You know when there is a big snow during the night, then you get that feeling that maybe you wont have school the next morning. There is always that anticipation when you are waiting for school to call your house and tell you that you don't have to come. This is the same feeling I get right before I take cookies or cake out of the oven. There is the worry that it wont turn out good or that no one will eat them because I have burnt them. There is a sad feeling inside of me when these situations do occur because I care so deeply about cooking that when I fail, I feel like i let no only myself down but the people who were supposed to share the delight with me. For me, cooking is not a hobby or something I feel like I have to do, it is more of a safety for me. “When I write of hunger, I am really writing about love and the hunger for it, and warmth and the love of it and it is all one.” This quote said by M. F. K. Fisher really reflects how I fell about cooking and how it goes along with the hunger I have to learn more and more about cooking. It is something i can count on everyday, something that will make me happy even if my day has been horrible. I think I get this passion for cooking from my grandmother. She cooks a feast everyday just for my grandpa and herself. When we go and visit her, she is hiding away in her "hole" (the kitchen) because I think that's were she feels the safest like I do. If you asked her, she would say that cooking is something she has to do. When really, if someone else tries to cook, she almost looks threatened and tells them there is nothing they can do to help. This also signifies her love for cooking and the safety it provides for her. She is not a hermit by any means, she is just an all around good cook who sincerely gets into her food and thinks of it more as more to her than just a tasty treat. When asked why she likes to cook she said, "because it makes me feel creative. I like making challenging and crazy recipes because it is fun because and a challenge."
One of my favorite recipes from my grandmother is her cream peas.
Cream Peas:
1 tbs butter
2 tbs flour
1 cup milk
1 package peas
stir in butter, flour, and milk. Keep stirring until the mixture is thick, but not too thick. Then dump the peas in and cook them until warmed. Make sure it doesn't not come to a boil so that the milk does not curdle.
I recently saw the movie "Julie and Julia." My grandmother reminds me of the famous cook from the movie named Julia Child. They are so similar because they both enjoy cooking, but most of all, eating their creations. In the movie, one of the most famous quotes from Julia Child comes when her husband asks her what she really likes to do. "Eat," is the first thing that comes out of Julia Child's mouth. I think if my grandmother were to be asked the same question, she would answer the say way.
For more information on "Julie and Julia" the movie, click here!
Eleanor, this blog is really good! I loved reading about how much cooking means to you, and how it is like a safety. It's great that you share your love for cooking with your grandmother - her recipe for cream peas sounds like it would be really good! I like how you related your take on cooking to the movie "Julie and Julia".
ReplyDeleteI love cooking as well! My grandmother spends each day preparing meals for my grandpa and i have the best times cooking with her. I know what you mean when you say cooking is not just a hobby because it is also meaningful in my family. It is one way that my grandmother and i truly bond together and it really brings us closer. I agree that it is frustrating when a meal does not turn out well! It always puts me in a bad mood after I burn or ruin some kind of food but it just shows me what i need to do differently the next time. Also, the recipe in this blog sounds very good!
ReplyDeleteEleanor, I just thought I'd comment on a fellow chef's blog! My grandma is that EXACT same way as yours. Her homemade bread and jam are the best (not health-wise...) and you reminded me of that when I read about your grandmother's recipe. Is her cream peas recipe not only one of your personal favorites, but one of your grandma's as well? Sometimes chefs prefer a dish that they make much more than something simple that others like much more!
ReplyDeleteI think that you picked an interesting topic for your blog. Your comparison of a snow day to cookies in an oven really made me understand how much you are in to cooking. I have one question for you. If you and your grandma cook together do you think it brings you guys together? Do you think cooking in general brings people together? That might be an interesting topic for your next blog.
ReplyDelete