DAY 149 - REKINDLING MY LOVE... FOR THE ART OF COOKING!

Day 149

Is cooking a chore or a pleasure?  Obviously, there isn't only one answer to that question.  It all depends.  When you are pressured by time and you need to “produce” a meal rapidly, finding pleasure in cooking is very challenging.  However, when you have the time, cooking can turn into a wonderful pleasurable experience.

I love eating good food, trying recipes, delighting my taste buds in original and surprising spice combinations.   The problem is, I don’t have much time to do it.

I’ve been busier than ever.  Between writing this blog, working and taking care of my children, I don’t feel I have that much time.  Yet, in the past few weeks, encouraged by my eldest daughter’s growing interest in the field of culinary art, I’ve experimented with new recipes and I have to say that I have revived my love for it.

Chocolate fondant cake, beef bourguignon, apple and strawberry crumble, Indian butter chicken… These are only a few of the new recipes I’ve tried in the last two weeks. 

What I’ve noticed is that in fact, trying out new recipes doesn’t take more time than doing the same old recipes over and over again.  Granted, it requires more preparation (making sure you have all the ingredients) and more mental effort (you can’t cook with your eyes closed, you need to be focused), but in terms of time, it doesn’t really prolong the amount of it spent preparing the meal.

It seems like around me, more and more people are getting back into cooking as well.   Amongst others, my cousin Serge, who has been trying out and sharing with us new dishes.  He called me last night and told me he had just baked some bread!    Homemade bread… is there anything more delightful?  I can’t wait to try it out! 

I had been thinking (after all I am a thinker as you found out in my post: What I Can Learn from Doers) about trying new recipes.  I am now doing it, dusting off my favorite recipe books and spending time with my daughters sharing happy moments pouring, stirring, whipping and rediscovering the pleasure of cooking!