Love this framework for categorizing kitchen joy. The eyes-closed cooking concept really nails why certain dishes become anchors in weekly rotation - its not just about ease but about that meditative flow state where muscle memory takes over. I've noticed in my own cooking that the gap between "following instructions" and "internalizing technique" is where real confidence emerges, and that confidence loop creates space for actual creativity rather than anxious recipe-checking. Also appreciated the ackowledgment that physical limitations shape what ambitious cooking looks like, something alot of food writing ignores.
I have been a passionate and adventurous home cook since...forever. I have a freezer full of different kinds of stock: chicken, beef, pork, fish, shrimp, corncob. I used to have a cassoulet dinner party every winter where I made all elements of the dish including Tarbais beans, duck confit and pork sausage, plus amuses, appetizer, salad and cheese course, and dessert. Mexican food a specialty-- making masa from dried corn to make tamales and tortillas; duck confit tamales with papaya and mole verde; barbacoa de cabrito; birria; chiles rellenos stuffed with crab and salsa verde. Major, days-long cooking projects, in other words. In recent years, however, osteoarthritis, back pain, knee and hip replacements have made it really difficult to spend time on my feet in the kitchen. I still cook just about every day, but have had to limit the complexity of the dishes I tackle and to take frequent breaks. I make batches of frijoles refritos and cooked salsas and keep them in my freezer, and focus on Mexican dishes that can be put together quickly--tostadas with carnitas from Trader Joe or chorizo from a local farmer; enchiladas; tacos. My husband left for a three week birding trip last week, and the night before he left I pushed myself and made a pot of osso buco, although I made saffron rice in lieu of the risotto Milanese I usually make to go with it. And gremolata, of course. Inspired by your recent column, I made a version of the Moosewood Hungarian mushroom soup you wrote about (I find it almost impossible to follow anyone else's recipe to the letter, except in baking); in addition to cultivated button and cremini mushrooms, I added rehydrated dried wild mushrooms, including black trumpets and porcini. And I used creme fraiche instead of sour cream, and potato starch for body instead of flour. It is delicious. I can eat all the vegetables I want when I am not cooking for my husband, so I am going to try to make something vegetable forward as often as I can while he is away.
Thank you so much for this delicious comment, Zora! I'm sorry to hear about your physical difficulties -- wishing you good health. Thank you too for mentioning a few other fantastic cooking projects of the "cooking challenge" variety, particularly cassoulet, barbacoa de cabrito and moles. I'll bet leftover osso bucco (though that seems unlikely!) would be great as a taco, too!
P.S. I just peeked at your profile and see you grew up in L.A.'s Fairfax neighborhood. I was born not far from there, and lived on Orange Grove as a young adult! Loved it there. My dad went to John Burroughs Jr. High. I wrote about his childhood in that neighborhood here: https://cookswithoutborders.substack.com/p/peanuts-get-your-peanuts
Hancock Park Elementary, JB Jr. High, Fairfax High. We lived 2 blocks from 3rd and Fairfax. I was too young to go to Hollywood Stars games and we weren’t a sports kind of family but I’m pretty sure my older brother went to some games with his friends. I have strong memories of movies at the Gilmore Drive In. And I hung out at the Farmers Market as soon as I was old enough to cross streets by myself.
Some of my earliest memories are from Farmers Market -- including its smell. We lived in the neighborhood until I was four, so it was really something returning there frequently as a young adult. It still smelled the same.
I used to stand and watch the cake decorators at the bakery behind DuPars, who made cakes with pink elephants wrapped around a champagne bottle,which must have been much in demand. And I was fascinated by an older woman who dipped chocolates. With one hand, she’d break off a bit of filling and roll it into a ball then toss it into her other hand that was covered in melted chocolate. Then she dropped the coated bon-bon onto a sheet tray of waxed paper with a little flourish that left a filip on the top. All exactly the same size and shape. By the time that was done, she’d have prepped another ball of filling to toss into her chocolate hand. Her dexterity and skill were mesmerizing. And she was incredibly neat. Nary a drip on the tray that held the bon-bons, and no chocolate stains on her white uniform. She worked there for years. I was addicted to the warm cinnamon donuts at Bob’s which is still there. I know what you mean about the smell. I think it was from all the citrus fruit mixed with a tinge of steam table enchiladas.
Oh, wow -- I feel like I remember a lady dipping chocolates. I used to love to go to that Dupar's. And I LOVE your description of Farmers Market's smell -- brilliant!!! Maybe there was a little donut smell mixed in there, too.
Happy new year, and your sourdough turned out beautifully!
Happy New Year, Anne -- and aww, thank you!!!
Love this framework for categorizing kitchen joy. The eyes-closed cooking concept really nails why certain dishes become anchors in weekly rotation - its not just about ease but about that meditative flow state where muscle memory takes over. I've noticed in my own cooking that the gap between "following instructions" and "internalizing technique" is where real confidence emerges, and that confidence loop creates space for actual creativity rather than anxious recipe-checking. Also appreciated the ackowledgment that physical limitations shape what ambitious cooking looks like, something alot of food writing ignores.
Yes, it is like muscle memory taking over! Thank you for the great comment, Neural Foundry!
I have been a passionate and adventurous home cook since...forever. I have a freezer full of different kinds of stock: chicken, beef, pork, fish, shrimp, corncob. I used to have a cassoulet dinner party every winter where I made all elements of the dish including Tarbais beans, duck confit and pork sausage, plus amuses, appetizer, salad and cheese course, and dessert. Mexican food a specialty-- making masa from dried corn to make tamales and tortillas; duck confit tamales with papaya and mole verde; barbacoa de cabrito; birria; chiles rellenos stuffed with crab and salsa verde. Major, days-long cooking projects, in other words. In recent years, however, osteoarthritis, back pain, knee and hip replacements have made it really difficult to spend time on my feet in the kitchen. I still cook just about every day, but have had to limit the complexity of the dishes I tackle and to take frequent breaks. I make batches of frijoles refritos and cooked salsas and keep them in my freezer, and focus on Mexican dishes that can be put together quickly--tostadas with carnitas from Trader Joe or chorizo from a local farmer; enchiladas; tacos. My husband left for a three week birding trip last week, and the night before he left I pushed myself and made a pot of osso buco, although I made saffron rice in lieu of the risotto Milanese I usually make to go with it. And gremolata, of course. Inspired by your recent column, I made a version of the Moosewood Hungarian mushroom soup you wrote about (I find it almost impossible to follow anyone else's recipe to the letter, except in baking); in addition to cultivated button and cremini mushrooms, I added rehydrated dried wild mushrooms, including black trumpets and porcini. And I used creme fraiche instead of sour cream, and potato starch for body instead of flour. It is delicious. I can eat all the vegetables I want when I am not cooking for my husband, so I am going to try to make something vegetable forward as often as I can while he is away.
Thank you so much for this delicious comment, Zora! I'm sorry to hear about your physical difficulties -- wishing you good health. Thank you too for mentioning a few other fantastic cooking projects of the "cooking challenge" variety, particularly cassoulet, barbacoa de cabrito and moles. I'll bet leftover osso bucco (though that seems unlikely!) would be great as a taco, too!
P.S. I just peeked at your profile and see you grew up in L.A.'s Fairfax neighborhood. I was born not far from there, and lived on Orange Grove as a young adult! Loved it there. My dad went to John Burroughs Jr. High. I wrote about his childhood in that neighborhood here: https://cookswithoutborders.substack.com/p/peanuts-get-your-peanuts
Hancock Park Elementary, JB Jr. High, Fairfax High. We lived 2 blocks from 3rd and Fairfax. I was too young to go to Hollywood Stars games and we weren’t a sports kind of family but I’m pretty sure my older brother went to some games with his friends. I have strong memories of movies at the Gilmore Drive In. And I hung out at the Farmers Market as soon as I was old enough to cross streets by myself.
Some of my earliest memories are from Farmers Market -- including its smell. We lived in the neighborhood until I was four, so it was really something returning there frequently as a young adult. It still smelled the same.
I used to stand and watch the cake decorators at the bakery behind DuPars, who made cakes with pink elephants wrapped around a champagne bottle,which must have been much in demand. And I was fascinated by an older woman who dipped chocolates. With one hand, she’d break off a bit of filling and roll it into a ball then toss it into her other hand that was covered in melted chocolate. Then she dropped the coated bon-bon onto a sheet tray of waxed paper with a little flourish that left a filip on the top. All exactly the same size and shape. By the time that was done, she’d have prepped another ball of filling to toss into her chocolate hand. Her dexterity and skill were mesmerizing. And she was incredibly neat. Nary a drip on the tray that held the bon-bons, and no chocolate stains on her white uniform. She worked there for years. I was addicted to the warm cinnamon donuts at Bob’s which is still there. I know what you mean about the smell. I think it was from all the citrus fruit mixed with a tinge of steam table enchiladas.
Oh, wow -- I feel like I remember a lady dipping chocolates. I used to love to go to that Dupar's. And I LOVE your description of Farmers Market's smell -- brilliant!!! Maybe there was a little donut smell mixed in there, too.