Cooking

The Joy of Cooking

By Debbie

Posted on December 22, 2021

In this edition of 38H, we’ll be exploring the joy of cooking! That beautiful red pie plate in the images? Well I splurged on that last year. It’s a thing of beauty and turns pies into art, the Emile Henry French Ceramic Ruffled Pie Dish. The fakes ones just aren’t the same. And if you’re the family pie maker, these are a must. They just seem to add to the art of the pie to serve it in that beautiful dish. I also got some little crust-decorator-cutter things.

Back in the day, Grandma Clara used to bring the pies, and I began to fill in when we relieved her of those duties, and of course, she eventually died. I’m pretty good at pies, I guess, and I have an apple pie recipe I adopted out of a cookbook, then I’ve spun my own thing on it over the years because that’s the part that makes cooking joyful to me, making it your own. It always gets wowza reviews so you should go make people happy with it too!

Cooking is a form of art that allows us to express ourselves creatively. It’s also an opportunity for us to take care of others, whether it be our family or friends. There’s nothing better than cooking something delicious and seeing someone enjoy it! That’s why I wanted to write about the joy of cooking.

10 Reasons Why: The Joy of Cooking

Creative Expression: Cooking allows for creative expression, from experimenting with flavors to presenting a dish beautifully, fostering a sense of accomplishment and joy.
Sensory Delight: Engaging the senses in the kitchen, from the aroma of spices to the sizzle of ingredients, provides a sensory delight that contributes to happiness.
Culinary Exploration: The joy of cooking comes from exploring new recipes, cuisines, and ingredients, expanding culinary horizons and creating a sense of adventure.
Connection with Others: Cooking often involves sharing meals with loved ones, fostering a sense of connection and creating happy memories around the dinner table.
Healthy Living: Preparing meals at home allows for control over ingredients, promoting healthier eating habits and contributing to physical well-being.
Mindfulness: The focus required in cooking promotes mindfulness, allowing individuals to be present in the moment and find joy in the process of creating a meal.
Culinary Mastery: Developing cooking skills and mastering techniques can be a source of pride and satisfaction, boosting confidence and overall happiness.
Personalized Comfort: Cooking allows individuals to tailor meals to their preferences, providing a sense of comfort and well-being through familiar and favorite flavors.
Economic Benefits: Cooking at home is often more cost-effective than dining out, contributing to financial well-being and providing a sense of accomplishment in managing resources wisely.
Cultural Connection: Exploring and preparing dishes from different cultures creates a connection to diverse traditions, fostering an appreciation for global culinary heritage and adding to the joy of cooking.

What the Experts Say About the Joy of Cooking

A study published in the International Journal of Humanities and Social Science addresses cooking as a leisure and/or therapeutic activity. One particular comment in the study was this, “The most creative part in my cooking is the presentation of the food… I actually draw with the food… choosing the dishes I will serve my food is also very important… matching the food and the dish… I need to present my food on appropriate plates.” This certainly spoke to my desire to buy the expensive pie plates. Ah, I feel validated! Life is short, buy the beautiful pie plates!

Julie Ohana, LMSW, has always loved cooking. She went on to obtain a degree in counseling and found joy in helping others. Marrying all of her passions, Julie created Culinary Art Therapy and states, “Its benefits are rich and delicious, and include increased self-esteem, team building, enhanced brain development, and helping people connect on a deeper interpersonal level.” Visit the resources pages on Julie’s website to explore the many different ways cooking can contribute to increasing your well being.

Kitchens just might be the new psychiatrist’s office! In the article, “Kitchen Therapy: Cooking Up Mental Well-Being,” writer Linda Wasmer Andrews talks about many benefits of cooking for improved mental health. Nourishment, meditative properties by focusing, mindfulness, appreciation, and joy. These things help to reduce stress and are widely known to be important aspects in aiding in the treatment of mental health and mod disorders.

The Power of Home Cooking

On the Other Hand

So you simply hate to cook? Remember the “The I Hate to Cook Book,” by Peg Bracken. Some claim they simply don’t know how to cook, so they hate it. A lot of people say they hate cooking because it takes too much time or doesn’t taste good, but that’s just a lack of experience! Cooking isn’t really hard though, is it? I mean, you have to be able to read recipes usually and some things, like the pie crust I’ll share below, you do kind of have to have a sort of have a gut feeling about how to mix that or you’ll get something tough and chewy.

Here are 10 Tips for People Who Hate to Cook. One of the things I noticed on that list I just experienced first hand. I had sort of cheap pans so it was hard to make a decent fried egg, well because the eggs would stick and also what a pain to clean. I finally sprung for a nice frying pan and, voila, beautiful eggs!

Some people just hate cooking, but we do have to eat. The good news is that there are plenty of ways to eat without spending all your time cooking if it’s not really your thing! Make simple meals. Protein and vegetable, bam, done deal! I do this often. Salmon and asparagus. Roast beef and potato. Pork roast and cauliflower. Butter. Butter on many things is good. Put some chicken breasts and veggies on a cookie sheet , drizzle with olive oil, and roast. It’s awesome. You can do it!