Cooking as a Lifestyle

Someone today asked me how my “diet” was going. I had to explain to them that I wasn’t on a “diet”. Cooking is a lifestyle (at least that’s what I’m quickly finding out). Any serious cook would punch you in the face if you mistook their love of food and passion for preparation as simply a diet. Enjoying delicious food, expertly prepared, is a quality of life choice. I’ve upgraded my lifestyle, not started a diet.

Jealous? You should be.

Good food is both a luxury and a delight to experience. As life becomes more-and-more stressful and we become more-and-more available online, I truly appreciate the time that I can “disconnect” from the grid each day and lose myself with my cooking. Cooking, to me, is creative, relaxing, and fun. I don’t ever have to settle for processed, prepared, or fast food. And I have the pleasure of eating as much as I want while never feeling deprived. That certainly doesn’t sound like a diet to me.

I am one of the lucky ones. Most people cannot afford that kind of lifestyle.

I cook for the same reason that many people climb mountains…because it is a fulfilling endeavor, and because I can.