Let’s Get Cooking!
Remember that course you took in high school that was so incredibly boring, you couldn’t wait for each and every second to pass so that you could get out of that classroom as fast as humanely possible?
Chances are, whatever subject that teacher was attempting to enlighten you about fell by the wayside long ago, even if it was a topic you were interested in at the start of the year.
For me, that would be chemistry. And physics.
On the other hand, was there also a class that you loved so much, an instructor so brilliant that he or she made you fall in love with new subject matter that you’d never even remotely been intrigued with before?
Math! And History!
It’s all about the presentation, delivery and enthusiasm which any subject matter is taught; it’s a deal maker, or a deal breaker.
OK, so where am I going with this?
Actually, I’m taking it into the kitchen.
Earlier this week, when I wrote a post about National Fast Food Day, the fact that so few of us are cooking at home these days really resonated with me.
(Less than 60 percent of suppers served at home were actually cooked at home last year, yet only 30 years ago, the percentage was closer to 75 percent[1].)
Why is it that so many view it as a chore, a laborious task that would have to be smashed into an already busy schedule? And how it is that so many are scared to try it, or convinced they’re just downright awful behind the stove?
I began to wonder whether or not the enjoyment of cooking, too, was all about how it was initially presented to us.
Whether or not it’s necessary to delve into a behavioral analysis about ‘why my mother never taught me to cook’ isn’t the theme here.
Rather, it’s the idea of looking at why we actually have gotten to the point of not wanting to partake in something such a fundamental part of our own well being and health as well as that of our kids and spouses.
We make choices and prioritize those things we feel are most important.
We try to implement good habits.
Anyone who’s gone through the process of working through a bad one knows that there’s some reason why it sticks; we’re getting something out of it otherwise we wouldn’t keep doing it.
So if we take a step back and try to assess what we’re getting out of not cooking, what do we find?
How about getting right to the root of it all and deciphering if it’s actually just a matter of better time management or fear of being in the kitchen?
Juggling things around in a schedule can be done with a little creativity.
And guess what?
That same creativity can be applied to our kitchen skills, even if we’re staring with none!
If the interest is piqued, the first and most important step is put in place and we can then determine which methods make the most sense.
Hire a private cooking teacher?
Attend basic classes at a nearby junior college?
Stock up on cookbooks?
Subscribe to Cook’s Illustrated?
Yes to all!
Even better, move forward with the whole family on board.
Imagine a Sunday morning where the whole family goes to the local farmer’s market, chooses their produce, fish and meat and cooks a meal together that evening.
It’s not that far fetched; and there’s no reason why not to try your own version of it.
As soon as the idea of cooking and being in the kitchen can transition from being a task or chore into a something to be grateful for, the chance to nourish our bodies and feed our families, the entire concept comes alive!
Get enthusiastic, and let’s get cooking!
[1] “The Slow Death of the Home-cooked Meal.” Washington Post. The Washington Post, n.d. Web. 17 Nov. 2015
