Tuesday, November 25, 2008

A Week of Thanksgiving

With Thanksgiving coming this week, I've been thinking about all of the things for which I am grateful. I have so much to be grateful for, I'm sure we all do. So I decided to spend each day this week blogging about the things that make me feel the most grateful.

Today I am grateful that I know how to cook and bake. I am glad that I have this skill, no matter how unsophisticated or basic it may be. Its great to be able to make good, healthful (well, most of the time) meals for my family.

My mother is an excellent cook and she had a great influence on my learning how to do the basics in the kitchen. At an early age she would let me watch her cook and eventually, begin to help her and finally to make my own dishes. I remember one summer in particular when my brother and I experimented with all the possible ways to make Kraft macaroni and cheese. (There aren't that many.) We ate it everyday for a month. And then of course, I loved to make cookie dough - not cookies mind you, just the dough. Then we would eat until we were sick. I think we could only do this when my mom left me in charge - because I was really responsible that way.

Douglas also had a great influence on my culinary tastes. He introduced me to new, exotic flavors that came from far away places like "the east coast" and places called "sushi bars." mmmm. sushi. From Douglas I leaned all about cooking with butter and garlic - very naughty of him don't you think?

I do enjoy cooking, and sometimes I am pretty good at it. (Don't ask about the other times.) And I really love baking. Cookies, cakes, breads, so many, many yummy things. I get very excited to learn about the science of baking, things like the difference between baking powder and baking soda, what makes cookies and cakes rise, why cookie dough should be refrigerated before baking. These things fascinate me.

I am grateful that I've had influences in my life that have taught me about food.

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