Comments on: Cooking as a Spiritual Experience

By: RANDOMusings: Food

RANDOMusings: Food — Sat, 28 Aug 2010 21:12:04 +0000

[...] in a November post, I detailed how much I took food and cooking for granted for most of my life. As a kid, I was [...]

By: Tim

Tim — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 18:07:24 +0000

Hi Megan: Thanks for stopping by and sharing your comment…I know a little gratitude really goes a long way. Your recent post about food really got me to thinking about all the preparation and work that it takes to get it into our homes, which is all the more reason to be grateful. And I agree with you about eating…yeah its something pretty basic, but in many ways the simple act of eating is a sacred experience. As far as the wok goes, I would highly recommend it because I have never had a bad results cooking chicken…fried rice is another story. If you (or anyone else reading this) are interested in the recipe shoot me an email at: tim at 360degreeself DOT Com Have a great weekend!

By: Megan "JoyGirl!" Bord

Megan "JoyGirl!" Bord — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 15:09:55 +0000

What a beautiful story; thank you for sharing it. I am so grateful for the good food I’m able to eat most days, and I try to remember to give audible thanks. In the morning, I’ll often sort of bow over my chai latte — I’m very blessed to live the way that I do.
That being said, I don’t cook a whole lot. I eat in shifts, starting with organic graham crackers and frozen yogurt (dessert first, don’t you know!), and then topping it off with a salad and some grapes.
But I do love the act (and art?) of eating.
And by the way, cashew chicken in a wok sounds good!
.-= Megan “JoyGirl!” Bord´s last post…In Favor of Friendlier Foods =-.

By: Tim

Tim — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 05:38:22 +0000

Hi Nadia: Thanks for the Thanksgiving wishes. I bet it was great to slow down and savor the food in Paris. As someone who is often (but not always) a slow eater, I wish we’d take a little more time to enjoy things here, also. Wow, chocolate peanut butter cups sound delicious! Have a great Thanksgiving, too!

By: Nadia - Happy Lotus

Nadia - Happy Lotus — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 17:04:21 +0000

Hi Tim,

Talk about timing. Yesterday, I was telling my husband about how lunches in Paris take about two hours and how in Europe, you request for the waiter to bring you the bill. Eating there is something to be enjoyed. Unlike here where we eat so fast, we do not take our time to really savor the food. I know when I was working, I would have to rush to eat my lunch because I had to be sure to get back to my desk in time. It was kind of insane.

Whenever I do have the time, I love to cook and bake. My masterpiece is chocolate peanut butter cups. They totally rock!

Happy Thanksgiving to you!
.-= Nadia – Happy Lotus´s last post…Voting with Your Wallet – Food, Inc. Rocks! =-.

By: Tim

Tim — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 02:19:30 +0000

Hi Marissa: I’m very glad you enjoyed the post…I can understand how you feel because cooking and food prep is not always something I enjoy. I do enjoy it most of the time, but there are times that it can feel like a chore. That time in my life was a time I really needed something to ground me…and it did. The experience of cooking has helped me realize that I can cook meals that, oftentimes, is better than I can get at restaurants. I hope you have a great Thanksgiving!

Hi Jason: I am glad to read that you appreciate meal preparation and agree with you about the zen quality that cooking has. I enjoy having at least three burners going on the stove and really losing myself by focusing on what’s in front of me. Thank you for originally inspiring this post back in April when you wrote about family dinner. Have a great Turkey day!

Eric: You mentioned something that resonates with me when it comes to cooking – experimentation. I think the kitchen makes a great laboratory and some of the best dishes are the ones we don’t plan. I know what you mean about duds…I’ve had plenty and still cannot figure out how to make fried rice. Hoppin’ John sounds good, I’ll have to look that up. Thanks for sharing your story here and have a great holiday!

By: Eric | Eden Journal

Eric | Eden Journal — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 21:06:57 +0000

This is a great reminder for me. I often get so tied up in the chore of cooking that I don’t take the time to enjoy it and be thankful for it (even on Thanksgiving.)

Since my wife became a stay at home mom, she has been doing most of the cooking, which has been fantastic. She tries new recipes all the time. Some are duds, but we accept those as part of the process. Without this experimentation, we wouldn’t hit on so many winners that become our new favorites.

My current favorite is Hoppin’ John which is a black eyed peas, rice, and sausage or ham. Delicious.
.-= Eric | Eden Journal´s last post…Park Closes at Sunset =-.

By: Jason of Kim & Jason

Jason of Kim & Jason — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 20:12:03 +0000

Nice post, Tim. Ever since Lucy was born, I have taken on the grocery shopping and meal prep duties. I enjoy cooking but didn’t realize just how much I’d appreciate the preparation. The chopping and mixing takes on kind of a zen quality for me and I try to just be in the moment. It has become a great stress-reducer for me.

One that Kim doesn’t seem to mind at all
.-= Jason of Kim & Jason´s last post…A First-Year Father’s 13 Things to Be Thankful For =-.

By: Marissa

Marissa — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 07:23:21 +0000

Great post, Tim!

I’ve tried on several occasions to find some joy in food preparation, but I’ve always struggled. Somehow the idea of preparing food just for me took the spirit out of it… though, really, there’s no inherent reason for that.

I love that you put so much joy into the preparation and so much gratitude into the meal. And mojitos! That could be some kind of food manifesto: Prepare with joy, eat with gratitude, and top off with a mojito.

I agree with Lori; this is one of my favorite posts.
.-= Marissa´s last post…Goodbye, Grandma =-.

By: Tim

Tim — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 01:40:45 +0000

Hi Lori: Mmm…the dish you described sounds great! Nothing beats fresh basil, though cilantro is right up there, too. I’m very glad you enjoyed this post…it has been simmering (nice cooking analogy, huh?) in my brain ever since I commented on Kim and Jason’s post in April. It was also great to revisit these moments again as I wrote this post. You are right about the mojitos…they are such a fun drink. Have a great holiday weekend!