I think I understand why my parents cook for so many people now. I aways enjoyed eating those big meals, but I thought preparing them was a major pain. But this week, for some reason or another, I wanted to do a big dinner for everyone. It didn't exactly go as I planned. It took two more hours to get everything ready, and half the people I invited couldn't come. I burnt the second round of garlic bread, and I blew my money for a week on a pyrex pan.
But I loved it. There's a certain satisfaction you get from cooking for someone, from sharing a mealy you made. And it's not just from eating or being told your food is good. It's from serving someone. Helping someone. What is it about food, especially good food, that gets people to let their guard down? Why does sharing a meal bring people so much closer together? I hadn't felt that close to those people in a long time, and I probably won't again until the next time I cook.
I don't know what it is. I still don't, but I wanted to try again with breakfast. Pancakes had a few glitches too. This time WAY more people came than I expected. I ran out of eggs and buttermilk, and I think the second batch tasted a little powdery. Still though, I can't get over the feeling I get feeding people. Or the feeling I get running around the kitchen trying to pour drinks, tend three pans, and mix bater for the next batch. It's work, a LOT of work, but it's satisfying. Half the people didn't help with groceries like they said the would, and we didn't finish breakfast until 1 pm. But who cares? It made me happy to do it.
I may need to do this more often.
But I loved it. There's a certain satisfaction you get from cooking for someone, from sharing a mealy you made. And it's not just from eating or being told your food is good. It's from serving someone. Helping someone. What is it about food, especially good food, that gets people to let their guard down? Why does sharing a meal bring people so much closer together? I hadn't felt that close to those people in a long time, and I probably won't again until the next time I cook.
I don't know what it is. I still don't, but I wanted to try again with breakfast. Pancakes had a few glitches too. This time WAY more people came than I expected. I ran out of eggs and buttermilk, and I think the second batch tasted a little powdery. Still though, I can't get over the feeling I get feeding people. Or the feeling I get running around the kitchen trying to pour drinks, tend three pans, and mix bater for the next batch. It's work, a LOT of work, but it's satisfying. Half the people didn't help with groceries like they said the would, and we didn't finish breakfast until 1 pm. But who cares? It made me happy to do it.
I may need to do this more often.
