# Why do you cook?



## BakedPotato (Jun 18, 2014)

Hey all! 

I personally believe that food is a direct channel to someone's mind and culture. and through cooking different foods, I can learn more about myself, test my limits and broaden my horizon.

As a designer, sometimes our results (product) can often be very subjective and lines can get blurry. But the results for cooking is very honest, which I always find comforting.    

So yea! What does cooking mean to you guys? and how does your cooking affect the ones around you?


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## Kayelle (Jun 18, 2014)

I'm really not into lofty reasons to cook. The bottom line real reason I cook is because I love my own cooking. People will often say to me that I must love cooking. Actually it's not so much that I really like cooking, but my own food just tastes the best to me.


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## Mad Cook (Jun 18, 2014)

BakedPotato said:


> Hey all!
> 
> I personally believe that food is a direct channel to someone's mind and culture. and through cooking different foods, I can learn more about myself, test my limits and broaden my horizon.
> 
> ...


Why do I cook? Because I'd be bl**dy hungry if I didn't

Seriously though

-I find cooking a creative pastime 
-I get pleasure from cooking for friends. 
-As I'm getting older I think the mental discipline involved in following a recipe, weighing ingredients, writing the shopping list and going out to buy the stuff, remembering to switch off the oven, etc., has got to be good brain exercise.
-There are dishes that I think I can do better than the big manufacturers.
-Cooking at home is a lot more economical than buying food in.
-I feel very self-satisfied when I have stuff in the freezer or 'fridge that I've made myself.
-Home baking is a very good way of raising money for charities.
-I get pleasure from making and eating dishes that my mother and my grandmother made when I was young. Now they're gone it's a way of keeping them around me.

Heavens! Did I actually write that last one. I didn't realise I was so sentimental


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## Katie H (Jun 18, 2014)

I cook because I enjoy it and because I much, much prefer homemade non-preservative laced food.  I like to know how much salt is in our food, along with its nutritional value.  I also loathe paying for packaged inferior "convenience/fast" foods that line our market shelves.

I am a creative person and cooking is an outlet that allows my creativity to come to the fore.  Sometimes my creations are awesome, occasionally (but rarely) they're a bust.

I've been blessed to have had two husbands who enjoyed/enjoy my cooking efforts, which is another plus for me.  I truly enjoy cooking for others and having them appreciate the end results.

But, basically, I cook because we have to eat.  It's just that if I can make it good, then all the better.


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## Kayelle (Jun 18, 2014)

Mad Cook said:


> Why do I cook? Because I'd be bl**dy hungry if I didn't
> 
> Seriously though
> 
> ...



Actually, it's one of the many reasons you're a "keeper".


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## pacanis (Jun 18, 2014)

I cook because a long time ago I heard that if I don't eat I could die.


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## Addie (Jun 18, 2014)

Some folks live to cook. Others cook to live. Right now I am in the latter group. If I was wealthy enough, right now I would hire a cook and crawl into bed to stay and request all meals to be able to be taken in through a straw. Preferably ice cream shakes.


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## mmyap (Jun 18, 2014)

1.  I love to eat, therefore I love to cook.  

2.  I feel fortunate to have so many lovely ingredients available to me.  Honestly, how could you not be inspired by the abundance we have at our neighborhood grocery shops.  I want to play with them all, muaha, muahahah.....sorry got carried away.


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## no mayonnaise (Jun 18, 2014)

It's safer than cave diving.


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## Oldvine (Jun 18, 2014)

Sometimes I wonder myself... why cook?  Oh, sorry, it was "Why do you cook?"  Most times I find it to be an enjoyable activity and other times, the opposite.   My having two minds on the topic probably has something to do with the number of years I've been doing it.


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## CraigC (Jun 18, 2014)

BakedPotato said:


> Hey all!
> 
> I personally believe that food is a direct channel to someone's mind and culture. and through cooking different foods, I can learn more about myself, test my limits and broaden my horizon.
> 
> ...



It just kills the neighbors when the wood smoke from one of my cookers drifts in their direction. It also kills them when they see me doing a crawfish boil or steaming up some crabs.

The reason we cook for the most part is that none of the restaurants around us, can do a better job, especially seafood, German (there are none) and Italian.


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## Chief Longwind Of The North (Jun 18, 2014)

Where I live, it's the only way to get the food quality I desire.  Also, it satisfies part of my creative side.  Third, I love to serve good food to my family, and guests.  Lastly, it's less expensive than eating poor, or mediocre food at the restaurants around here.

Seeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North


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## Dawgluver (Jun 18, 2014)

Ya gotta eat!  I'm pretty creative, and enjoy making all sorts of things, food being one of those things.


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## Aunt Bea (Jun 18, 2014)

Mad Cook said:


> .
> -I get pleasure from making and eating dishes that my mother and my grandmother made when I was young. Now they're gone it's a way of keeping them around me.



I think MC summed it up for me.

These days my diet is so limited that I really can't call what I do cooking, I just burn meat and toss salad!


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## creative (Jun 18, 2014)

There are many reasons why I cook:-

- To make a meal the way I like it.
- To see what can be made of ingredients I already have.
- Largely to try out recipes though and this is because:-
(a) it's like bringing a restaurant into your kitchen
   (b) you get to bake your cake and eat it!
     (c) to test recipes and, if successful, keep them for guests


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## PrincessFiona60 (Jun 18, 2014)

I'm addicted to good food.

It effects Shrek, he is nicely rounded...


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## Andy M. (Jun 18, 2014)

So many reasons. 

Gotta cook to eat.
Dad was a chef so I was exposed to it early in life.
It's always been something that captured my interest.  Watching Julia Child on PBS started it all.  Then other early shows.
I was not allowed to cook when I was married as my ex considered it her responsibility.  Divorce intervened and I had the need, the desire and the opportunity to cook.  I immersed myself in learning to cook.
My sister taught me how to cook some of my mom's recipes.
I do a pretty good job so get a lot of positive feedback for my efforts.
My SO is happy I own the kitchen and put a good meal on the table every night when she gets home from work.
I enjoy teaching/helping others.  My daughters call for help.  Even my sister, a great cook, calls me from time to time.


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## merstar (Jun 18, 2014)

Kayelle said:


> I'm really not into lofty reasons to cook. The bottom line real reason I cook is because I love my own cooking. People will often say to me that I must love cooking. Actually it's not so much that I really like cooking, but my own food just tastes the best to me.



Ditto!


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## bakechef (Jun 18, 2014)

I cook to eat, if we ate out every night, we'd be broke and REALLY much fatter 

I bake for the joy of it.  Baking is a great anxiety tamer for me.  I love creating new recipes or reworking existing ones.  I love the reaction when I bake for people.


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## LPBeier (Jun 18, 2014)

Our youth group "interviewed" me in their weekly spotlight several years ago and the first question was an obvious one considering I had gone to culinary school, was catering and a baker.

"What is your favourite food?"  My answer astonished almost everyone in the room - "Anything that someone else makes".  I, unlike Kayelle and Merster, don't like eating my own food.  It is not that I think it is bad, I have just been working with it, taste testing it, etc. and it may be a dish I have made a hundred times so I am just plain bored with it.

I cook/bake to please others, to relieve stress, have fun experimenting, and sometimes to make some money so I can go out and hire someone else to cook for me! 

Yup, the real me exposed!


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## Hoot (Jun 18, 2014)

As Justin Wilson put it: "Why do I make nectarine pie? 'Cause I like nectarines."
Why do I go fishing? 'Cause I like to eat fish. The reason I cook is 'cause I like to eat. Nuthin' fancy, mind you, it's just that simple.


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## GLC (Jun 18, 2014)

I cook because it can be approached as both technical and artistic at once. And because it's creative. And because you can never, ever learn it all or finish improving. 

(Oh, and because my wife knows two recipes. Taco, meaning unseasoned ground beef in taco shells, and salmon croquettes. The croquettes aren't bad, but you can only take so much. It runs in her family. Her sister makes the same tacos.)


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## PrincessFiona60 (Jun 18, 2014)

GLC said:


> I cook because it can be approached as both technical and artistic at once. And because it's creative. And because you can never, ever learn it all or finish improving.
> 
> *(Oh, and because my wife knows two recipes. Taco, meaning unseasoned ground beef in taco shells, and salmon croquettes. The croquettes aren't bad, but you can only take so much. It runs in her family. Her sister makes the same tacos.)*



I learned how to cook in self-defense as a kid, I got tired of cooking/eating the same exact thing every week.  Limited means, does not mean limited variety, if you learn to play with spices and veg.


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## Cheryl J (Jun 19, 2014)

Kayelle said:


> Actually, it's one of the many reasons you're a "keeper".


 
Like.


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## CrazyCatLady (Jun 19, 2014)

I never thought why I cook, I only know I love to cook and it's something you do for your family. 

And keeping meals different without falling into a rut is a challenge, so that's why I'm here.


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## Cheryl J (Jun 19, 2014)

Oh, gosh....so many reasons.  Mad Cook hit on several for me.  

I cook because I love food (good thing I'm a small person and burn calories easily).  I think it all started with family - my parents both worked and I usually got home before they did, so as a teen I started with spaghetti sauces, stews, Sunday morning breakfasts, and just started playing around with food.  We had a garden and I remember thinking how beautiful and tasty the produce was, even as a little kid. 

I remember my mom's dishes as well as my grandma's, and have always strived to be as good a cook as they were, in my eyes. I fall short of that, at least according to my memories.  I love making things that they used to make, and sharing them with my daughters so that the dishes and memories live on. 

I cook because I don't like pre-packaged foods, but I do have them occasionally.  As some have said, it's a creative outlet and I like creating things.  I've had some real flops, lol, but there've been some good ones, too.  

My cousin Diana and her late husband Paul had a cooking show on cable TV back in the 80's, called "The New Way Gourmet". LOL.  They started out with cooking classes in their home, got the TV show, and went on to write several cookbooks. It was fun to watch them - I was glued to every show and was so inspired by their creativity and enthusiasm. Lots of fun.  

I'm not a great cook, but I do love creating, even if it's only a fruit or veggie salad, with all those beautiful colors and textures. And here in CA that's what many of my dishes end up being, especially in summer.  LOL.  

I've really rambled on.  This is a fun thread, and I've enjoyed reading everyone's stories!


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## RPCookin (Jun 19, 2014)

BakedPotato said:


> Hey all!
> 
> I personally believe that food is a direct channel to someone's mind and culture. and through cooking different foods, I can learn more about myself, test my limits and broaden my horizon.
> 
> ...



I cook because raw food is usually bland, unappetizing, or just plain dangerous (think chicken ).  

I like my own cooking, I've learned to cook the things I like, and I've learned to cook well enough that I can usually figure out new recipes or methods with a little practice.  I usually get complements when I cook for others, but I don't usually do anything very complicated.  

I'm a fan of Italian style cooking (not only Italian foods), with limited ingredients nicely seasoned.  I've gotten pretty good at opening the pantry and inventing something palatable on the fly with just what's on hand.

I like baking my own bread, but I have to limit that to once or twice a month at most because otherwise I'd weigh 400 pounds.  I rarely bake any sweets, for the same reason.

So, basically I like to cook because I like to eat.


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## Roll_Bones (Jun 20, 2014)

To eat what I want and like, requires me to buy and cook the food.

Restaurants cannot come close as Craig said.


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## TATTRAT (Jun 20, 2014)

Well, I guess because it has been my profession for 22 years. Though my days in the kitchen are fewer and fewer, my passion is still there and I find cooking at home to be far more enjoyable, now that I'm not in a kitchen everyday for 16 hours.

Cooking/food is a universal thing. Every culture has it's cuisine and techniques. Every meal has the potential to create bonds and lasting memories. I like cooking/food, for those reasons as well.


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## MrsLMB (Jun 20, 2014)

I cook for many reasons.  

I truly enjoy cooking.  

I can be as creative as I want while cooking.  

I think of it not only as a necessity, but also as a hobby.

It is a never-ending experiment of trying new things .. like  a science lab at times.

It is something I can get so involved in that it becomes a therapy of sorts for my mind.  

I cook because I like to eat.  

I cook because my DH likes to eat and he loves my cooking.  

It is the one and only thing I can do that does not scare me if I faulter or fail .. I can always fix it up.  

Plus I get to play with some of the coolest "toys" in the world !


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## PrincessFiona60 (Jun 20, 2014)

MrsLMB said:


> I cook for many reasons.
> 
> I truly enjoy cooking.
> 
> ...



What she said!


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## RPCookin (Jun 20, 2014)

We have been packing to move back to the US, and that has created some interesting challenges.  Between packing kitchen equipment and trying to empty the pantry, I have fewer options.  Tonight I made wings.  I mixed together some thyme, Montreal Chicken, chili powder, Spanish paprika, local sea salt collected in the island salt ponds, black pepper, red pepper flakes, olive oil, Liquid Smoke, Worcestershire sauce, orange juice, pineapple juice, pineapple rum.  Baked in the oven at 400° for 45 minutes.  

Tasted great!  Seems like its hard to really make bad wings if you just use a little sense.


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## Addie (Jun 20, 2014)

I learned to cook watching my mother and helping her. She had a wood burning stove. I never thought it unusual. We had a lot of neighbors who cooked on a wood burning stove. I learned to put my hand in the oven and count until it was a certain number before I had to withdraw it. Then I knew it was the right temperature for a cake or some other food. 

I still cook the foods my mother taught me to make. And some my first husband taught me. I find cooking very therapeutic. I love prepping the veggies for a stew or even a dinner. Very rarely do I buy a can of veggie. If I do, it will be probably sliced beets for beet salad. 

There are certain foods I just have to peel. Cucumbers, potatoes for mashed, all carrots. There are just some peelings I am not willing to eat. I will often run a fork down the side. It gives the veggie an appealing look. 

I have yet to have a failure making gravy. Whether it is pan gravy or from the juices of the roast. Never a lump. I thank my mother for that. She gave me the secret. 

I cook because it is a way to bring out the feelings of taking care of my children. They are all grown now, but still want me to make special dishes for them. 

So why do I love to cook.

For my family
For the pleasure it gives me.
Seeing how much others enjoy the food I fixed for them.
And because it gives me time to just think quietly while I am cooking.


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## CrazyCatLady (Jun 20, 2014)

I also cook because if the microwave croaks, my husband would starve.


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## Buff (Jun 22, 2014)

I cook to stick it to the Man and all his manufactured food by-products.


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## chiklitmanfan (Jun 23, 2014)

I'm a "foodie:" someone who loves to cook, loves to eat and loves to talk about/write about food.  My love of cooking came originally from my WWII Marine Father who loved to cook long before it was cool to be a man in the kitchen.

Cooking for me is "therapy."  Nothing is quite so satisfying than creating something tasty in the kitchen.  My wife and I have traveled extensively and she remembers people, places and things.  I primarily remember what I ate!  Sharing a good meal and beverage with people offering up their own cuisine is a communion of sorts.

I will always admire and respect the art of cooking, wherever I may find it.


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## StormyNight (Jul 19, 2014)

I cook because I love to make people happy with my food 

It's sometimes easy for me to forget what happy memories are made from food.  I make the easy, no knead bread, and ds asked me a few days ago if I could teach him to make it, asked specifically for it.

I just stood by and instructed him how to do it, didn't help at all.  When he took it out of the oven, he just had this angelic look on his face and said, "It smells...so much like home" and gave me a smile.

It's so easy to forget that this really is what memories are made of, the everyday things, and it touched me so much.  This is why I cook.


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## BoracayB (Jul 19, 2014)

Because I have yet to walk by a restaurant here, smell what's cooking and think yum I need some of that. 
 If I want to eat what I like I have to make it myself.


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## Sir_Loin_of_Beef (Jul 20, 2014)

I used to cook to make everyone who was going to eat my cooking happy, then everyone moved away and I just cooked make my bank account happy because eating meals out is expensive and most of the restaurant meals I could make better my own damn self. 

Now I am a culinary consultant for a food, beverage and pastry ingredient manufacturing company, writing product descriptions and creating and testing recipes using those ingredients, so I do it to make my clients AND my bank account happy! Oh, and my test cooking makes the company's employees pretty happy, too. Most of them haven't had to buy a meal in years!


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## taxlady (Jul 20, 2014)

So many of my reasons have already been listed. Most of what you guys have already written. In particular, I usually enjoy cooking. I often prefer my own cooking. I have control of the ingredients when I cook.


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## Addie (Jul 20, 2014)

Sir_Loin_of_Beef said:


> I used to cook to make everyone who was going to eat my cooking happy, then everyone moved away and I just cooked make my bank account happy because eating meals out is expensive and most of the restaurant meals I could make better my own damn self.
> 
> Now I am a culinary consultant for a food, beverage and pastry ingredient manufacturing company, writing product descriptions and creating and testing recipes using those ingredients, so I do it to make my clients AND my bank account happy! Oh, and my test cooking makes the company's employees pretty happy, too. Most of them haven't had to buy a meal in years!



Can I get a job at your company? I will gladly try your cooking each and every day.


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## chiklitmanfan (Jul 20, 2014)

I've definitely enjoyed reading all of your varied opinions here.

I'm a foodie: I love to eat, loved to cook and love to talk about and write about food.  I was turned onto the possibilities of good home-cooked food by my late WWII Marine father who was insulted whenever anyone called that "woman's work."

I have never considered restaurant food as a good or healthy value.  Being a control freak, I like to manipulate the process myself at home.  I find it more sanitary, less salty, less greasy, and less sugary.  

Cooking has always been therapy for me and a release for my primarily creative personality type.  What else can I say?  Nothing profound or mystical here.

Throughout history, sharing the celebration of food and drink among family, friends and acquaintances has been vital and primal for us.


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## Mad Cook (Jul 20, 2014)

chiklitmanfan said:


> I've definitely enjoyed reading all of your varied opinions here.
> 
> I'm a foodie: I love to eat, loved to cook and love to talk about and write about food.  I was turned onto the possibilities of good home-cooked food by my late WWII Marine father who was insulted whenever anyone called that "woman's work."
> 
> ...



I judge a restaurant by whether the food is as good or better than I can do at home. That sounds a bit arrogant but isn't intended to be. I just don't see the point of paying someone to make a pig's ear of what I could do at home and not make a pig's ear of. For example. I'm going out for breakfast tomorrow to the cafe attached to the local deli and I'll have eggs benedict which I don't think Claridges or the Savoy (very posh hotels) in London could do better and I certainly couldn't because I couldn't poach an egg if my life depended on it!

Where I lived before I used to throw dinner parties for up to 10 friends 4 or 5 times a year. I'm getting withdrawal symptoms because there's so much to do on the house before I can start doing it again.


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## TaraWildes (Jul 20, 2014)

Cooking is good therapy.  Whenever I'm mad, I can go chop something up.  Lose a lot of aggression that way.

While I grew up cooking what my mother and grandmothers did, I've experimented and learned a lot about cultures outside of the southern US by using recipes, talking with people from other places about their culinary heritage and really diving into the science of cooking.  I love to read cookbooks and Cooks Illustrated to add to my knowledge base of what to do when I don't have a recipe - and that's the most fun to me, making it up and seeing if it works as well as I thought it would.  Sometimes it does, other times...the dogs eat well!

Plus I'm frugal.  I like getting the most out of what I have on hand.

Last, what Mad Cook said about keeping the memories of those who came before alive.  Nothing carries on a culture, I believe, like cooking those traditional dishes.


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## Kathleen (Jul 21, 2014)

Many already listed my reasons, but keeping memories alive is one of the biggest ones for me.  I also love knowing exactly what is in my food, the taste of my own cooking, and enjoy the fun/creative aspects.  However, I had to admit that I have gotten out of my car and smelled something that I had to have: It was a fund-raising spaghetti dinner for a local Catholic school.  I make mighty good pasta and sauce, but the ladies at that church redefined Italian spaghetti sauce for me.  I may volunteer for the next one just to see if I could glean the recipe!


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## JanetMlr (Jul 21, 2014)

*Why do I cook?*

Besides the obvious (I love to cook), I think cooking is a form of expression.  My mom was a wonderful cook and entertained a lot. I got the passion from her. And I've passed that passion for cooking along to both of my kids.  My son is married and does the cooking. My daughter is an amazing cook. She has taught cooking classes in a unique restaurant, and even took over at the request of the executive chef who had taken ill, of a nearby French restaurant when the chef couldn't prepare the meal for a special event. I think loving to cook and being good at it is often an extension of who we are.  I'm a creative type (design and make jewelry, paint, write). My daughter sings and is a graphic designer. Most of the time, I just cook for myself, but love preparing meals for friends and family. But getting to be the guinea pig for new things I'm trying... can't be beat.


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## fairygirl69 (Jul 29, 2014)

Buff said:


> I cook to stick it to the Man and all his manufactured food by-products.




Love that response.  Wise words.  Also, my friends and family have told me it's my art. Hubby says poets write love poems, singers write love songs, I make meals that are an expression of my love for those around me. He says I make meals to him. 


Cooking is like painting or writing a song. Just as there are only so many notes or colors, there are only so many flavors - it's how you combine them that sets you apart.

Wolfgang Puck


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## manilak1d (Jul 29, 2014)

I wanted to lose weight and have a better eating lifestyle.

I got fat during college because I was eating a diet that consisted of
McDonalds and the chinese restaurant right next to my place, both cheap.

I didn't have time to cook or have the equipment to cook so i just ate out a lot.

So when I finally got a place that had a kitchen I started to cook at home and I found out that it was way cheaper to cook at home than to eat out every day. 

But I've always had a fascination with cooking. I always watched my dad cook when I was younger. 

Now I'm much healthier and have lost tons of weight. But I'm also a gym freak now so that has helped also


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## Addie (Jul 29, 2014)

Congratulations on the weight loss! That is not an easy feat. Would you mind telling us how much you lost all together? It would be encouraging for others who are trying to lose. It shows that it can be done.

Cooking is fun. And the food at home always tastes so much better. Seasoned to your own liking. Late last night I got a hankering for a frittata. So I went out into the kitchen and prepped all the veggies. A giant onion, (I love onions) three potatoes, peeled and sliced thin, mushrooms, and sausages cut into pieces. Then whipped some eggs together, and I had myself a frittata. It took me about an hour all total, but I was one happy person. I got my veggies and some protein with them. Being diabetic, I have to balance my meals out. 

Nothing like having your own kitchen to cook in. College days are fun, but the meals a college kid can afford leaves little choice.


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## Cooking Goddess (Jul 30, 2014)

The sense that evokes memory for me the best is smell. If I make something my Mom made, I think of family. If I make something that resembles a dining experience out that was special, it reminds me of that night or vacation. Besides, it _usually_ smells darned good no matter what the food du jour is!

Mad Cook said she thinks her cooking is better than most restaurants. I feel the same way about mine. When on vacation, I've been know to sniff the air enthusiastically while skimming the menu posted. I'm more than willing to let Himself know I think what we're smelling isn't worth the price they're asking!

Financially, home cooking is a better value far and away over dining out. And if I am nothing else, I am cheap frugal. Plus, the control over the quality of ingredients and amount of seasonings is a big plus to me.

Also, it's a creative outlet for me too. I can sniff and stir and melt and add to my heart's content, hoping that something I'm making up on the fly gets an appreciative "mmmm" from Himself. I especially like putting "strange" ingredients together to get a winner. Never in my life my hubby would enjoy a chicken dish that included fresh cherries and cinnamon. My, have his taste buds come a long way in all these years!


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## taxlady (Jul 30, 2014)

Oh yes, the memories that cooking smells bring back. That is a part of my enthusiasm for Danish recipes. Some of the smells bring me right back to Copenhagen.


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## CharlieD (Jul 30, 2014)

I think, there for I am. I cook, there for I eat. That is my main reason, or so I tell my wife. I grew up in the kitchen watching my mom cook, she was an artist. The things that she could make out of nothing, growing in Soviet Union there were not many choices. Now she is gotten to be old and frail, and she says that I can cook better than she can, I do not believe her. My father always said that only mother can teach a child. I think he was right. And so I cook. I do like  it, I do like to put food on the table that little, picky kids will eat. Parents come to me and tell me he/she never ate this or doesn't like that. How did you do it? What is the recipe? That is the biggest compliment to me.


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## Chief Longwind Of The North (Jul 30, 2014)

CharlieD said:


> I think, there for I am. I cook, there for I eat. That is my main reason, or so I tell my wife. I grew up in the kitchen watching my mom cook, she was an artist. The things that she could make out of nothing, growing in Soviet Union there were not many choices. Now she is gotten to be old and frail, and she says that I can cook better than she can, I do not believe her. My father always said that only mother can teach a child. I think he was right. And so I cook. I do like  it, I do like to put food on the table that little, picky kids will eat. Parents come to me and tell me he/she never ate this or doesn't like that. How did you do it? What is the recipe? That is the biggest compliment to me.



I cook so that I can compete with CharlieD for the best ever pancake recipe.

Just kidding.  I cook because I enjoy good food, with herbs and spices that can't be had in restaurants.  I enjoy big, bold flavors, and quality food.  Plus, it's cheaper that eating out, and I enjoy the process of creating new foods, and flavor pairings.  It's an art form, and I'm no good at sculpting, or working with clay.  So to satisfy one of my creative sides, I cook.

Seeeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North


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## Addie (Jul 30, 2014)

CharlieD said:


> I think, there for I am. I cook, there for I eat. That is my main reason, or so I tell my wife. I grew up in the kitchen watching my mom cook, she was an artist. The things that she could make out of nothing, growing in Soviet Union there were not many choices. Now she is gotten to be old and frail, and she says that I can cook better than she can, I do not believe her. My father always said that only mother can teach a child. I think he was right. And so I cook. I do like  it, I do like to put food on the table that little, picky kids will eat. Parents come to me and tell me he/she never ate this or doesn't like that. How did you do it? _*What is the recipe*_? That is the biggest compliment to me.



I will never understand folks who fail to share thier recipes with other folks. Don't they know what a compliment they have been given? "Oh I can't, it is a family recipe and I promised I would never give it out." More likely than not, it was taken out of a magazine or other publised article. 

I once made some pumpkin cookies. They were a big hit at the party. One of the guests (who worked with my daughter) asked for the recipe. I emailed it to her the next day. The following year she made them for the office. Someone asked her for the recipe. "Oh no, it is a secret family recipe." My daughter heard her. She called me and asked me to email it to her. She ran off copies and told everyone there they could have the recipe. Her co-worker didn't speak to her for a long time. No big loss!


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## manilak1d (Jul 30, 2014)

Addie said:


> Congratulations on the weight loss! That is not an easy feat. Would you mind telling us how much you lost all together? It would be encouraging for others who are trying to lose. It shows that it can be done.



When I was dieting I lost about 50 lbs.

Putting your time in the gym is as important as what you consume. I did have my cheat meals, but overall I was good at what I ate.


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## CharlieD (Jul 31, 2014)

Chief Longwind Of The North said:


> I cook so that I can compete with CharlieD for the best ever pancake recipe.
> 
> Seeeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North



Ah, I'd loose in no time.


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## CharlieD (Jul 31, 2014)

Addie said:


> I will never understand folks who fail to share their recipes with other folks. Don't they know what a compliment they have been given? "Oh I can't, it is a family recipe and I promised I would never give it out." More likely than not, it was taken out of a magazine or other published article.


Oh, don't even go there. My blood boils when I hear that. My friend had this secretary working for him. She made the best cookies I ever tasted. When I asked her for recipe she told me it was given to her under condition that she would never share the recipe, and "...Being person of integrity I could not betray the trust... " blah, blah, blah, all while stealing from money from my friend, and in the end ran away with his stolen car. some integrity she had.


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## CharlieD (Jul 31, 2014)

manilak1d said:


> When I was dieting I lost about 50 lbs.
> 
> Putting your time in the gym is as important as what you consume. I did have my cheat meals, but overall I was good at what I ate.



Wow, good for you.


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## Chief Longwind Of The North (Jul 31, 2014)

CharlieD said:


> Ah, I'd loose in no time.



Too bad we don't live near each other.  I bow to you my friend and say right here, right now, your pancakes and mine may be on opposite ends of the spectrum, but are equal in every way.  

Come on over to my neck of the woods.  The Atlantic Salmon are running right now, and I need a fishing partner.

Seeeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North


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## Mad Cook (Jul 31, 2014)

Addie said:


> I will never understand folks who fail to share thier recipes with other folks. Don't they know what a compliment they have been given? "Oh I can't, it is a family recipe and I promised I would never give it out." More likely than not, it was taken out of a magazine or other publised article.
> 
> I once made some pumpkin cookies. They were a big hit at the party. One of the guests (who worked with my daughter) asked for the recipe. I emailed it to her the next day. The following year she made them for the office. Someone asked her for the recipe. "Oh no, it is a secret family recipe." My daughter heard her. She called me and asked me to email it to her. She ran off copies and told everyone there they could have the recipe. Her co-worker didn't speak to her for a long time. No big loss!


 Good for your daughter.

I usually give recipes but have one recipe that I can't pass on. The reason is that it is never the same twice and I can't always remember what went into it. I do give an overall view though.


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## CraigC (Jul 31, 2014)

Mad Cook said:


> Good for your daughter.
> 
> I usually give recipes but have one recipe that I can't pass on. The reason is that it is never the same twice and I can't always remember what went into it. I do give an overall view though.



Its like Roy Clark said after Charles Wilbur "Buck" Trent finished a good lick on his 5 string, "You can never do something exactly the same, only similar".


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## CharlieD (Jul 31, 2014)

Chief, it's like I've said before my wife loves your recipe. Though kids prefer mine.
Salmon fishing sounds like a wonderful idea. And to cook it fresh, mmmm.... Some day I'll hold you to this invitation.  

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using Discuss Cooking mobile app


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## DeandraAyu (Aug 1, 2014)

It's been so fun reading all the reason of why you guys cook and loving it. 

None of my parents cook and i have never watched my grandma cook, so it was not like i'm learning to cook beside her knee.. Haha but i grow up watching cooking show, first local tv and then nigella, jamie oliver.. And then lots of hours in front of computer reading cooking blogs. 

I cook firstly because I wanted to be able to do magic; because that was what cooking looks like when I watched them.. All the sizzling sounds, and the way ingredients change shape and colours.. It looks glorious. Then i learned that bringing food (emm, free food hahaha) makes you soo much likeable at schools. Then i started join cooking classes and stuff, I realized that cooking is a creative outlet. And being a person with a little patience, the instant gratification cooking gives bring me joy. Eventhough i have different taste with my family, so its rare the household will eat my food. But my friends at school eat them like there's no tomorrow! Hahaha 

Now, i also cook to become more healthy. I gotten so fat, and my body feels  horrible. I no longer like what i see in the mirror and i believe eating junk and not exercising has a lot to do with that. But i do believe in food,  in eating right, and i believe that healthy food consist so much more than sad, bland, no dressing lettuce, and balance is the key. Still on progress tho!  


Let's talk food!


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## taxlady (Aug 1, 2014)

I love your attitude Deandra. Welcome to DC.

You are so right that healthy food consists of lots more than "no dressing lettuce" and other "diet food". Yes, with exercise and getting rid of junky food, I'm sure you will get back to a body that makes you happy.


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## DeandraAyu (Aug 2, 2014)

Hi, Taxlady, thanks! I know, I'm not totally in the bandwagon of today's society trend that skinny is the best- because being "skinny" might not always the best state for our body. We need to strive for body that feels good and energized, not size numbers or weight. 

I hope joining DC could keep my cooking passion aflame and able to learn a lot from the community here  


Let's talk food!


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## fairygirl69 (Aug 2, 2014)

I find that if I cook "real food" not "edible food like substances," and monitor my portion sizes while using a food diary/ calorie counter app on my phone, I keep from gaining weight. I stay within enough calories to maintain my weight but my body's in a weight loss cycle at the moment. Really it's painless for me and it works well for my purposes. It also keeps my blood sugar in control without giving up my favorite foods (carbs to name one.). It's all about moderation and listening to my body for me. Anyway that's another reason I prefer to cook our own food from scratch unless there's something I absolutely cannot duplicate. 


Cooking is like painting or writing a song. Just as there are only so many notes or colors, there are only so many flavors - it's how you combine them that sets you apart.

Wolfgang Puck


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## Kayelle (Aug 3, 2014)

What galls me almost as much as someone not giving out a recipe is someone who doesn't follow my recipe and then complains about it being a bad recipe. If you alter my recipe, it's no longer my recipe. It's insulting to me when I'm asked for my recipe, they don't follow it at least the *first *time. What they do the second time making it is up to them, but for Pete sake, since you asked for it give mine a chance *first*.


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## Andy M. (Aug 3, 2014)

Kayelle said:


> What galls me almost as much as someone not giving out a recipe is someone who doesn't follow my recipe and then complains about it being a bad recipe. If you alter my recipe, it's no longer my recipe. It's insulting to me when I'm asked for my recipe, they don't follow it at least the *first *time. What they do the second time making it is up to them, but for Pete sake, since you asked for it give mine a chance *first*.



+1!...


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## taxlady (Aug 3, 2014)

Kayelle said:


> What galls me almost as much as someone not giving out a recipe is someone who doesn't follow my recipe and then complains about it being a bad recipe. If you alter my recipe, it's no longer my recipe. It's insulting to me when I'm asked for my recipe, they don't follow it at least the *first *time. What they do the second time making it is up to them, but for Pete sake, since you asked for it give mine a chance *first*.


I can't count how many times someone would ask for my mum's recipe for tuna salad and then complain that she must have given it to them wrong. It didn't taste as good when they made it. Then she would find out they had substituted Miracle Whip for mayo.  (Sometimes there were other changes too.)


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## CWS4322 (Aug 3, 2014)

I cook because I need to eat. I also cook because it is fun--playing in the kitchen. I grew up with a grandmother and aunt who were very good cooks--cooking is an expression of love and keeps me connected to my roots.


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## DeandraAyu (Aug 4, 2014)

CWS4322 said:


> I cook because I need to eat. I also cook because it is fun--playing in the kitchen.



I agree! The possibilities are endless, ingredients are affected by environment and cultures, It is truly something exciting to be explored and there is always new challenges around the corner.


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## Rocklobster (Aug 4, 2014)

I could never imaging not cooking. Its inborn. Grew up fairly poor so food came from home until I was a teenager. Started with easy recipes my mother used and had decent success so it just grew from there.  My mind is always working on what to eat next. So many foods I want to try. Always searching for a new experience. I have no access to any decent restaurants without a lengthy drive so I try to create recipes at home. I love researching, take drives to the city for the sole intention to shop in the imported/ethnic food stores. Then, plan meals over the next few weeks with ingredients. My dish-wish-list is longer than I  probably have days left on this earth. It consumes a fairly decent chunk of my thoughts throughout the day....I am searching for the perfect meal....


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## Chief Longwind Of The North (Aug 4, 2014)

Rocklobster said:


> I could never imaging not cooking. Its inborn. Grew up fairly poor so food came from home until I was a teenager. Started with easy recipes my mother used and had decent success so it just grew from there.  My mind is always working on what to eat next. So many foods I want to try. Always searching for a new experience. I have no access to any decent restaurants without a lengthy drive so I try to create recipes at home. I love researching, take drives to the city for the sole intention to shop in the imported/ethnic food stores. Then, plan meals over the next few weeks with ingredients. My dish-wish-list is longer than I  probably have days left on this earth. It consumes a fairly decent chunk of my thoughts throughout the day....I am searching for the perfect meal....



The perfect meal:  Whatever I'm hungry for at the time, and prepared perfectly.  It might be Kielbasa on the grill with a plate of good potato chips, or it could be a standing rib roast, cooked to a perfect medium rare, with my special stuffed potatoes, with freshly steamed green beans, or better yet, artichoke hearts.

For me, there is no such thing as one perfect meal.  My instantaneous desire, and often, my need to try something new dictates what for me is the perfect meal on any given day.

Seeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North


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## Kaneohegirlinaz (Aug 4, 2014)

*You Do What? COOK?! You mean REAL FOOD?*

Where we live now, folks don't do too much cooking for themselves, they eat out. 
They have these beautiful, big, fancy, everything-you-could-ever-want-in-it, gourmet, caterers kitchen that they don't use. 
When we're invited to someones home and I see this, my fingers literally itch, I _WANT_ to cook there. 
As the conversation at this said cocktail party (they don't eat, just drink and nibble) turns to the question of "what do you do my dear?", and I reply that I'm doing what I've always wanted to do, I'm a true blue homemaker and love it. The response to that is, "yes, but what do you do?" 
I cook and bake and can; whatever I feel like to I want to make.
It's like I'm speaking a different language, they simply do not understand.
"You mean that you cook food, real food?"
YES! Real Food! 
We don't order out, we rarely go to fast food restaurants, I shop for all of the ingredients myself, I prepare all of our meals, everyday, I clean it all up, I adore kitchen stores, *AND YES*, I enjoy it.
I won't say that I have a passion for cooking, that to me is an emotion that I save for my husband 
The next question is always, "but there's only two of you, why mess up the kitchen?" 
WHAT?
Sometimes when I make a recipe that just is too much and I don't feel like freezing it or having it for leftovers the next day, I share it with our neighbors. 
Need I say that all of the folks that live around us, like us?


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## Kayelle (Aug 5, 2014)

Kaneohegirlinaz said:


> Where we live now, folks don't do too much cooking for themselves, they eat out.
> They have these beautiful, big, fancy, everything-you-could-ever-want-in-it, gourmet, caterers kitchen that they don't use.
> When we're invited to someones home and I see this, my fingers literally itch, I _WANT_ to cook there.
> As the conversation at this said cocktail party (they don't eat, just drink and nibble) turns to the question of "what do you do my dear?", and I reply that I'm doing what I've always wanted to do, I'm a true blue homemaker and love it. The response to that is, "yes, but what do you do?"
> ...



*LOVE *that post Kgirl....let me just say again, you've found the right place here to hang your hat.


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## Rocklobster (Aug 6, 2014)

Chief Longwind Of The North said:


> For me, there is no such thing as one perfect meal.  My instantaneous desire, and often, my need to try something new dictates what for me is the perfect meal on any given day.
> 
> Seeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North


That's my point. It will never be achieved. But, I will try again tomorrow....


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## skilletlicker (Aug 6, 2014)

I cook because I like to eat and I've been eating my own cooking so long I've acquired a taste for it.


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## Andy M. (Aug 6, 2014)

skilletlicker said:


> I cook because I like to eat and I've been eating my own cooking so long I've acquired a taste for it.



Lucky for you.  Otherwise, dinner would be hell every day!


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## PrincessFiona60 (Aug 6, 2014)

I would cook, but I find it encourages my food addiction...


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## Andy M. (Aug 6, 2014)

PrincessFiona60 said:


> I would cook, but I find it encourages my food addiction...




So you get your "fix" from a dealer.


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## PrincessFiona60 (Aug 6, 2014)

Andy M. said:


> So you get your "fix" from a dealer.



Yeah, found the perfect place...Dickie's Barbeque Pit...


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## skilletlicker (Aug 10, 2014)

*Zen and the Art of Mise En Place*

Got to thinking about this on my morning walk.

What I like best about cooking is the sense of mise en place: of getting my stuff together. Actually, in my head, the noun has a scatological connotation.

I greatly admire and secretly envy people who are highly disciplined and organised. I'm not one of them; never will be. Imposing order and control over life and its circumstances may be beyond my ability. But planning, preparing and executing a dish or even a meal is possible. Mind you, it is a challenge, but none the less, sometimes I pull it off.

And that is very, very rewarding.


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