Why Learn Cooking? Real-Life Insights
Cooking can be an incredible hobby that brings joy, confidence, and a sense of accomplishment to your life. Pursuing a hobby broadens your horizons and provides opportunities for personal growth and happiness. When you learn something new and immerse yourself in it as a hobby, your overall confidence level increases. This positive impact extends to your career and personality. Learning to cook is a journey that takes you to a higher level of self-reliance, but it's important to enjoy the process to truly savor the fruits of your labor.
Early Experiences: Curry with Cub Scouts
One cherished memory is when I learned my first dish as a Cub Scout at the age of nine. I made a curry, but I didn't core the onion, a mistake that earned me a scolding from the other scouts. To this day, I still remember the experience vividly. This early lesson in kitchen mishaps instilled a sense of what can go wrong in the kitchen, even from a young age.
The Journey to Confidence: Impressive but Inappropriate
Fast forward a few years, when I embarked on a new chapter in my personal life with my first husband. Being younger, I felt like the 'kid' in my social circle, and I often relied on our friend group to host gatherings, as I didn't feel confident entertaining at home. However, one day they brought me to a fascinating transition point. Melita and Mirjana, along with their friends Mishko and Pompeo, said, 'Lily, we’ve been cooking for you for four years. Now it’s your turn.' I was mortified but recognized the challenge as an opportunity.
With a mix of fear and determination, I headed to the bookstore to find a cookbook that would guide me through the process. I found a cookbook titled The Three-Star Recipes of Alain Senderens: The Extraordinary Cuisine of LArchestrate, The Most Prestigious Restaurant in All of Paris. This appeared to be the golden ticket to haute cuisine, boasting three Michelin stars. However, as I delved into the recipes, I realized that matching the complexity and presentation of professional chefs was well beyond my scope.
Challenges and Learning
The first course I tackled was an oxtail salad that turned out to be beyond greasy. For the main course, I made veal cutlets with cucumbers and tea sauce, a combination that seemed nonsensical to me but was consistent within the same animal family. Finally, I prepared a tasteless tart as a dessert, a creation that was more of a joke than a treat. I spent days meticulously preparing each dish, but the results were far from what I had envisioned.
Despite the disappointments, my friends were full of praise and encouragement. Pompeo, in particular, assured me that the effort was commendable and that my skills would improve with time. His encouragement reinforced my confidence and provided a much-needed boost. These early experiences taught me the value of perseverance and the importance of enjoying the learning process, even when the outcomes aren't always perfect.
Conclusion: The Power of Enjoyment
Learning to cook is a journey that goes beyond mere skill acquisition. It is a path to personal growth, confidence, and above all, enjoyment. While the initial experiences may be filled with challenges and disappointments, the overall journey of learning and improvement is what truly matters. Embrace the process, enjoy the moments, and let cooking become a source of happiness and self-reliance in your life.
So why do you learn cooking? Because it can transform your life in ways you never imagined. From boosting your confidence to enhancing your cooking skills, the benefits are numerous. So why not dive into the world of cooking and start your own culinary adventure today?