How to cook...

Although I find it hard to believe, I know it’s true that lots and lots and lots of people don’t know how to cook. Or think it is too difficult to do. Or say they don’t have the time to do it. It saddens me that they may never know the joy of walking into a kitchen redolent of simmering onions and bacon, or for the vegetarians, a pasta sauce slowly cooking on the back burner. Or the aroma of homemade cookies in the oven. Somehow between the 1960’s and 1980’s cooking became verboten for anyone who had a modicum of cool (not entirely true but you get my point) and then suddenly celebrity chefs made it cool again to cook, but not every day. And that revived version of cooking required shiny new pans, equipment, togs etc. to complete the look. It became a fashion statement that could cost a lot of money to do the “right” way.

Not for me. I cook every day. I use some of the same utensils that my mother used in her kitchen more than 50 years ago. They work just fine and bring back memories of her. I have some modern conveniences as well, but do just dandy without lots of specialty gizmos. And cooking allows me to know – to the extent possible – what is in the food I put in my mouth. And when friends come over, you know as well as I do that people congregate in the kitchen for a reason – food and food preparation nurtures our spirits and our bodies. And there is something so incredibly satisfying about really making something whether it is a meal, a bookcase, a knitted scarf or a painting. I consider all of them works of creativity and art….

Three "cooking spoons" from my mother's kitchen

The Good Guide (online and through a Smart Phone app) allows you to find safe, healthy, green and ethical products based on scientific ratings. Recently they showed that leaving processed food behind isn’t as hard as it might seem to those who didn’t grow up cooking. Five tips from their website blog are below.

"Five ways to leave processed foods behind 

5. Soup. These recipes and strategies for making soup, courtesy of Mark Bittman, will make you say goodbye to canned soup forever. Too difficult? Consider recommendations from GoodGuide.

4. Pasta Sauce. The jarred versions may seem really convenient, but there’s just something about the smell of bubbling tomato sauce that can’t be beat. Here are recipes for a Five-Minute Sauce and Tomato Vodka Sauce. Too difficult? Consider recommendations from GoodGuide.

3. Granola. The options are endless when it comes to making your own granola. Hate raisins? Don’t put them in. Love sunflower seeds? Throw in an extra handful. Get some ideas from this AllRecipes list. Too difficult? Consider recommendations from GoodGuide.

2. Yogurt. You’d be amazed at how simple it is to make your own yogurt. The best part? Making your own cheese is only one more step. Too difficult? Consider recommendations from GoodGuide.

1. Pasta. It might sound labor-intensive, but there’s no comparison between fresh, homemade pasta and 

the boxed stuff. Learn how to roll your own with this video from our friends at CHOW. Too difficult? 

Consider recommendations from GoodGuide."

My two cents on the whole topic of cooking: If you don’t cook, try it. If you do cook, cook more. There is nothing to lose and lots of goodness and satisfaction to gain.