First rule: Abandon all rules. There’s nothing inspiring about shutting down your imagination.
Second rule: Take risks. Don’t be afraid to burn or season improperly or marry two seemingly incompatible items. Befriend a neighborhood dog if that helps give you license.
Third rule: If you want food that brightens your mood, play with color and texture. In the kitchen you are the culinary artist, and shapes and shades breathe life into your experience.
Fourth rule: Let your senses guide you. Your eyes, nose, hands and tongue will give you feedback.
Fifth rule: Pay attention to your food while you eat like it were a witty friend telling you a great story.
Tags: Cooking, gluten free diet, gluten free foods, healthy foods
Good advice for Jean and I as we get back into really cooking in our new kitchen. Thanks, Megan.
Great Megan! I love it! I’ve noticed there seems to be two kinds of cooks; those that are “born” with the ease of being adventurous in the kitchen and then those that have to work to cultivate it (I am one of those!) The only thing that has helped me overcome this is to, as you say in step one, abandon all rules and just dive in and do it! Letting go of my fear of failing opens up a lot of space for spontaneity to emerge.. making cooking much more fun.. even if the dish does tank!
Cheers,
Amber
Amber, absolutely. I think we are often given the impression, through cookbooks and online resources, that our recipes have to be complex and contain dozens of ingredients for the perfect nuanced taste. However in my experience, that can create a terrible pressure around cooking, and we end up believing that our simple experiments can’t be delicious or satisfying. Way to go for embracing your experimentalism!