The Joy of Cooking (or lack thereof)
For the first time in my life I’m upset about not being a great cook.
Until recently “domestically disabled” has been a title I held with pride. Don’t get me wrong. I cook. It’s not like hubster and I starve, but I’m not one of those people who whip up award-winning four-course meals and like it. I cook simply because we need to eat something. The end.
But this weekend I cooked for my in-laws for the first time and they didn’t like it. No one spit their food back onto their plates or complained of aching stomachs, but their response felt like a resounding “meh.” Maybe I wouldn’t have been as upset if I hadn’t cooked despite being exhausted from a tough week at work and being in the middle of a lupus flare, but for whatever reason my little domestically disabled feelings.
Furthermore, since I returned to the Deep South my lack of passion for the culinary arts has left me feeling left out. At work, my colleagues are constantly sharing recipes and cooking tips. I’d rather talk about the three books I’m reading (yes, I’m a nerd). Last year at our Christmas potluck I brought red beans and rice which everyone loved. When folks started asking me for the recipe it felt so strange. But I must admit it felt good.
So I’ve decided to attempt to discover the joy of cooking. Each week I’m going to try out new recipes and write about how they turned out. Let’s be honest. I may skip a week here and there especially if I’m grading essays, but I’m going to try to stick with this.
But am I trying to be something that I’m not? Would I be concerned about this if I were man? I can’t help but wonder these things.
I am a so-called girly girl. My favorite color is pink. I’m obsessed with handbags and perfume and I’d attempt to wear heels even if my hip is aching from a flare.
And while I don’t like cooking, I love decorating and I can clean a house like nobody’s business. In fact, I clean so well I once thought about creating a maid service business.
But at gatherings with my in-laws, for example, I’d much rather talk politics with my father-in-law than snap peas in the kitchen with the women. That’s just who I am.
Nonetheless, I’ll attempt this recipe-a-week experiment and see where it takes me. If you have recipes you’d like me try out feel free to send them to javacia@soulinstereo.com.
Wish me luck!
Wish me luck!
Yay! And I volunteer to be your official tadste tester!