollably as this was , and is, my primary emotional response to failure. I was probably more upset that I didn't get to eat cake, even if it was out of the microwave. It was also the beginning of my inability to bake. For the most part my cooking has gotten better and it is more and more fun. I have fond memories of cooking with my step dad. He's the reason I always clean as I go (he taught me well) and the kitchen is generally pretty spotless by the time I get done cooking. Cooking was a great way for us to connect, despite whatever emotional trauma I thought I was going through, we could always relate through food. To this day he still makes the best Italian Cream Cake known to earth, though I never acquired his skills at baking. This is probably for the best as I have such a huge sweet tooth, actually I have sweet teeth, but I digress. Needless to say I've evolved in my skills though have permanently removed meat from my cooking as I am terrified of it and always turn it to jerky. In fact, in the beginning there were several meals that Brent and I suffered through. He would smile through the chewing, many times swallowing un-break-downable pieces of whole meat because you just couldn't saw through it. I knew he loved me because he endured most of those "out of practice" meals before I began cooking again more frequently. There were even a few meals that we just had to laugh at and in the end, order out. It's part of the reason I've stuck with my mostly vegetarian choices. I'm much better at cooking veggies. So this week I experimented with my first "raw" 3-course dinner. I was inspired by my most recent Vegetarian Times magazine, which I've just started subscribing to. Brent was out of town and I was excited to prepare this meal for my chicas that I knew would appreciate it. So now, for serendipity. As I bought and excitedly began chopping and portioning out all of the ingredients I thought, "I don't want to sell our loft." What? Where did this come from? I'm cooking dinner and I want to take our place off the market? Not exactly the revelation I was seeking. Well, I love to cook for people but I began to realize most of my friends don't want to eat what I like to prepare. It's a bad deal when your friends come over for a veggie burger taste off and upon leaving go straight to Wendy's. Okay, so all my friends aren't there yet. So, one of the biggest reasons I wanted to move was more space to cook for people and entertain but during this cooking session I realized I only have like 3-4 friends who will eat, and actually enjoy, what I love to prepare: beans, grains, green veggies, etc. So, I was delighted upon the meal serving as the three of us girls slurped and mmm'd and awed at how delightful everything was. It once again made me happy and filled my soul and reminded me just what I was seeking. I want to comfort people and sometimes that's through food. Generally, it's best in small groups and even more so it's veggie style (for me).
This meal was delightful and I think Brent was overall relieved to not have to potentially move and reclaiming our home, putting a halt to random home seekers touring our space. Thanks Vegetarian Times for the inspiration for a meal and the revelation that my home is, well, my home. It's amazing the menagerie of feelings that food can bring, but I didn't expect it to help me realize I was exactly where I need to be. (You view the recipes for the relevant courses by clicking on the pictures above.)
2 Comments
V
3/5/2010 06:10:46 am
Mmm, mmm! It was super delicious! Thanks for cooking!
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Anne H
3/6/2010 03:59:37 am
Cauliflower stir fry rice sounds good....I will have to try that!
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