I came across this term in the comments on another blog recently (thanks, Ms. M!) and it struck me deeply. When I feel unsettled, I cook. The simple routines of stirring and chopping and measuring lull my mind, and the smells of comfort food soothe my soul. Molasses cookies (I have the best recipe on Earth for these.) Bread. Soup. My grandmother's spaghetti sauce, the kind that simmers on the back of the stove all day and is never to be wasted on the heathens who actually prefer the inferior jarred alternative. Labors of love and deliciousness, all.
When I was growing up, we lived far from the extended family. We brought them close in spirit (particularly around the holidays, when the missing became most acute, especially for my mother) in the kitchen. How many thousands of the family Christmas cookies did we bake over the years? How many traditional meals did we cook? We soothed the longing for family with good things to eat and the conviviality of creating them together in our kitchen.
I think I'll bake some bread tomorrow. Maybe make some soup, too.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
-
That expression always makes me think of either Marvin the Martian or Wile E. Coyote--two of my all-time favorite cartoon characters. T...
-
Too funny...had to share. #6 is my favorite! 1. Light travels faster than sound. This is why some people appear bright until you hear the...
-
Just took one of the evening taekwondo classes at the dojo, which I rarely do because they don't fit the family schedule very well. Was...
Soup is even more therapeutic in the making than it is in the eating. That's what I think.
ReplyDeleteMs. Moon: I've vented a lot of steam kneading bread. Of course, said bread is best dunked in homemade soup afterward!
ReplyDelete