Cook

I was walking dogs the other day with two friends, and one of them was telling us about the dinner she made the night before. She talked a bit about her menu and where she likes to buy fish. But then she said something I've been thinking about ever since. "Cooking relaxes me," she said.

It struck me that cooking most definitely does not relax me. I cook because I want my family to enjoy good meals, and I pay a fair amount of attention to the kinds of food I buy. Oddly, I like to read cookbooks and cooking blogs (this is one of my favorites). I enjoy baking. But as for cooking meals, I do it because I have to, and I've always found it to be a little stressful, both the planning and the preparing.

So hearing my friend say that cooking relaxes her was something of a revelation. Reading relaxes me. I even find cleaning relaxing. So why not cooking? Maybe it's as simple as telling myself to relax while I'm cooking. Music might help. Not racing the clock would be good. Non-grumpy children would be wonderful.

I'd love to be not necessarily a better cook but a happier cook. To say, like my friend, that cooking relaxes me. I'm working on that.

(Photo by The Kitchn)