Why I Cook

Having just returned to full-time work, I have not been cooking as elaborately as I had been, although I am still preparing meals for my family almost daily. Although I miss that relaxed hour or two preparing a delicious meal, and I am confident I will find my way to a new weekday cooking style that may not be gourmet but will be a cut above 30-Minute Meals.

As I struggle to find a new normal, and inspired by Michael Ruhlman's recent blog post, here are some of the reasons that I cook.

• I love to eat. It is one of life's greatest pleasures.
  
  
• I enjoy sharing good food with other people. Especially family and good friends. Meals are an important social activity and build bonds between us. My cooking is an expression of my love from those I care most about. And I am making memories at the table every day with my husband and my children.
  
  
• It is relaxing. At the end of a day working with my head, I enjoy an hour spent working with my hands and my other senses (smell, taste) to create something savory.
  
  
• It is fun. There is always a new challenge available--a new cuisine, a new dish, a new ingredient.
  
  
• It is a great way to teach your kids about culture--their own and others. One day, we try an Asian spring roll or an Indian curry and imagine faraway lands; the next day. we enjoy the apple pie recipe handed down from grandma and remember where we came from.
  
  
• It is important to sustaining my family's health and well-being. I know that the food I prepare is (usually!) healthy and fresh. My children are learning to eat a variety of foods, including lots of fruits and vegetables. And I am saving money by cooking at home more and eating out less.