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Art and Science

By the looks of it, you might think it's been a slow month at our house!

Truthfully, though, it's been kinda busy.

Just this month, we have spent a week in the mountains, prepared for the start of school, and I've gotten to share with a group of ladies about meal preparation.

That's why I decided to write today.

Because of my time with the moms.

It got me thinking.

One of the things I did at the cooking class was show how to prepare five meals with five pounds of ground beef.

Easy enough.

But there was really more to it than that.

The "more to it" was this:

  • eating at home is cheaper than eating out.
  • cooking at home tastes better than eating out.
  • cooking takes a little bit of prep, but it's worth the effort
  • eating dinner together, as a family, is more than the meal; it's about sharing together 
 For some, cooking is intimidating.

But I've shared this thought with so many . . .and I shared it with the moms at the cooking class.

The thought:  "cooking is an art, baking is a science."

So, why do I say that?

Because art is open to interpretation and interest.

And if cooking is an art . . .than it is open for your own personal touch!

Baking is a science; the outcome is dependent on balance of ingredients so that a correct reaction can occur and result is a delicious masterpiece. 

But cooking . . .cooking is an art; what one person likes, another may not.

In baking, you cannot change the equilibrium of wet and dry ingredients and end up with a pleasing product.

But cooking!  You can change whatever you want . . .

you can add,

you can delete,

and you can substitute,

and you're going to be ok!

I can think of some of the bests cooks I know.

They all share a common characteristic.

And that is they went by taste, sight, and smell.

I remember my grandma, when she was going to teach me to cook, she'd say,

"stand right here and watch."

"You do a little of this . . .or you can do that."

"That looks about right."

"See how that feels?  That's what you're looking for."

  . . .and that's how you cook!

Yes, recipes are great.

Recipes give us a starting point.

But after you've cooking awhile, look at the recipe and see where you'd want to change it.

Not because it needs changing . . .

but because you're an artist!
 

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