Do you cook?

Why not?

Joanna sent me an interesting article today from her favorite periodical, the New York Times, that explores the loss of the art and joys of cooking in the home. While I'm not totally on point with everything Michael Pollan says, and consider Joanna and I living proof that people do watch Food Network and then attempt to recreate what they see, it does make you think. I'll surely think twice the next time I'm tempted to purchase frozen veggies or anything in the way of a pre-made meal. Sometimes, such shortcuts are unavoidable in our hectic modern lives but I completely agree with him on the importance of the social aspects of cooking and like the idea that cooking is the cornerstone of civilization. I know that, for myself, I'm much more inclined to cook when it has the social component of sharing a meal with others. If I'm the only one eating, that's when I gravitate towards the simple, the mundane, the overprocessed.

I suggest you check out Out of the Kitchen, Onto the Couch. It is a long read but worth it. Read it, make dinner with those you love, and remind yourself what it's like to stop rushing and actually taste your food.

I also highly suggest you stop by Joanna's blog and pick yourself up a couple of the food memoirs she's reviewed. Hearing other people speak of their love for cooking does wonders to stoke the flames of that passion within you. Whether you're a fan of brash and brutish chef's like Anthony Bourdain, as I am, or you prefer more refined views, I am confident she'll have something for you to read.


L'Chaim!