Cooking From Scratch
Making a homecooked meal using fresh ingredients is one of the best ways to reduce cost, waste, and ingredients you might not want in your food. It is also my happy place and something I absolutely love to do. Cooking and baking bring so much joy to my live, this includes cookbooks, watching someone else prepare a wonderful meal, and eating a deliciously prepared dish. This is not a new love in my life either, but something that has been with me for as long as I can remember. I grew up in a household where almost all things were made fresh, including salad dressings, baked goods, sauces, and more. My mother worked long hours, but she still took the time to prepare nutritious and delicious meals in the kitchen every day.
I loved to watch her mix ingredients in bowls and pots. She would move through the kitchen with so much confidence, grabbing a dash of something from the spice cabinet and a splash of another thing from one of the oil or vinegar bottles over the stove. The sounds it made, the sizzling and mixing, and the fragrant smells building up is something I cherish to this day.
As I grew older, I was allowed to help more and more. Barely being able to look over the counter, but always wanting to help. Add a little sugar here and crack and egg there. It was so much fun. I also can’t remember my mom ever getting upset with me about anything. She never raised her voice, explained why we did certain steps and always patiently waited for me to complete my part. Of course, this evolved into me getting cookbooks for my birthday and getting more and more involved. When I was little, I remember being allowed to make avocado cream with boiled potatoes. A dish from my kids’ cookbook. She assisted a little but made me feel as if I had prepared everything by myself. I remember being soooo proud and I am sure it made the dish taste that much better. Continue on and my teenage year birthday presents were real wood pepper and salt grinders, I still have them to this date, more cookbooks, baking forms, and trips through the kitchen section of local stores.
When I think back at travelling with my family or friends, it is always connected to some culinary memory. A slice of pizza at a port in Italy, some figs picked while on my dad’s shoulders, a fresh bread handed through the window of an old bakery, the stuffed zucchini flowers enjoyed in a cellar restaurant, or the big wheel of cheese from a market in France. Browsing local grocery stores has been a fan favorite as well. I love to experience cultures through food.
So naturally, this passion of mine has not stopped, but rather grown over the years. I continue to love learning more about different processes, try out new techniques, research equipment, removing unnecessary ingredients, discovering healthier choices, better vendors, and repurposing what I have to prepare new dishes. It’s my happiness, and it’s always where my heart finds peace.
If you’ve read all of this, maybe your heart is also moved by food. Maybe recently, maybe for as long as your memory takes you back. Or maybe you just simply like to read experiences and learn what drives the people of this lovely planet. Whatever made you stop by, I’d love to hear about it. And thank you for taking the time to read about a part of my life.
