LET YOUR HEART DO THE COOKING

I just want to share with you this article posted at inquirer.net last August 20, 2009. Ito yung sinasabi ko sa title ng food blog kong ito. Hindi kaya ang asawa ko ang nag-post nito sa Inquirer? hehehehe. Here's the link http://blogs.inquirer.net/happynest/2009/08/20/let-your-heart-do-the-cooking/#comment-44562







Let Your Heart Do the Cooking
08/20/09
Posted under Everyday Good Stuff

AFTER a long day at work, the last thing I want to do is cook my own meal and wash the dishes. Cooking is a technical process to me — I need the exact number of ingredients, the right temperature, the right pots and pans. It is a science. On days that I don’t follow measurements, my cooking still turns okay but nothing great. And so after a long day, all I want to do is reach for the phone and call for a pizza. My husband thinks differently.

He’s a guy with cooking intuition. I’d say he cooks with his heart, not with his head. Sure, the measurements guide him, but that’s where they stop — as his guide. The ultimate test is whether the dish feels right. After tasting it, does he feel happy? Does he feel pleased? And not pleased with himself, but could the effect of his cooking make someone else happy?

His example reminds me of Tita from the novel Like Water for Chocolate. She was a talented cook who expressed her longings and emotions through cooking. Those who tasted her food would then experience how she feels. I see that in my husband. His cooking makes others happy because he pours out his happy heart into the process.

I tried it once. I used the measurements as a guide to a dish I was preparing, but followed my senses, followed my heart. It was a simple recipe for French Toast, but I did notice the difference. The bread was crisper and tastier, the bananas sweeter. Perhaps it was the mood I was in that made the cooking more delicious. Maybe if you do put love into your cooking, people do get to taste that love.

And so after a long day, it’s my husband who takes charge in the kitchen. His happy heart sings with the sizzle of a stir-fry, the staccato of meat frying. He lets his heart do the cooking. Dinner with him is always, always a happy moment. Science and measurements take a backseat when he prepares the meal. All he needs is a happy heart.