Saturday, February 27, 2010

why do i cook?

i saw this title on another food blog and my heart lept. i didn't read the entry, because my own ideas were percolating...but something about that title caused me to stop and reflect...

why do i cook?
because the act of creation is freeing,
relaxing,
empowering.

because taking things
that by themselves
are one thing,
and bringing them together
to make something else
amazes me every time.

the eggs i scramble one morning,
can be a crepe the next morning,
or cookies by the afternoon.

the buttermilk in my fridge
can marinate onion slices for onion rings,
or add richness to cakes.

why do i cook?
because i learn something every time.
not just about food,
but about life.

the focus it takes to spoon
a single teaspoon of batter
into a mini-cupcake liner
shows me how even the little things
deserve our attention.

the planning required
to transport 120 of said mini cupcakes
120 miles
already frosted and decorated
without them tipping
and still being able to handle them
speaks volumes
of all the intricate planning
God does
on behalf of us
every moment of the day.

my almost complete inadequacy in frosting anything
used to be complete inadequacy.
and i learn that some things
just need practice.

so though this blog will give recipes,
tips,
and tricks,
the reason i cook
is because it is one more way God shows me who He is,
and one more way i can love others.

by the way, the mini cupcakes i did this weekend are:
triple chocolate cake (using mini chocolate chips due to the mini nature of the cupcake)

each kind was frosted with this
cream cheese frosting (though i added a few tablespoons of milk for spreadability)

the frosted triple chocolate version were decorated with three upright, regular-sized semi-sweet chocolate chips.

the frosted lemon cupcakes were decorated with three lemonhead candies.

each batter only needed 11-12 minutes in the oven at the recommended temperature.