essay on i love cooking

Beyond the Recipe: Why I Love Cooking and Its Impact on My Well-being

By: Author Valerie Forgeard

Posted on Published: May 30, 2023 - Last updated: July 31, 2023

Categories Lifestyle

As a self-proclaimed food enthusiast, nothing is more liberating than harnessing the power to concoct mouth-watering dishes in your kitchen. Cooking unlocks endless creative possibilities and grants you the freedom to savor life through all its diverse flavors.

Now picture yourself as an artist and scientist – wielding wooden spoons like paintbrushes and blending ingredients like a master chemist. When cooking, you can experiment with various flavor combinations and craft delicious masterpieces that tantalize everyone’s palate.

There’s no greater joy than seeing loved ones gathered around a table laden with delicacies created by your hands while engaging in lively conversations filled with laughter and warmth.

In this article, we’ll embark on a journey exploring why I love cooking so much – from honing essential life skills to fostering community connections through shared meals; discovering cultural diversity via cuisine; supporting local agriculture through farm-to-table initiatives; expressing love and care for others; promoting sustainable living practices; and reveling in the boundless creativity that makes culinary artistry such an exhilarating adventure.

The Art of Culinary Creativity

There’s nothing quite like the colorful dance of ingredients blending to form a masterpiece in the kitchen. As you embark on your culinary journey, you’ll bask in the joy of culinary improvisation and recipe fusion, transforming traditional dishes into your own unique creations.

Cooking allows for endless possibilities as your senses come alive with each new flavor combination or experimentation. In this realm of creative freedom, you can redefine what it means to be a chef. You can break boundaries and explore uncharted territory by combining flavors from different cultures or experimenting with unconventional techniques.

Every dish becomes an opportunity for self-expression and growth, allowing you to leave your mark on every plate in your kitchen.

The Science Behind Flavor Combinations

Imagine the explosion of tastes on your tongue as you experiment with different flavor combinations, unlocking the hidden secrets of delicious culinary creations. The science behind these mouthwatering concoctions lies in molecular gastronomy and flavor chemistry – two disciplines that help explain why certain ingredients work so well together and how to create new, exciting flavor profiles. By understanding the principles of these sciences, you can transform your cooking from a simple hobby into an art form that allows for endless exploration and creativity.

Dive into the world of molecular gastronomy and flavor chemistry by considering these fascinating aspects:

Food pairings : Some ingredients naturally complement each other due to their shared chemical compounds. For example, chocolate and coffee contain pyrazines, giving them a rich aroma that pairs beautifully together.
Taste balance : Achieving harmony between sweet, salty, sour, bitter, and umami flavors creates dishes that are complex and satisfying. Understanding this balance lets you play with contrasts or innovatively enhance specific flavors .
Aroma profiles : A dish’s aroma is as important as its taste. Experimenting with herbs, spices, or unconventional additions like flowers can introduce captivating scents to your culinary creations.
Texture manipulation : Molecular gastronomy techniques such as spherification or foams can completely change a dish’s texture while preserving its original flavors – think liquid olives or airy whipped cream.
Temperature control : Temperature plays a crucial role in how we perceive taste; cold foods tend to have more muted flavors, while hot dishes often feel richer. Mastering temperature manipulation can open up new possibilities when presenting your food.

By embracing the scientific side of cooking through molecular gastronomy and flavor chemistry knowledge, you unleash your creative potential and embark on a journey towards culinary freedom – where rules are bent or broken entirely in pursuit of extraordinary taste experiences.

Building Community Through Shared Meals

It’s no secret that breaking bread together has a magical way of bringing people closer, and in today’s fast-paced world, shared meals have taken on an even greater significance.

Like a symphony orchestra where each musician contributes to the harmony, connecting with others through food allows us to share our stories and experiences while weaving them into a tapestry of friendship and understanding.

Communal feasting, whether a family dinner or potluck gathering among friends and neighbors, has been at the heart of human connection since immemorial.

These events remind us that we are all part of something greater than ourselves – an interconnected web that thrives on generosity, openness, and a willingness to engage with one another.

As you cook for these shared meals, take pride in knowing that your culinary creations provide sustenance, nurture relationships, and foster camaraderie among those around the table.

Experimenting with new dishes or simply preparing tried-and-true favorites allows you to express yourself creatively while sharing your passion for food with those who appreciate it most.

So go ahead – host your communal feast or join in on someone else’s potluck gathering; there’s no better way to celebrate life’s simple pleasures than by sharing them with others who share your love for cooking and good company.

Developing Essential Life Skills

The joy of cooking extends beyond the satisfaction of a delicious meal; it also encourages the development of essential life skills. A culinary endeavor, whether it’s preparing a simple breakfast or an elaborate dinner, is a hands-on experience that strengthens various abilities and aptitudes.

Problem-solving : Confronted with a missing ingredient or a dish that didn’t turn out as expected? Cooking naturally teaches you to think on your feet and find creative solutions, much like solving real-life problems.
Time management : Juggling multiple dishes simultaneously calls for strategic planning and effective time allocation, skills that translate well into professional and personal life.
Budgeting and financial planning : Cooking at home often involves shopping for groceries within a budget, understanding value for money, and reducing waste – all crucial for effective financial planning.
Creativity and Innovation : With thousands of recipes and countless flavor combinations, cooking provides a platform to experiment and innovate, fostering creativity.
Mindfulness and Stress Relief : The cooking process can be therapeutic, promoting mindfulness and serving as a stress reliever.

These skills honed in the kitchen readily transfer to other areas of life, underlining why I love cooking and its holistic benefits.

Exploring Cultural Diversity Through Cuisine

Diving into various cuisines worldwide offers a unique opportunity to experience and appreciate cultural diversity through food. For instance, attending a traditional Japanese tea ceremony could deepen your understanding of their rituals and values while savoring matcha-infused delicacies.

As you venture further into exploring different cultures’ culinary creations, you’ll satisfy your taste buds and gain insights into the rich history, traditions, and techniques that form the foundation of these dishes. You may create cultural fusion dishes in your kitchen or seek out authentic street food during your travels, further broadening your horizons and feeding your desire for freedom.

Some experiences that can evoke an emotional response include:

Savoring a steaming bowl of pho in Vietnam as locals share stories about their heritage.
Biting into crispy falafel at a bustling market in Israel while absorbing the vibrant atmosphere.
Indulging in handmade pasta at a family-owned trattoria in Italy, feeling connected to generations of culinary tradition.
Sampling smoky mezcal with freshly made tortillas in Mexico, appreciating the craftsmanship behind each sip and bite.

Embarking on this journey to explore global cuisine not only satiates your hunger for delicious flavors but also nourishes your spirit by exposing you to new perspectives and connections. Doing so grants you the freedom to break free from routine meals and step outside of your comfort zone – ultimately allowing you to grow both personally and gastronomically.

The Therapeutic Benefits of Cooking

As you delve into culinary arts, you’ll discover that whipping up your favorite dishes can be more than just satisfying cravings – it’s a therapeutic outlet for self-expression and stress relief.

Engaging in mindful cooking allows you to focus on the present moment, appreciating each ingredient’s colors, textures, and scents as they come together in harmony. This heightened awareness transports you away from daily stressors and into a tranquil space where creativity reigns supreme.

The rhythmic chopping of vegetables, the sizzle of aromatic spices hitting hot oil, and the satisfaction of seeing a beautifully plated meal emerge from raw ingredients all serve as mini escapes from reality.

These sensory experiences provide stress relief and foster deeper connections with yourself and others by sharing meals prepared with love.

Experimenting with New Ingredients and Techniques

Embarking on a culinary adventure, you’ll unearth a treasure trove of new ingredients and techniques, adding vibrant colors to your palate’s canvas while expanding your kitchen prowess.

Ingredient experimentation allows you to break free from the monotony of everyday meals, opening up an entirely new world of flavors and textures. As you bravely take that leap into the unknown, exploring exotic spices or dabbling with unconventional produce, you’ll revel in the thrill of discovery – taste and technique mastery.

As you dive deeper into this uncharted territory, each experiment will further hone your skills as a fearless culinary artist whether it’s mastering the artful swoosh of a sauce reduction or perfecting the delicate dance between heat and timing when cooking seafood, every challenge conquered will fuel your desire for more.

Your newly acquired techniques will become powerful tools, enabling you to create dishes that tantalize the taste buds and set hearts ablaze with passion for life’s boundless possibilities. With each daring endeavor in ingredient exploration and technique mastery comes newfound freedom – the freedom to create gastronomic masterpieces that bring joy to your table and soul.

The Satisfaction of Home-Cooked Meals

You’ll find something extraordinary about the satisfaction of home-cooked meals, as they nourish both your body and mind while fostering a deep sense of accomplishment. The process of meal planning and recipe customization allows you to express your creativity in the kitchen, crafting meals that are tailored to your unique tastes and dietary needs.

Consider these benefits of embracing the joy of home cooking:

Control over ingredients : When you cook at home, you have complete control over what goes into your meals – from selecting fresh, wholesome ingredients to adjusting portion sizes for optimal nutrition.
Personalized flavors: Recipe customization means experimenting with spices, herbs, and other ingredients to develop flavors perfectly suited to your palate.
Quality time : Preparing and sharing a home-cooked meal can be an opportunity for meaningful connection with family members or friends, building memories around the dining table.

As you explore new culinary techniques and embrace the freedom associated with creating your dishes from scratch, you’ll discover a newfound appreciation for the art of cooking. Home-cooked meals encourage mindfulness in both their preparation and consumption; by taking time to savor each bite, you can fully experience the deliciousness created through your efforts.

Furthermore, this mindful approach can extend beyond just mealtime – it empowers us to live life more intentionally and authentically. Embrace the gratification derived from homemade creations; let it fuel your hunger and feed into that subconscious desire for the freedom we all seek.

Boosting Confidence in the Kitchen

As you savor the satisfaction of home-cooked meals, another delightful aspect unfolds in your culinary journey – boosting your confidence in the kitchen.

It’s time to unleash your inner chef and explore the endless possibilities that come with kitchen empowerment.

Daring to experiment with new recipes and techniques enhances your cooking skills and fosters a sense of accomplishment as you create delicious dishes from scratch.

Embrace recipe experimentation, take risks, and learn from success and failure.

As you master new recipes, please share them with friends and family or even host a dinner party to showcase your culinary prowess, fueling newfound independence and freedom within yourself.

The Joys of Baking

Diving into the world of baking can be a delightful adventure, with each recipe symbolizing a new opportunity for personal growth and scrumptious satisfaction. Even when faced with baking mishaps, embracing the process teaches you valuable lessons in resilience and adaptability. Each mistake provides an insight into the importance of precision and patience in dough handling, ultimately leading you closer to mastering the art of baking.

As you delve deeper into the world of pastries and confections, you’ll find that your creativity flourishes in ways never imagined before. The joy and freedom of experimenting with flavors, textures, and presentations will fuel your passion for this magical craft.

So roll up those sleeves, dust off your apron, and embark on a thrilling journey filled with endless possibilities as you uncover the secrets behind delectable baked goods that’ll delight not only your taste buds but also your soul.

Mastering the Art of Presentation

But let’s not stop at the sweet satisfaction of baking. There’s another aspect of cooking that truly allows your creativity to shine and elevates your culinary creations to a whole new level.

Enter the world of mastering the art of presentation, where you’ll strive for presentation perfection.

Plating techniques are essential in this journey, as they help transform an ordinary dish into a visually stunning masterpiece. You can play with colors, textures, and shapes to create a beautiful canvas on display your delicious dishes.

And it doesn’t just end with how it looks; perfecting your presentation skills also means ensuring each element on the plate complements and enhances the flavors of your creation, leaving your guests in awe and craving for more.

So go ahead—unleash that inner artist within you and explore newfound freedom in expressing yourself through food!

Farm-to-Table: Supporting Local Agriculture

Embracing the farm-to-table movement not only supports local agriculture but also brings the freshest ingredients straight to your kitchen, allowing you to create vibrant and flavorful dishes that showcase the true essence of each season.

By choosing locally sourced produce, meats, and dairy, you’re reducing your carbon footprint and contributing to a sustainable food system that nourishes both people and the planet. The benefits of local food reach far beyond its delicious taste; it helps preserve our agricultural heritage while fostering a sense of community among farmers, chefs, and consumers alike.

Experiment with new recipes that highlight seasonal ingredients or put your twist on classic dishes for an unforgettable mealtime experience. And remember: every bite counts when it comes to supporting our agricultural impact on this beautiful earth we call home.

Cooking as an Act of Love and Care

As you embark on this culinary journey, let your kitchen become your canvas and each meal a masterpiece, reflecting the tender affection and care you pour into every dish. Cooking isn’t just about preparing sustenance; it’s an art form that allows for nurturing relationships and expressing affection in ways words often can’t capture.

Dedicating time and effort to creating a sumptuous feast or even a simple meal for your loved ones sends a powerful message of love and care. The tantalizing smell wafting through the air as you cook creates an atmosphere of warmth and comfort, inviting everyone to gather around the table.

Recipes passed down through generations carry with them stories of love, laughter, and shared experiences – making every bite taste like home. Sharing a meal cultivates emotional connections, allowing for open conversations that strengthen bonds.

Tailoring meals to suit individual preferences or dietary needs demonstrates attentiveness to their well-being.

Remember that cooking’s an act of love transcends borders, languages, and cultures – uniting us all under the universal language of deliciousness!

The Role of Cooking in Sustainable Living

Now that we’ve explored the emotional aspect of cooking as an act of love and care let’s dive into another reason to be passionate about this art form – its role in sustainable living.

Embracing cooking can help you contribute to a greener planet by promoting sustainable meal planning and zero-waste cooking. As someone who cherishes freedom, you’ll appreciate how these practices offer independence from wasteful habits and reliance on environmentally damaging food systems.

Sustainable meal planning involves choosing ingredients mindfully, focusing on locally sourced, seasonal produce to reduce your carbon footprint. Doing so supports local farmers and reduces the energy consumed in transporting food over long distances.

Zero-waste cooking further complements this approach by utilizing every part of the ingredients you buy, minimizing packaging, and repurposing leftovers creatively. This way, you prevent unnecessary waste and save money while creating delicious meals that nourish both body and soul.

So go on – indulge in the joy of cooking while playing your part in preserving our beautiful planet for future generations to savor!

The Endless Possibilities of Culinary Creativity

You’ll be amazed by the boundless opportunities for culinary creativity await you in the kitchen, allowing you to unleash your inner artist and experiment with flavors, textures, and techniques! Culinary improvisation is an exciting way to transform ordinary ingredients into extraordinary dishes.

The freedom to play around with ingredient fusion can lead to unexpected combinations that tickle your taste buds and broaden your palate. Imagine combining sweet mangoes with spicy sriracha or mixing creamy avocado with tangy goat cheese; the possibilities are endless!

As you delve deeper into culinary exploration, don’t hesitate to challenge yourself by trying new cooking methods or venturing into unfamiliar cuisines. By doing so, not only will you develop a greater appreciation for diverse food cultures, but you will also expand your repertoire of skills and knowledge.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What are some reasons people love cooking.

There are several reasons why people love cooking. For some, it’s a creative outlet to experiment with flavors and ingredients. For others, it’s therapeutic, providing a sense of calm and control. Cooking can also be a way to express love and care for others, creating meals that nourish and comfort. Moreover, it directly connects to cultural heritage, passing down recipes and traditions through generations.

How does cooking enhance personal well-being?

Cooking has many benefits for personal well-being. It promotes mindfulness, as preparing food requires focus and attention to detail. It can also provide a sense of accomplishment as you transform raw ingredients into a delicious meal. Additionally, home-cooked meals are healthier than fast food or processed foods, contributing to better physical health.

Can cooking help improve relationships?

Yes, cooking can certainly help improve relationships. It’s a cooperative activity that requires communication and teamwork, especially when preparing meals. Sharing food you’ve cooked can foster a sense of community and intimacy and provide an opportunity to create shared memories. Cooking for others is also an act of care and generosity, which can strengthen relationships.

How does cooking contribute to self-sufficiency?

Cooking equips individuals with the skills to nourish themselves and others, leading to greater self-sufficiency. It offers control over ingredients and portion sizes, enabling informed choices about dietary needs and preferences. Cooking at home can also be more economical than dining out or buying prepared meals, providing financial benefits.

What can someone do if they want to love cooking but find it stressful?

For those who find cooking stressful, starting with simple recipes and gradually tackling more complex ones can be helpful. It’s also beneficial to view cooking as a process of learning and exploration rather than focusing solely on the result. Online tutorials, cooking classes, and cookbooks can provide guidance and inspiration. Organizing the kitchen and planning meals can also reduce stress and make cooking a more enjoyable experience.

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The Joylessness of Cooking

By Helen Rosner

Kitchen utensils withering on the kitchen counter.

In theory, I love to cook . I’ve been reminding myself of this lately, repeating it almost like a mantra, humming the percussive, iambic rhythm of the phrase while I clatter around in the cabinets in search of whatever skillet is inevitably at the very bottom of a teetering stack of pans, or ram the blade of a knife through the stalks of yet another head of celery, or fling a handful of salt resentfully at a wholly blameless chicken. In theory, I love to cook.

To cook, as a home cook, isn’t just to cook—it’s to plan, to shop, to store, to prep, to combine, to heat, to serve. If I don’t love all those things, all the time, I can at least reliably expect a jolt of pleasure from one or two: the bland labor of chopping onion is paid for, more or less, by the rich smell of the stew as it simmers. But what I love most about cooking (in theory) is that it’s a puzzle to be solved. In its best form, cooking is a practice measured not in individual dishes but in days and even weeks—a strategic navigation of ingredients, expiration dates, uses and reuses, variety and sameness. I’m no good at chess, but in my mind the rush of realizing that the jumble of aging ingredients piled up in your fridge composes exactly what’s needed to make a beautiful dinner has to be, on some level, how Kasparov felt when he realized he was about to sock it to Topalov.

In March, when it began to seem likely that the coronavirus pandemic would lead to a serious bunker-style hiding out, I felt the expected fear and anger but also, I admit, a certain thrill at the idea of a major shift in the rules of the kitchen game. How do you make it work when you don’t know how often you’ll be able to grocery-shop? In early February, I had spoken, for a story , to a couple in Shunde, China, who had somehow been composing culinary sestinas in the midst of a strict lockdown, with minimal access to fresh ingredients; following their lead, in the weeks before New York City issued its own social-distancing mandates, I started growing my own herbs, bought jars in which to put up pickles, scoured cookbooks for recipes that used nothing but pantry ingredients and yet wouldn’t feel like military rations. We would be eating paella, I informed my husband, and cassoulet, and miso soup with homemade tofu, and fresh pasta, and Niçoise salads without the lettuce. We might be prisoners in our apartment, but at least we’d eat like kings.

Of course, that’s not how things went down. It became clear, almost right away, that, besides a few precarious weeks of toilet-paper shortages, any worries of major supply-chain disruptions were unfounded. If anything, by April, home cooks (at least, those whose incomes hadn’t evaporated when the nation began its economic domino-fall) had access to more and better ingredients than we’ve ever had before: as restaurants were forced into state- and city-imposed shutdowns, their suppliers started scrambling to sell their now-homeless inventory at retail, and often by mail. Steaks once destined for steak houses, chickens of rare and beautiful breeds, exquisite olive oils and vinegars by the gallon, gorgeous cheeses, freshly milled flours, a dazzling cornucopia of specialty fruits and vegetables—the sorts of rare and sensitive specimens that risk-averse grocery stores would never consider making space for—were suddenly available, and at shockingly attainable prices. During the past seven or eight months, my refrigerator has been stocked with the raw materials of fantasy; you could dive into my spice drawer like Scrooge McDuck into his swimming pool of doubloons. I’ve stir-fried Sichuan-style cumin lamb, made slow-roasted pernil asado, fired up pots of oil for a farmers’-market fritto misto; I spent the summer juicing limes and slicing fish for a nonstop parade of tart, light-as-air ceviches; I’ve made hundreds of dishes for hundreds of meals. And I am so bored. I am so tired. In theory, I love to cook. But I am so, so sick of cooking.

I take some comfort in knowing that I’m not at all alone in this feeling. “I hate cooking now, and I hate that I hate cooking,” my friend Sarah confessed to me recently, after months of making and eating meals by herself while her partner works a schedule that, thanks to COVID -19, means he’s never home for mealtimes. A recent Quartz report points to increased sales of prepared foods as evidence that COVID -related kitchen fatigue is a bona-fide trend. The critic Tejal Rao wrote recently, in the Times , about culinary burnout : “I don’t think I’m supposed to admit this here in the Food section, but when I think about cooking, I’m filled with dread.” My social-media feeds are full of individuals regarding their own culinary ennui with something adjacent to awe. “I don’t know what to make for school lunch. or for dinner. or for breakfast. i no longer know what i like to eat, what i know how to cook, what is healthy, what the children enjoy, or even what is actually edible,” the novelist Rumaan Alam tweeted recently. Others yearn for a sci-fi future where dinner is distributed in pellet form, or own up to subsisting on candy bars, or grudgingly admit to, finally, understanding the allure of zero-effort meal replacements like Soylent and nutritional drinks such as Carnation Breakfast Essentials® products. I keep thinking about a post from earlier in the fall (now deleted, but seared forever in my screenshots folder, and on my heart), which made the rounds among my friends: “gotten to the point with eating where i basically just want a nutrient slurry injected into me,” the Twitter user wrote.

Feelings of emptiness are normal, even expected, in times of stress and uncertainty. (“Stress and uncertainty” being at best a tiptoeingly diplomatic way to describe the experience of the past year in America, with its million and a half dysregulations, both ambient and immediate.) But isn’t cooking supposed to be a balm for this sort of thing? Much of the happiness I used to find in cooking—even when cooking became, sort of, my job—was rooted in how tangible it was, in both labor and outcome. Simple, repetitive, semi-creative tasks like kneading dough and chopping dill are supposed to thaw us when we’re frozen with existential dread, to ground us in the tactile world, to give us a sense of power and control over the small universe of the cutting board and the stovetop. This makes sense, I know it’s true, and I guess I remember living it, and believing it. But lately it feels awfully far away. I don’t want to re-center myself by being mindful while I peel a head of garlic for the hundred-and-thirtieth day in a row; I want to lose track of myself entirely by playing seventeen straight hours of a battle-strategy video game in which I get to be a military-school professor with magical powers and green hair.

Much has been made, in these months of the pandemic, of the wisdom to be found in “ How to Cook a Wolf ,” M. F. K. Fisher’s great guide, from 1942, to cooking and provisioning during the extreme shortages of the Second World War. I’ve always loved this sharp, snarky little book, particularly the way Fisher walks a tightrope between buck-up bonhomie and stark misanthropy. She doesn’t pretend that circumstances aren’t dismal well beyond the contents of her pantry—the wolf of the title is fatigue and anxiety as much as it’s hunger. But she makes a good case, in chapters like “How to Be Cheerful Through Starving” and “How to Rise Up Like New Bread,” for finding the fun in misery. “Here are some suggestions which sound touched with a kind of sordid whimsy until you try them,” she says, to introduce a list of alternative fuel sources culled from books dating back as far as the Victorian era. “Then they really work, and make you feel noble and brave at the same time.”

From the vantage point of abundance, this sentiment is inspiring; in an era of need and shortage, it’s timeless and practical. For me, right now, it makes me want to hurl a cabbage at the wall. (I’ve had a cabbage taking up space in my fridge for over a month now; this use for it seems as good as any.) Behind Fisher’s exhortations was an engine of higher purpose: the rationing of that era was a cost of fuelling a war, the sacrifices on the home front motivated by a narrative of patriotism and righteousness. The COVID -19 pandemic is sort of a war, but only in the most absurd and nihilistic way: the economy hasn’t been diverted to wartime production—it’s just in crisis. The people trying to make do with limited resources are in that position because they don’t have jobs or adequate (if any) governmental relief, not because all the butter is earmarked for our boys overseas taking down the Nazis. “I believe that one of the most dignified ways we are capable of, to assert and then reassert our dignity in the face of poverty and war’s fears and pains, is to nourish ourselves with all possible skill, delicacy, and ever-increasing enjoyment,” Fisher writes, beautifully, and to my great irritation. My enjoyment is anything but “ever-increasing.”

I actually have grown as a cook a fair amount during these months of social distancing: I’ve read some marvellous cookbooks; I know how to shuck an oyster now; I’ve mastered the art of slow-roasting a duck until the skin crackles and the meat is tender as a sigh. But the moments of glittering satisfaction are duller, and less frequent. I’ll try to muster up the thrill I used to feel after finding bundles of Chinese pink celery at the farmers’ market, or scoring a really excellent jar of jam, and it’s more like a memory of delight than the actual sensation. (And I can’t remember what I even used to make with jam—what on earth do people do with jam?) When I cook now, it’s not because I have to—though I realize this is a great luxury, to be able to give in to the lassitude and tap out, to order delivery saag paneer or (I refuse to be ashamed) crack open a soothing can of Beefaroni and leave the rest of my household to fend for themselves. (That I’ve ever been able to think of cooking as an unadulterated joy—that cooking gets to be a choice at all—is itself a privilege.) When I cook now, it’s because I ought to: it’s not a necessity driven by material limitation but, rather, an amorphous sense of moral imperative. In COVID -ravaged America, restaurant dining is still forbidden in some states; many establishments have closed forever, and ordering delivery from those that remain is an ethical minefield. Just when I started feeling like I might be up for the idea of bundling up to eat a wintry outdoor meal at a bistro table sandbagged in the middle of a parking lane, New York City’s infection rates started spiking again. Obligation, it turns out, is the real thief of joy; they wouldn’t make so many TV commercials featuring women who seem ludicrously happy to be doing laundry if endless compulsory domesticity didn’t slowly sandpaper away at the soul.

Compared to, well, everything, this crisis of culinary anhedonia is small beans. (I’ve been telling myself every day for a week that I should start soaking some beans. I have not soaked any beans.) But it feels all the more acute as we round the corner to Thanksgiving, a day that has come to rely on the terrible notion that a home-cooked meal is essential, and that the work of cooking it ought to be both all-consuming and undertaken without complaint. This is a lie in any year—not only is it perfectly fine not to make turkey, it’s perfectly fine to try and then fail, or to outsource the meal, or to reject the holiday altogether. This year, when the still-unchecked spread of the COVID -19 virus means that gathering in close quarters with loved ones seems reckless, and dangerous, the idea of cooking a grand, communal meal feels all the more dissonant. The sprawling multigenerational crew that populates my usual Thanksgivings will of course be celebrating separately; there are plans for a group video call, so that we can raise a glass to tradition, and for a while we considered a plan for everyone to make one recipe in common—a thread of a shared dish (mashed potatoes? Some sort of green-bean thing?) tying us together while we’re all so far apart. But that idea fizzled. We’ll eat our own meals in our own homes, and call one another to say hello and “I love you.” And then dinner will be over, and the leftovers from the meal will last a day or two or maybe three. And then we’ll all find ourselves back in front of the stove, cooking another dinner, all over again.

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Please support us by disabling your ad blocker on our site., i love to cook, and it’s not because my mom taught me, how a little bit of free time and patience steered me into the kitchen.

Before coming to college, I could confidently prepare three kinds of food for myself: pasta, sautéed vegetables, and smoothies. During high school, I felt like this was more than enough to sustain me for the rest of my life. If not, I used to tell my mom that I hoped I’d make enough money to have a personal chef. I never wanted to prepare, cook, or clean up meals. Oh, how the times have changed.

I’m not sure where my aversion to cooking came from. My best guess is that in high school, I was always in a rush, so cooking seemed like a luxury I couldn’t afford. I often needed to eat in the ten–minute windows between school and practice. My mom is a great cook, but I never thought deeply about eating her food because at the end of the day—it was a race to eat my dinner so I could get back to my homework.

When asked to help with preparations for dinner, I would groan. To me, cooking was housework, and I wasn’t a fan. I would peel potatoes, cut the ends off of green beans, and chop onions. I would even make my brothers shuck corn for me in return for favors. I hated it that much.

It’s not that my mom never taught me to cook. If I would’ve asked to learn, she would have been excited to help me. But I never did.

My mom tells me I’m impatient. As the oldest of three younger brothers, I’ve become accustomed to waiting for things to happen: waiting for them to be old enough to talk to, to get their shoes on to leave the house, to get down the ski slopes. I’ve never been good at waiting for meals at restaurants, or for breaks from school. I guess I’ve never wanted to cook with her, because I was impatient and hated having to be told what to do.

This past summer, with more free time after graduating from high school, and with the anticipation of only eating out of dining halls, I became more eager to cook. I made a smoothie every morning and perfected my recipes. I made chickpea pasta combinations almost every day for lunch. I had no idea what I was doing. I experimented. One day, I’d add capers and lemon, and the next day, it would just be lemon and tomato sauce. I began to tell how much oil the vegetables needed in order to be cooked, how the pasta felt when it was ready, and what the aroma was when my creation was ready to be eaten. I’d never been told how much to salt things or how to cook veggies. I flipped the veggies like I’d seen my dad flip bacon—it was often a mess. I would spend a lot of time cooking and cleaning, forcing my mom or brothers to try what I had made. It was nothing special, but it was something I had created on my own: no recipes, no instruction.

Something clicked during the first semester at Penn. All of a sudden I was craving a kitchen environment. While talking to my college house director one night at a house–wide dinner, she mentioned that I could cook in her apartment for her, her husband, and eight of my friends. I took up the opportunity—despite still only knowing how to cook pasta, veggies, and smoothies—and we set a date.

My friend and I came up with a menu: pesto pasta (I was confident I could cook that, at least), chicken, and Brussels sprouts.

We ended up getting a pre–seasoned chicken to keep things safe. We went to their apartment in the Quad an hour before everyone else and starting cooking. I’d ask her for oil, salt, pepper, butter, etc. I cut the Brussels sprouts and seasoned them as I’d done at home. Still, without any real knowledge on the proper way to cook, I rolled with it. I added dates, capers, bacon, and lemon. It was a random collection of ingredients—things that I thought would work well together. I got lucky. It ended up really good.

That night changed me. I was cooking for ten people, in a kitchen I’d never been in, and without any knowledge of how to cook what I was cooking. I told a friend who wasn’t at the dinner about this afterwards, and she was astounded that I’d had the confidence to do that without a repertoire of recipes.

The conversations that we had at that dinner in the Quad made me so happy. I loved Penn, but I was missing a homestyle forum. We talked about school and family while sharing home–cooked food, and went in for second and third servings.

Suddenly, I was enveloped in cooking. I went home for winter break and made cookies, my Brussels sprouts recipe, and plenty of pasta. I even tried to follow some recipes.

Over spring break, I cooked dinner for my extended family. I bought cod, pasta, and carrots to prepare. Following a recipe for the first time in my life, I pan–cooked the cod in a bath of chickpea, onions, mint, and oil. With the pasta, I thought about what might taste good and put it on top: garlic, parsley, salt, and butter. I also tried to replicate Magic Carpet's cookies by adjusting a recipe for oatmeal applesauce cookies. In the end, as I was running out of time (amateur mistake!), my mom prepared the carrots and my brother made the cookies, but all under my instructions. I even felt fancy, and put out some burrata with crackers and olive oil. Is that how it is served? I’m not sure, but my family liked it!

Bobby Flay would be insulted by my technique, but my family and friends love my cooking, whether they know I’m improvising or not. And it makes me love it too.

Figuring out how to cook on my own has made me more confident. I may not know the proper techniques, but I’m confident that that will come with time. Some might call it bullshitting, but I call it finesse.

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Reasons Why I love Cooking (And How Can you Learn it Too)

Cooking is my passion. I started to learn some basic recipes when I was around 10 years old, mostly by helping my parents in the kitchen. I was given little tasks such as peeling the veggies, slicing the ingredients and sometimes washing the dishes. I also enjoyed watching cooking shows on local TV, such as the Delmonte Kitchenomics cooking segment by Sandy Daza. Since my dad works as a cook abroad, his collection of cookbooks and recipe clippings became my fascination too. I found bliss looking at the gorgeous food photos, reading the unfamiliar words from different cuisines, and reading the procedures.

As I grew up, I gradually learned cooking different dishes from the simple to complex ones. I don’t consider myself an expert, but I know I truly enjoy it a lot. If there is one household skill I am proudly capable of, I know it is cooking! I get weary of doing the laundry or mopping the floor, but not cooking.

While others think of it as a dreadful chore that only fits those with culinary skills, I disagree. It is easy to learn and to love! I’ll be sharing with you the reasons why I love cooking and how you, eventually, can learn it too.

1. It can be a medium to express yourself. It is an art.

It’s an art because it can be done in several ways. The possibilities are endless. You can use your imagination and creativity, play with the ingredients and innovate. It’s also like creating a masterpiece. You can own it and no one can imitate the exact copy of it.

2. It is a love language.

Cooking is one of my primary love languages. I show my love and affection to my loved ones by cooking their favorite dish or learning a recipe for them. It’s pure labor of love so to speak! All the tired arms and legs from prolonged standing are worth it once you see your loved ones satisfied with your cooking.

3. It is a continuous learning process.

From time to time, you’d be surprised by the new things you’d learn. You improve yourself more by making mistakes the first time and correcting yourself the next time. It’s a never-ending process, but it’s fun and fulfilling!

4. It is an effective outlet.

After a tiring, stressful day at work, I find myself rummaging through food items in the grocery lane and thinking of a dish to cook. Then I forget about my problems. I enjoy the food later. It’s a good release of negative vibes!

5. It saves the expenses.

If you know how to cook a special dish, that can save you from those fancy trips at expensive restaurants. You can minimize eating out at fast food chains and rather eat the healthy food you prepared.

6. It can give you extra income.

Need I say more? Big restaurants and catering services started from simple housewives in the kitchen who honed their craft and made it a business.

Learning How to Cook

Believe me, learning how to cook is easy. As long as you have the heart and willingness to learn, you can do it. Here are my basic tips:

1. Learn the basics. Start from the small things.

Study the basic skills first: chopping, sauteing, frying, boiling, etc. Then practice and practice. Everyone starts from scratch so don’t be too intimidated.

2. Ask questions.

Seek help from experienced people you know such as your mom, close friend, grandma, neighbor, colleague or sister. Join forums and pitch in your comments in different social media.

3. Watch video tutorials and read recipes online. Get your own cookbook.

With the prevalence of technology today, there are so many ways to learn anything compared before. You can search recipe tutorials on Youtube, Instagram, Facebook, blog sites, Pinterest — practically any social media or internet platform! Before, my dad has to purchase his own cook books and cut recipe clippings from magazines. Now, it’s totally different and much easier! So, no excuses!

If you have the passion and finances, why not pursue it in education and enroll yourself in any culinary course?

4. Change your perspective about it.

Everything starts from your willingness to learn. Be like a sponge — open your mind to absorb anything. Don’t think of it as a dreadful chore, or else you will easily get tired of it.

5. Practice. Practice. Practice.

Apply the theories you’ve learned by doing it. There’s no other way.

So there you have it. I hope it changes your mind, if you haven’t started to like cooking or afraid to try it. Soon, it can be rewarding for you and your loved ones.

5 Reasons I LOVE Cooking

[dropcap style=”font-size: 60px; color: #9b9b9b;”] L[/dropcap]ast year I had a huge ‘a-ha’ moment about my business and my blog. One of those big ‘lightbulbs-flashing’ realizations.

Basically I’ve been doing you a disservice.

I’ve been apologizing for asking you to spend time in the kitchen (I did write a whole book of 10-minute recipes ) instead of inspiring you to enjoy your time cooking.

I still believe that delicious, healthy food need not be complicated nor take hours and hours. And I still believe in the power of keeping things simple.

But from now on I promise to lead by example. And inspire you to enjoy one of (my) life’s biggest pleasures more often.

So let’s get the year started in a positive way with the 5 biggest reasons I just love hanging out in my kitchen (with a baby playing on the floor).

1. It’s fun.

I love that cooking give me a chance to be creative and indulge in some ‘play’ time – something we adults could do with a lot more. I adore losing myself in the rituals of chopping, stirring and tasting.

2. It’s delicious.

When you’re cooking you get to choose what you make AND what goes into each dish. You also get to choose the quality of the ingredients. So it’s easy to make things that are the most delicious to you.

Love chilli (like I do)? Then add more. Love sharp, acidic flavours (like I do)? Then add a splash of vinegar or a squeeze of lemon.

Think of it as a choose your own (tasty) adventure.

3. It’s good for your body.

The more I learn about nutrition the more I’ve come to realize that the most important factor for healthy eating is to avoid processed food and focus on using real ingredients.

And the best way to do this? Cook for yourself as much as you can.

4. It’s good for the soul.

Spending 30 minutes in the kitchen preparing dinner will put me in a much calmer, less frazzled mood than sitting on the couch for the same amount of time.

Plus it gives me an opportunity to nurture my family and friends. To express my love and take care of them.

5. The praise!

As much as I’d like to think that all these lofty benefits were what first got me into cooking, really, it was the praise.

Hearing the words ‘this is amazing’ was a huge motivator for me to keep spending time in the kitchen when I was learning to cook.

And still is.

________________________

Sunny Roast Peaches

I only became a huge fan of peaches a few years ago when I started roasting them. It’s almost magical how a little spell in the oven transforms them into super sweet sunny globes of goodness. Now they’re one of my favourite Summer fruit.

Roasting fruit like this is brilliant for enhancing the natural sweetness without having to rely on adding processed sugar.

Fergal and Finbar just loves these peaches and will happily gobble up as many as I keep feeding them. But they make a super lovely dessert for adults too. The quantities are totally a guideline, you can double or halve the recipe depending on how much fruit you have.

takes: about an hour makes: enough for 4-6 4-6 peaches

1. Preheat your oven to 180C (350F).

2. Rinse peaches and layer in a baking dish. Cover with foil and baked for 30 minutes.

3. Remove foil and return to the oven uncovered this time and bake for another 20-30 minutes or until the peaches are soft and squishy.

4. Serve warm or cold.

different fruit – my favourite way to cook all stone fruit (think apricots, nectarines, plums, cherries), apples and pears. I usually quarter apples and pears to remove the seeds. And sometimes I halve apricots or plums and remove the stone, if I can be bothered. I usually pit cherries first because I’m feeding them to little ones (who I must really love because it takes for- ev -er). Smaller fruit will take less time to cook.

different flavourings – feel free to add a chopped vanilla bean or some lemon zest.

more ‘saucey’ – leave peaches to cool with a foil cover on.

short on time – serve fresh berries or peaches with ice cream or cream.

paleo (gluten, grain + dairy-free) – serve peaches with coconut cream or coconut yoghurt.

With love and best wishes for the new year! Jules x

15 Comments

I very much enjoy cooking and do it well, but rarely hear strong compliments on my cooking – it’s just not in my husband’s nature to do that. I’m afraid that cooking leaves me feeling frenzied all too often, but every now and again I come across a recipe like the one I made for dinner tonight that do result in my feeling calm, because they come together so nicely. Love the idea of roasting peaches. Now, if only I had an oven at the house (at the beach) where I can get really good peaches… BTW, I have found you inspiring, because I’ve learned so much from you (especially simplifying and substituting ingredients).

I share the same reasons as you, I also find it incredibly calming (most of the time). Love the idea of simplifying life for 2017 :)

Yay for simplicity and kitchens Ruby!

Couldn’t have said it better myself! I luurrrvve my kitchen time, daily at least, for exactly your reasons! This is what we call “FUN”. And rewarding fun at that, as you say!

Keep up the great work. Bill

Thanks Bill! Good to hear I’m not the only crazy one out there :)

Great blog. I would like to add couple points on why i like to cook. 1. I can share my cooking abilities 2. I can have people over and try my authentic cuisines 3. I can make money hosting events at home

http://www.cultatrad.com

Good for you Randy!

Great blog! I like to eat. Most of the time, if I want to eat what I like, I have to do it myself!:)

The roast peaches look sooooo amazing! I will have to try them this weekend.

Well, there was one thing I wanted to do more than anything – cooking. When I was a child, watching my mother cook always made me want to try. Maybe this is the way to take my stress away (btw, I’m a Vietnamese psychologist!). This is why I created my own website about cooking.

Jules I love how you have expand everything in so much detail and I love that we booth love cooking really healthy meals that are good for our bodies. Laylah

Oh yay Laylah!

HI, Jules I really like the way you describe cooking. You will be happy to know that I have loved cooking for a long time. I love to cook, especially if it’s for my family. To put it bluntly, Cooking yourself is risk-free and healthy. There is a love in it because everyone in the family is involved with it. Besides, the description of the roast recipe that you have made me think specifically. I want to apply it too. Can anyone tell me how much roast a day can be a good dose for a human being?

[…] and you are going to start to feel a lot more at home before you know it. For instance, if you enjoy cooking, then you should be sure to have your kitchen laid out so that it is easy to prepare some of your […]

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Writing city tech, one blog at a time, why i love to cook.

Hope everyone had a Happy Thanksgiving and was able to eat lots of good food! I know I did. If you’ve been following my blog posts than you know that I normally like to write about restaurants, lists of foods I like, and etc. Today I would like to share with you why I love to cook, because even though I don’t have time to do it as much as I’d like to I still love it! So here’s five reasons why I love to cook –

2. While cooking can be fun and easy, it can also be hard and challenging. However, if you don’t face the difficulties or challenges that comes with cooking, you won’t be fearless and you won’t ever know how far you can take something. I have gave myself challenges to learn how to make certain dishes/recipes and some have been a failure, but with more practice and effort they have become successes. I was never really good at folding dumplings in the crescent fold, but after learning from my boyfriend and more practice I became good at it.

3. Another reason why I love cooking is because I have the opportunity and ability to learn from foods I’ve eaten and restaurants I’ve been to on how to plate food just by looking at it. Some of the foods I’ve seen presented have been incredibly amazing and just so artistic that I almost don’t want to eat it or touch it.

4. I like to control what goes into the food. There are times when I go to restaurants and I do like to pick out certain foods that I don’t like such as raw peppers, raw onions, ginger, and etc. When I cook, I am able to control how well I want certain ingredients to be cooked and whether if I want to add them or not. I also don’t like to add too much sugar to the food/dishes if I don’t need to. I also don’t like to add too much oil if I don’t need to either.

5. I love to cook because cooking has opened my eyes, heart, and stomach up to a lot of different foods that I thought I would never like or make. I never thought I would like Brussel sprouts, kale, and arugula , but I do! Cooking and food has motivated me to try different cuisines, foods, ingredients, and just be a little more opened and less picky.

There’s so much about the experience of cooking I enjoy. It’s everything behind-the-scenes as well – the scent of fresh basil, the fragrance of cilantro, the taste of butter, the crackle from the skillet, and the sight of a perfectly roasted chicken hanging up by the window at a Chinese restaurant. Cooking speaks to all of my senses.

Do you cook or bake? If you do, what do you like most about it?

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Essay on Cooking 100, 150, 200, 300 and 400 + Words

Essay on Cooking- 100 Words

Cooking is a process of preparing food by using heat. Cooking can be done in many different ways, such as baking, grilling, frying, and boiling. Each method of cooking has its own advantages and disadvantages. For example, baking is a healthier option because it doesn’t require the use of oil or fat. However, it can take longer to cook food this way. Grilling is a quick and easy way to cook food, but it can cause the formation of cancer-causing chemicals on the food. Whether you’re cooking for yourself or for others, the tips in this article will help you to become a better cook. So get in the kitchen and start cooking!

Essay on Cooking- 150 Words

Cooking is an important life skill that everyone should know. It can be a great way to show someone you care, and it can also be a fun activity to do with friends or family. There are many different techniques and recipes that you can try, so there’s always something new to learn. Plus, cooking at home is usually healthier and cheaper than eating out. So if you’re looking for a way to improve your life, learning how to cook is a great place to start. Cooking can be done in many different ways, such as baking, grilling, frying, and boiling. Each method has its own benefits and drawbacks. For example, baking is a healthier option because it doesn’t require the use of oil or fat. However, it can take longer to cook food this way. Grilling is a quick way to cook food, but it can cause the formation of cancer-causing chemicals called heterocyclic amines (HCAs). Frying uses hot oil to cook food, which can make it very unhealthy. Boiling is a good compromise between healthy and fast cooking, but it can make some foods taste bland.

Essay on Cooking- 200 Words

Cooking is a necessary life skill that everyone should know. It can be a fun and rewarding experience, or it can be a chore. However, learning to cook can be a great way to show off your culinary skills and impress your friends and family. There are many different methods of cooking, so there is sure to be something for everyone. Whether you’re a beginner or a master chef, cooking is a skill that you can always improve upon. No doubt It’s a great way to show creativity, and it can be very fulfilling to make a meal for someone you care about. Cooking is an incredibly rewarding activity. Not only do you get to create something delicious, but you also get to bond with the people you’re cooking for. Whether you’re cooking for yourself or for a large group, there’s always something special about preparing a meal and sharing it with others. If you’re looking for ways to improve your cooking skills, we hope this essay has given you some ideas on where to start. Keep practicing and perfecting your craft, and pretty soon you’ll be whipping up Michelin-star worthy dishes in no time. Cooking can also be a great way to bond with friends or family members, so don’t be afraid to get everyone involved in the kitchen. Who knows, you might just discover a new favorite dish!

Essay on Cooking- 300 Words

No matter what the reason is for enjoying cooking, there is no doubt that it is a skill that can be valuable in many different situations. Whether you are wanting to impress someone special or simply looking for a way to save money on eating out, learning how to cook can be a great investment of time and effort. And even if you never master the art of gourmet cooking, simply knowing how to cook basic meals can be a huge help in your day-to-day life. There are many different reasons why people enjoy cooking. For some, it is a way to relax and unwind after a long day. Others enjoy the creative process of coming up with new recipes and experimenting with different ingredients. And for many, cooking is a way to show love and care for others, whether it be family, friends, or guests. There are many different techniques that can be used when cooking, and each person has their own unique way of doing it. Cooking is a great way to show creativity and express yourself. It can also be a fun activity to do with friends or family. Cooking can also be a great way to relax and de-stress. Whether you’re cooking a simple meal or something more complex, the process can help you to clear your mind and focus on the task at hand. When cooking, it is important to follow recipes and instructions carefully. This will help you to avoid making mistakes that could make the food unsafe to eat. It is also important to keep your kitchen clean and organized. This will help you to be more efficient when cooking and make the process more enjoyable. Cooking can be therapeutic, and it can also be a great way to show your love for others. Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned chef, I hope this essay has inspired you to get in the kitchen and start cooking up some delicious meals.

Essay on Cooking- 500 + Words

Cooking is an activity that everyone can enjoy. It doesn’t matter if you’re a beginner or a seasoned pro, there’s always something new to learn in the kitchen. In this article, we’ll explore some of the basics of cooking so that you can get started on your culinary journey!

What is Cooking?

Cooking is the process of preparing food for consumption. It can be done through a variety of methods, including baking, grilling, and boiling. Cooking is a necessary skill for anyone who wants to eat healthy, delicious meals. There are countless reasons to love cooking. For one, it’s a great way to save money. Cooking at home is typically much cheaper than eating out, especially if you use some simple strategies like cooking in bulk or avoiding expensive ingredients. Plus, home-cooked meals tend to be healthier than restaurant fare, since you have more control over what goes into them. Another great thing about cooking is that it’s a great way to bond with friends and family. Spending time in the kitchen together can be a fun and relaxing way to catch up with loved ones. And of course, there’s nothing better than sharing a meal that you’ve made with your own two hands. Whether you’re a seasoned chef or just getting started in the kitchen, we hope you’ll find something here to inspire you. Check out our collection of recipes, cooking tips, and articles about food and nutrition. And don’t forget to share your own

The different types of cooking

There are many different types of cooking, each with its own unique flavor and style. Some of the most popular types of cooking include:

American: This type of cooking is characterized by the use of lots of fat, sugar, and processed ingredients.
Italian: This cuisine is characterized by the use of fresh, local ingredients and simple techniques.
French: This type of cooking is known for its sophisticated techniques and use of high-quality ingredients.
Chinese: This cuisine relies on the use of strong flavors and fragrant spices.

The Benefits of Cooking

Cooking is often seen as a chore, but it can actually be therapeutic and beneficial in many ways. For one, it can be a great stress reliever. The act of chopping vegetables or measuring ingredients can be calming, and the end result is often a delicious meal that you can share with others. Cooking can also be a great way to bond with others. Whether you’re cooking with family or friends, the experience can bring you closer together. And if you’re cooking for someone special, it’s a thoughtful way to show them your affection. Finally, cooking can be good for your health. When you cook at home, you have more control over the ingredients and how they’re prepared. This means you can choose healthier options and avoid processed foods. Plus, cooking can help you get more nutrients from food since heating helps break down some of the nutrients so they’re easier for your body to absorb.

How to become a Better Cook

Are you tired of your usual cooking routine? If you’re looking to spice up your culinary skills, then you’ve come to the right place. In this blog section, we’ll be giving you tips on how to become a better cook. Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned pro, there’s always room for improvement in the kitchen. And becoming a better cook doesn’t have to be difficult. With a little practice and patience, anyone can improve their cooking skills.

Here are a few tips to get you started:

1. Read recipes thoroughly before beginning. This may seem like an obvious one, but it’s important to make sure you understand the instructions before you start cooking. That way, you can avoid any potential mistakes. 2. Be patient. Rome wasn’t built in a day, and neither is a perfect dish. If it’s your first time making something, don’t expect it to come out perfectly. Give yourself some time to learn and master the recipe. 3. Experiment with different ingredients and techniques. One of the best ways to become a better cook is to experiment in the kitchen. Try using different ingredients or cooking techniques to see what works best for you. You may be

The best foods to cook

There are a lot of different foods that you can cook, but some are better than others. Here are a few of the best foods to cook:

1. Steak – Steak is a classic food that always tastes great. Whether you grill it, pan fry it, or bake it, steak is always a delicious option. 2. Chicken – Chicken is another versatile food that can be cooked in a variety of ways. It’s also a healthy option, making it a great choice for those who are looking to eat healthier. 3. Salmon – Salmon is a great fish to cook because it is so flavorful. It’s also healthy and packed with nutrients, making it a great choice for anyone looking for a nutritious meal. 4. Vegetables – Vegetables are a great option for those who want to eat healthy. They can be cooked in many different ways and are packed with vitamins and minerals. 5. Rice – Rice is a staple food in many cultures and is very versatile. It can be cooked in many different ways and can be used as a side dish or as the main course of a meal.

The Various Aspects of Cooking

There are many different aspects to cooking, from the simplest of tasks to the more complex. No matter what your level of expertise, there is always something new to learn about cooking. In this blog section, we will explore some of the different aspects of cooking, and how you can improve your skills in each one. One of the most important aspects of cooking is learning how to properly measure ingredients. This may seem like a simple task, but it is one that many people do not take the time to do correctly. Measuring ingredients correctly is essential for making sure that your food turns out the way that you want it to. Without proper measuring, you run the risk of ruining a dish entirely. Another important aspect of cooking is learning how to properly cook food at the correct temperatures. This is especially important when dealing with meat, as cooking it at too high or too low of a temperature can lead to it being tough or dry. Learning how to cook food at the right temperature will help you to produce perfectly cooked dishes every time. If you are looking to improve your overall cooking skills, then taking the time to learn about these various aspects of cooking is a great place to start. By taking the time to learn about

The Different Styles of Cooking

There are many different styles of cooking, each with its own unique flavor and technique. Whether you’re a fan of simple home cooking or gourmet cuisine, there’s a style of cooking out there for you. Here are just a few of the different styles of cooking that you might encounter: American: American cuisine is known for its simplicity and use of hearty ingredients. Common dishes include burgers, steak, and potatoes. Italian: Italian cuisine is all about using fresh, flavorful ingredients. Popular dishes include pasta, pizza, and risotto. French: French cuisine is often considered to be the pinnacle of fine dining. Dishes are typically rich and indulgent, making use of luxurious ingredients like butter, cream, and truffles. Japanese: Japanese cuisine emphasizes freshness and balance. Common dishes include sushi, sashimi, and tempura. Chinese: With a long history and many regional variations, Chinese cuisine is extremely diverse. Common dishes include noodles, rice, and dumplings.

How to Improve Your Cooking Skills

Are you interested in improving your cooking skills? Whether you’re a beginner just starting out, or a seasoned pro looking for ways to take your dishes to the next level, there are always new techniques and tips to learn. Here are a few ideas on how to improve your cooking skills: 1. Take classes. Whether it’s a short course at your local community college or cooking school, or a longer program at a university, taking classes is one of the best ways to learn more about cooking. You’ll not only get hands-on experience in the kitchen, but you’ll also learn from experienced instructors who can share their knowledge and expertise. 2. Read cookbooks and food blogs. A great way to learn more about cooking is to read books and articles on the subject. Look for recipe books that focus on the type of cuisine or cooking style that interests you, and try following along with some of the recipes. In addition to cookbooks, there are also many excellent food blogs out there that can provide inspiration and instruction. 3. Watch cooking shows and videos. If you’re more of a visual learner, another option is to watch cooking shows and videos. There are now many high-quality programs available online

There’s no denying that cooking is a useful skill to have. Not only can it help you save money by eating at home, but it can also be a great way to bond with friends and family. And who knows? Maybe someday you’ll even be able to turn your passion for cooking into a career. Whatever your reasons for wanting to learn how to cook, we hope this essay has inspired you to give it a try. Who knows? You might just surprise yourself with how much you enjoy it.

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Guest Essay

Biden Loves Ireland. It Doesn’t Love Him Back.

A close-up of a shamrock-themed tie worn by President Biden.

By Una Mullally

Ms. Mullally, a columnist for The Irish Times, wrote from Dublin.

If there’s one thing Irish people know about President Biden, it’s that he’s one of us. He says so all the time. “Remember,” he recalls his grandfather saying, “the best drop of blood in you is Irish.” He has a habit of quoting the poet Seamus Heaney and never lets an opportunity to recall his origins go to waste. His Secret Service code name, tellingly, is Celtic.

So when he visited Ireland last year, it felt like a homecoming. “Today you are amongst friends because you are one of us,” the speaker of Parliament announced before Mr. Biden addressed Irish lawmakers. If the trip took on the sheen of a wealthy Irish American searching for his roots, a constant of Irish tourism, it also cemented the bond between him and the country. When Mr. Biden referred to the Irish rugby team beating “the Black and Tans” — the notoriously brutal 1920s police force — as opposed to the All Blacks, as New Zealand’s rugby team is known, the gaffe became an instant, affectionate meme .

By the end of the trip, it was official: Mr. Biden loves Ireland, and Ireland loves Mr. Biden. But last October changed everything. After Hamas’s attacks, the Israeli bombardment of Gaza appalled the Irish. Mr. Biden, as the leader of Israel’s closest ally and chief military supplier, was seen to be enabling the devastation. That complicity has damaged both his reputation and his relationship with the Irish people, perhaps irreparably. His ancestral homeland no longer loves him back.

Ireland has long and emotional links to Palestinians, something the world has become steadily more aware of in recent months. The Irish government, for its part, unequivocally condemns the Oct. 7 Hamas attacks and repeatedly calls for the release of Israeli hostages. But it also urges restraint in Israel’s response, making multiple interventions at the European Union level and consistently calling for a cease-fire and a political solution to the carnage. Ireland knows all about cease-fires and peace building, after all.

On this matter, Ireland is something of an outlier in Europe. In a January poll , 71 percent of respondents in Ireland said they believed Palestinians lived under an Israeli apartheid system; in another poll in February, 79 percent said they believed Israel was committing genocide. By contrast, no more than 27 percent of people in seven Western European countries said they sympathized more with Palestinians than with Israelis. Here in Britain’s first colony — a status cast off through a war of independence — empathy for Palestinians is deeply rooted, born of shared historical experience.

This feeling has given rise to an extraordinary wave of pro-Palestinian actions in Ireland since the war began. The array of protests — countless concerts, fund-raisers and demonstrations calling for a cease-fire and an end to the bombardment of Gaza — goes far beyond any fringe concern. Protests in Ireland are large and spread across the country, with attendees diverse in age, class, ethnicity and political affiliation. They bring together trade unionists, Gaelic football players, journalists, ordinary citizens young and old, politicians, health care workers, L.G.B.T.Q. people and many more. It is a truly national phenomenon.

Around the world, chants at pro-Palestinian demonstrations are pretty similar. But over the winter, a specific chant took hold on Irish streets. Though St. Patrick’s Day was months away, protesters looked to the annual meeting in Washington between the Irish prime minister, or taoiseach, and the American president. At the Oval Office every March 17, the Irish leader presents to the American president a bowl of shamrock. The chant, taking notice of this tradition, was bracingly simple: “No shamrocks for Genocide Joe.”

It caught on, becoming the aural centerpiece of protests across the country, especially at the largest demonstrations on Saturdays in Dublin’s city center. It was transformed with a slight modification into a mural in Belfast, a city where Palestinian flags have long flown in nationalist communities; was spray-painted along tram tracks in Dublin; and took hold on social media, where people drew black shamrocks on the palms of their hands. Such agitation coalesced around the demand that the prime minister, Leo Varadkar, boycott this year’s White House visit.

Along with that demand, Mr. Biden became the focus of Irish ire. At protests he was rebuked by public figures, not least Bernadette Devlin McAliskey , a hero of the 1960s civil rights movement in the north of Ireland. In the press, commentators lined up to pass judgment on the American president, including the acclaimed novelist Sally Rooney , who characterized the assault on Gaza as “Biden’s war.” The criticism, at times, has been intimate. In County Louth, where Mr. Biden’s great-grandfather James Finnegan was born, a group of people gathered at a graveyard to castigate the president for betraying his roots.

The disapproval has cut through. While half of Irish voters would still rather Mr. Biden win re-election over Donald Trump, nearly a third would like to see neither man win the presidency. An open letter revoking “symbolic support” for his 2024 election campaign has been signed by 20,000 people. Given 80 percent of Irish people backed Mr. Biden in 2020 and his victory was widely welcomed, it is a startling decline in esteem for our emigrant son.

As calls to boycott the White House meeting and shamrock presentation grew, Mr. Varadkar’s own criticism of the war in Gaza became more robust. He spoke about the “hope” a cease-fire could bring and “believing in our shared humanity.” But he was never going to skip the trip. Strong relations with the United States are central to Ireland’s economic and foreign policy, after all. Even so, Irish people’s expectations for the visit, which offered an opportunity to impress on Mr. Biden their views, were high.

Mr. Varadkar did his best to relay the message. “Mr. President, as you know, the Irish people are deeply troubled about the catastrophe that’s unfolding before our eyes in Gaza,” he said at the shamrock presentation. “Leaders often ask me why the Irish have so much empathy for the Palestinian people. The answer is simple: We see our history in their eyes.”

This stirring speech turned out to be one of his final acts in office. Mr. Varadkar, worn out by the job, announced his resignation last week. Coming within a year of the next elections, the decision was certainly a surprise. But it did little to dampen the defiant mood in Ireland.

Mr. Biden often cites Mr. Heaney’s “The Cure at Troy.” “History says don’t hope/On this side of the grave,” the poem runs. “But then, once in a lifetime/The longed-for tidal wave/Of justice can rise up,/And hope and history rhyme.” As Irish people look across the Atlantic to Ireland’s great-grandson, many are waiting for that rhyme to land.

Una Mullally ( @UnaMullally ) is a columnist for The Irish Times.

The Times is committed to publishing a diversity of letters to the editor. We’d like to hear what you think about this or any of our articles. Here are some tips . And here’s our email: [email protected] .

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Africa Now a Growing Hot Spot for $3,000-a-Night Hotel Rooms

Marriott, Hilton set to double their locations across Africa
Many of the planned properties will be upscale and luxury

Major hotel chains including Marriott International Inc. and Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc. are on track to more than double their footprint across Africa in the coming years as the continent sees a boom in tourism.

Marriott, which last year opened the JW Marriott Masai Mara Lodge in Kenya with rooms averaging more than $3,000 a night, has more than 138 hotels under development in Africa, while Hilton has 72 properties in the pipeline, according to a report by W Hospitality Group. Hyatt Hotels Corp. is planning to add another 11 locations across the continent, the report shows.

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