My mother is a brilliant cook. For as long as I can remember, most nights the kitchen was filled with a richness of delicious smells and homemade food. I took for granted that not only did I have a mother who cooked for me every night, but that her food was enjoyable. Whether it was a quickly thrown together chicken dish with a side of vegetables and rice, or a thoroughly planned, marinated and slow cooked brisket with homemade focaccia and roasted fresh carrots, I watched my mother make these meals with a matter of ease.
However, it was not until this year in college, living in my own apartment and fending for myself that I came to terms with how much this background of cooking affected me. I always enjoyed baking with my sister and mother and sometimes aided my mother in chopping vegetables or stirring pots and pans of grains; however, I never saw myself as being a cook like my mother. My sister, if anyone, took a much more active role in cooking dinner alongside my mother, while I typically kept the group company and joined in for the smaller tasks in the kitchen. What I did not realize though, is how much all this time in the kitchen infiltrated my knowledge. Furthermore, I did not recognize how much I was truly learning, by watching my mother all those years.
For a while, I just assumed I did not know how to cook and a fear of starting kept me away. Yet, as I got more and more exposed and started to test my knowledge, I realized just how much of a “natural” I am and how much I love it, just like my mother. The main activation to coming to terms with my passion for cooking was my roommate and her love of cooking. She was a large proponent of whipping up home cooked meals most nights in our apartment. Instead of leaning on Thayer street to keep my stomach full, we kept the wholesome and home cooked nature each night. From nights we planned out a meal from an online recipe or the quickly thrown together meals in between study sessions, I inched my way more and more into the kitchen. At first, I similarly saw my role as the sous-chef that chopped vegetables and prepped steps. However, as the semester has progressed I have come to take the lead on many meals. So much of those natural instincts come to me and meals I thought would be too difficult to make I complete with ease. Some nights, I make the meal for the entire household, following in my mother’s footsteps and completing some of her “go-to” recipes. It is a gesture that not only makes me feel better physically, but also more connected to my family. I replicate meals we make at home and feel as though I am there with them. I also learn from my roommates and their own familial instincts and am excited to bring these new recipes with me. Most of all, I am excited for Thanksgiving and a new level of confidence I will bring when joining in on the cooking with both my sister and mom for the very first time.