Recently A few months ago Michael Ruhlman challenged foodies to blog the reasons they cook. In a small way reading his and others’ posts inspired me to start this blog. Until now, I had always just posted about my cooking and food exploits on my personal blog, but when I started to ask myself “Why do I cook?” the answers I was giving told me that I needed to become more focused on cooking.
I cook because it makes me a better person.
Each and every time I cook I gain knowledge. I may learn about a new ingredient or technique. In learning to appreciate how quality ingredients helped my cooking, I discovered the advantages of buying organic. Paying attention and asking questions about the food I was purchasing, opened my eyes to the existence of factory-farming. When I made up my mind to only purchase meat from farms where livestock had been humanely treated, I learned that this treatment greatly improved the quality. I could get this assurance by purchasing food grown and raised locally, from farmers I could see and talk to.
This chain of events continued as I was now purchasing locally, I began to learn growing seasons. This meant I was buying food when it was at it’s best. It also meant that I was buying fresh fruits and vegetables, not foods that had been so processed that very little nutrients remained. I was eating food that was better for me.
When I pay attention to the food I am buying, preparing, and eating, it tastes better and I want to share it with others. I want to create food that makes others happy, and this, I believe, makes me a better person.