The Creative Spark or What Drives Some to Cook!

My 14 and 15-year-old nieces are learning to cook this summer. They complain endlessly their teacher doesn't know what she's talking about. Yet, I see at least one thing the teacher is doing right: she is engaging their creative spark.

Last week, there was a chicken-cooking contest in their class. They were to prepare two boneless, skinless chicken breasts. They were given a list of ingredients they could order, which included potatoes, pastas, condiments, etc. The older niece made some very deliberate choices in her ingredients with her lab partner. During the evening, she queried what I would do with the same ingredients and we discussed several options. The younger was missing in action due to pain(!) from her tightened braces; her lab partner just picked anything hoping she and my younger niece could figure something out later.

Ultimately, my older niece simultaneously baked a chicken breast seasoned with rosemary and apples in the same pan, which she served with garlic mashed potatoes. Unfortunately, at class conclusion the teacher insisted the breast needed more cooking time and overcooked it. My younger niece and her partner decided to stir-fry their chicken breast using teriyaki and soy sauces, then mixed it into pasta. If I am fuzzy on the details, its only because I have very little specifics from either of them.

The following day, a pregnant staff person was brought in to judge the food for taste and visual presentation. My younger niece and her lab partner obtained a first place for taste and second place for visual presentation. My older niece, who was quite handicapped from the teacher's additional cooking, did not place. My younger niece is still on cloud 9 from this acknowledgement of her efforts.

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When I was my nieces' age, I had already been cooking dinner daily for 4-5 years at my own initiative. When I was 10, I had lived with my Grandmother for 6 months. I had always enjoyed my dinners at her house though I supposed these meals were for 'company.' I speculated her daily meals were much like what I experienced in my household. However, I quickly learned her 'company' level was pretty much every day with specific dishes prepared for our visit just because we liked them. When I returned to my family, I was no longer satisfied with our daily fare. In addition, my Mother was pregnant so allowing an eager beaver into the kitchen was a welcome relief for her. My Dad gave me open license to buy whatever books and cooking (toys) utensils I deemed necessary. Of course, my friend's parents gave me strange looks when I'd leave early from after-school stuff to make dinner. However, making dinner was my creative outlet and something I developed some skill in.

Lately, my time in the kitchen isn't so much creative as task driven. I know what I need to do, I know what the result will be, I get it done efficiently and tastefully but it just doesn't charge my batteries. I will have to work on finding my spark again because deep down the kitchen is my favorite playground. Maybe a new challenge of some sort, I'll think of something.

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What got to me thinking I had lost a bit of my creative spark in the kitchen was from watching someone else cook. When I first arrived, this person was in the midst of a tried-and-true recipe, which apparently is regularly requested by their family. A moment of deja vu, someone on a parallel mindset to my Grandmother's efforts for me and something I do to this day for friends and family: prepare food that makes them happy or perhaps nostalgic. A simple life affirming idea repeated all the time.

Beets were purchased for a salad, though it was clear this was a first time handling for this person. However, where this person was on the path of discovery, I had several specific ideas how these beets would be prepared if it were my task. Sometimes experience can be a bit stifling. In the end, they made a beet salad with yogurt (I suggested beets with sour cream was classic Russian, though yogurt was an acceptable substitution), dill (a classic choice), dried mustard (not in my beet vocabulary) and some cider vinegar (well, what the heck!). The resulting salad had a fresh taste with a bit of a mustard nip and by the way, Russians love strong mustards, so the choice of this condiment wasn't such a departure.

There was also a better living through chemistry moment: when there was no cornstarch available to lightly thicken a sauce. Instead, a dietary powdered 'gum' health conscious people may use in their regime was pressed into action. Not really sure what this was but the label indicated it could be used as a thickener without any indication of liquid to powder ratio. Well, the first experiment number produced a very heavy substance, which rolled easily into a ball. The second attempt, less powder and the same amount if liquid was still to heavy. The third time was the charm with substantially less powder and the same amount of liquid, made an acceptable coat-the-spoon type sauce. It was terrific fun observing someone playing with an unknown substance until a workable solution was found. Ah, I witness yet again the creative spark going about its business.

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I'll find my muse again cause I want to have as much fun as everyone else!

This posting brought up a lot of cooking memories for me. I, too, started cooking at a young age. Some of my first memories are of me in my grandmother's kitchen making "spice soup", which was basically a lot of water, a lot of bowls, and any spices I wanted. While it wasn't to be eaten, I did learn what each herb, spice, and powder looked and smelled like. No one ever scolded me for wasting anything, or making a mess. What an introduction to the kitchen!

Some of my favorite "toys" were kitchen tools. (And they still are!) Pressing dough through the garlic press to make "spaghetti", etc, etc. I also had my own tiny set of a rolling pin, cookie sheet, spoon, everything for little hands so that I could cook alongside my mom. These are such fond memories, and the making of what I'm able to cook today.

I am always shocked at how surprised people are when they see what I'm eating for lunch ("You MADE that? I couldn't do that..." (It's a colorful salad with homemade dressing!)). I feel like a broken record explaining how, like Cathy2 (and I'm sure almost everyone here) cooking is an outlet. Cooking is therapy, rewarding, entertaining, meditation, science, comfort. It is so gratifying to see something come out of nothing. Many days, it's a relief to know there are some constants in this world, even if it's just your own little kitchen.

Which brings me to C2's quote:
"Lately, my time in the kitchen isn't so much creative as task driven. I know what I need to do, I know what the result will be, I get it done efficiently and tastefully but it just doesn't charge my batteries."

Everyone has slumps, and they are so frustrating. It is good to see someone else cook - Especially if it's for you to eat. When I feel frustrated like this, we go out to dinner
I have found trying to make something the way my mind believes it should be/taste creates that challenge for me that C2 is talking about (e.g. "Why can't I make Ragu" thread). It's for someone who loves it, and while I haven't made it "right" yet, I eventually will. Part of the joy of that is knowing eventually I can get it right. He who tries each batch will give me the thumbs-up every time, but I'll *know* when it's truly GOOD, and that's one of the challenges for me.

C2: "deep down the kitchen is my favorite playground."

*Happy Sigh* ME TOO.

You'll be having fun on the playground again soon, I'm sure.
Cheers,
Alex

It was my father who taught me to cook, especially with spices. It started with eggs: saute half of what was in the fridge, then, if there's still room, add beaten eggs: celery, pepperoni, onions, peppers, salami, leftovers... and a dash of tabasco.

Originally, I had a low opinion of my mother's cooking: bland and boring (we'll never let her live down the whitefish with cauliflower and mashed potatoes evening), and an overly health-concious streak for a while, but she turned a magic corner somewhere along the way, and I learned a lot from her about stir-fry and cooking in general.

But why do I cook? Because I love to eat, and love to read recipes. Sooner or later, I've got to try it once I've read it. B'stella, rogan josh, duck in pipian, chicken (instead of veal) limone, shrimp dejonghe... if I've eaten it in a restaurant, I'll try to reproduce it.

Recipes are a guideline (drives my wife, the baker, nuts): find five or six recipes for the same dish, pick out the best features, what sounds like the ability to deliver the most flavor without getting silly, and go for it. It's occasionally a failure, but usually still edible.

Best magazine in the world: Cook's Illustrated.

messycook wrote:It's for someone who loves it, and while I haven't made it "right" yet, I eventually will. Part of the joy of that is knowing eventually I can get it right. He who tries each batch will give me the thumbs-up every time, but I'll *know* when it's truly GOOD, and that's one of the challenges for me.

The only downside of this (at least in my experience) is when you keep experimenting and fianally get it just right...the way you have envisioned it in your mind...and your "audience" (Wife, Husband, family, etc.) says they like it better "the other way". That can be quite frustrating, but not enough to stop the quest for perfection.

My downside in cooking by experiment is that I never have a recipe to reproduce the next time. Sometimes I'll wing it, sometimes I can remember (or have printed out) my 'core' recipe, but there have been a few things lost to time, and I've got to start over again.

Worst outcome is usually overseasoning. Salt is my nemesis in flavoring: you want enough, but it's easy to go over the line, especially with sea salts.

My nieces learn to cook, continued ...:

The horrible teacher struck again! This time the contest was a pasta dish. My elder niece inquired this week how to make Fettuccine Alfredo. I explained how it was made and googled up a recipe for her to follow. My younger niece never made any inquiries on a pasta dish. She and her lab partner conducted their own research, where they decided to stuff pasta shells with ricotta, spinach and feta cheese with a marinara sauce over it, then sprinkled with cheese and baked. I learned they got the gist of the recipe from a Kraft cookbook, then improvised with additions they thought were compatible.

The results of this week's pasta competition: My younger niece scored 1st place for taste and 2nd for presentation. My elder niece did not place and no hard feelings! I love it.

Despite all the complaints about this teacher, I like her more every week. They're learning to research recipes. They're using their sensory memory to conjure up what the dish will likely taste when completed. By simply ordering the ingredients in advance, they're learning how to meal plan. And all along, they think they're just cooking a pasta dish in summer cooking class. I tell you this teacher is a genius! I have seen more kitchen activity from those two this summer than ever before.

At least I feel more motivated to cook after reading various forums.In addition to myself,I cook for two people with different tastes.One is a meat and dairy diet,light on the spices.The other rarely eats meat or dairy and loves spicy food.And if we go out it seem to be to Old Country Buffet alot.It satisfies everyone from Dad to my nephews but not me.I don't like to cook for one person.