I never understand when people say they can’t cook. Climbing high atop my kitchen step stool, rolling pin held high over my head for emphasis, I proclaim, “If you can read you can cook!” Oh, how the soufflés have fallen of late!
A few recent first time tries turned into last time fails, leaving me with a really bad taste in my mouth about cooking. Literally. I will never know why a recipe doesn’t turn out despite following the instructions down to the 1/4 teaspoon. And the same can be said about life. We can do everything right, follow the rules exactly, use only the very best parts of ourselves and still things don’t come out like they’re supposed to. All the time spent planning and working hard only to be left with a disappointing result can make you not want to try again.
I went back into the kitchen last night to make something new. I’m not going to lie, my expectations were very low. I meticulously measured (not the easiest thing when visually challenged) and studied the directions like they were forensic evidence, the whole time wondering from where I should order a pizza. But I am happy to report the lemon pasta dish was delicious despite my doubts. It doesn’t help to explain why things go wrong but any win sure makes the loses less fresh in our minds, yielding us a huge piece of confidence, serving 1.
I don’t pretend to know what makes us give up or keep trying but I would have missed out on a terrific new meal last night had I made a member of my standard dinner rotation instead. The more I cook and the longer I live I know there are no guarantees in either, no matter how dedicated we are to the steps to a successful outcome. In either case, the key ingredient is the ice cream in the freezer, the perfect compliment to both celebration and consolation.
