Many people in my life will know that I absolutely adore Cook's Illustrated - a fantastic cooking magazine founded and edited by Christopher Kimball. One of my favorite features in every issue is Kimball's editorial, often tales of his life past and present in small-town Vermont. I recently re-read his words in the following paragraphs from the July/August 2011 issue column, and I found myself thinking about his set of thoughts today while I was laboring joyfully over homemade chicken and dumplings (a favorite recipe from Cook's Illustrated) for tonight's dinner at Prune Ridge:
"Unhappiness steps through the front door when we find our lives removed from the world, from the shock and pleasure of our five senses. That's why we cook, to remind ourselves that we are alive, that we are connected to the food chain (the less fortunate become part of it) and to the ebb and flow of nature.
Breathing filtered, conditioned air, eating processed foods, and experiencing adventure while sitting in an armchair is certainly not what Homo sapiens was designed for. I have no idea what life is really about or whether it holds meaning, but happiness is not to be found in a box of cereal, even if it does contain a prize. Living with zero degrees of separation entails risk - yes, that glass of raw milk might contain pathogens - but nothing worth doing is entirely risk-free.
So we can either turn to our kitchens as a lifestyle, or we can do it to remind ourselves that we are alive, because we want to run our fingers across a silky side of salmon or grab hold of a bloody point-cut of brisket. Damn it, don't talk to me about calories, saturated fat, or healthy choices. I just want to experience life as fully as I can before memories of life outside my window fade forever. And that's something that even our kids will understand."
Blessed Be, Friends.
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