Bon Appétit

No matter what’s going on in my life or how my day has gone, there is always something that more often than not makes me feel good: cooking. I think I might be totally stealing from Julie & Julia, but it is extremely comforting and therapeutic to know that barring some kitchen catastrophe, my effort, time, and energy will produce a delicious finished product.

I’m the kind of person who likes to have all his little ducks in a row. I follow most of the rules of civilized society, always colored inside the lines, and would be overjoyed if I could quantify and plan a majority of the rest of my life. Since that sort of extreme planning usually leads to disappointment and just begs life to throw a curve ball straight at your cup-less crotch, I think I find my anal retentiveness can be fully indulged in my kitchen.

I think my joy of cooking comes from the aspects of my personality I embrace and those I wish I possessed. As previously stated, there is that sense of elation I get from the organized and predictable properties of all recipes. Dough rises, water boils, this spice does that, and that ingredient does this. It’s a beautiful science that yields results if one is disciplined enough to follow direction.

I’m no gourmet culinary artist. I have, on a very rare occasion, whipped up a pretty disappointing entrée. But, for the most part, I would say I am a good cook. However, I am not a very intuitive chef whatsoever. I cut corners where a recipe allows and sometimes adapt recipes I have cooked multiple times, but I lack any sort of creativity or sense of adventure in my cooking. I cannot approach a meal (or many parts of my life) without a clear, thought out plan of attack. I know many people who can dive into their pantry and somehow salvage a delicious meal without cracking open a single cookbook. I have recently tried to venture into ethnic cooking, but the flavors, ingredients, and methods are daunting. I made a Chicken Tikka Masala and was calling the friend who gave me the recipe like a culinary lifeline because I didn’t want to mess it up. It turned out great, but I could have saved myself a lot of stress by making a roast and potatoes.

I suppose a balance of the strict, straight-forward ‘2 cups here, 1 pinch’ there approach and the more carefree ‘let’s see how this plays out’ cooking technique would do my kitchen and my life some good.