Some people use yoga and meditation, people play golf or
paint art, listening to music, but for me therapy is not just exercising and
listening to music and meditating, but I have also found that writing and
cooking for me is too like therapy to me, cooking is not just a chore.
I love to write and cook, especially when I add my own touches
to a recipe and it works out. Developing a story and making it grow.
I have made some mistakes when cooking and I am not one to
boast about grammar, but for me I write and cook from the heart, and that to me
is what is important, keeping it real and honest.
My Nan was my biggest influence when it came to cooking, and
my untie Fai would teach me a few things too, when I stayed at hers sometimes. I
always liked writing even at school.
I wouldn’t exactly call me Nigella Lawson and I don’t think
Delia Smith will be feeling threatened by my cooking anytime soon, and I don’t
think JK Rowling has anything to worry about, but when I am in the kitchen
cooking or sitting and writing a blog or story it gives me something else to
focus on and I love being creative, and creating a fictional story is great as
it like watching a movie or reading a book it takes me away from reality for a
while, and I think that is the secret when you use things for therapy it’s
about turning off the norm and going into the fantasy land of cooking and storytelling.
There is nothing like making a good homemade soup, but last
Friday the one I made wasn’t my best and I did beat myself up about it, as I am
if I am going to be a completely honest a perfectionist, but that is good
because it will help me to make sure the next soup I make is one of my best.
Like when I first started to exercise and keep fit, I am learning each time I
cook and write. I know what not to do next time; how I can make it so it meet
with my taste buds? And that to me is another key thing to cooking, it is
finding what is right for your taste buds, the same as writing is finding what
I like to write about and read about.
Sometimes you can get mixed views when it comes to writing and
also cooking, I have not made a meal for my friends or family yet or read them
any of my stories, but would like to cook them all a meal I just need to learn
to be more confident to do so, and make it special. I do lack confidence even
though I know I can cook and write I just need to believe in myself a bit more.
Developing new ideas
I also like creating and developing new ideas, but the
problem I have is my mind will jump from one idea to another and before I know
it I have too many ideas that I don’t know where to start; this is where I have
learned to organize and plan, and write out the ideas so I will remember them
and I can always come back to them once I have completed my first idea.
If you wish to get into cooking and being more creative in
the kitchen then my first tip is to keep it basic at the beginning, don’t run
before you can walk. This is how I have improved my cooking and baking, because
instead of taking huge steps I have taken little ones, which has helped me to learn
new recipes and ideas, so then I can be more ambitious. Tip for writing, write
about things you know about and think of events that have happened in your life
that you can use in a story.
When writing jot it down don’t wait for it to slip you mind,
don’t worry if you think it’s rubbish at first, just write it down then you can
edit and change it as you like. Write for 10 to 15 minutes a day will help you
get started and keep writing then edit it only a few times once you have done a
page or edit once you have completed a chapter.
When cooking my 2nd tip is to read the recipe 3
or 4 times or even 6 to 7 times if you wish to, so it stays stuck in your mind
and get all your ingredients prepared first and then read again on mixing the
ingredients together and cooking details to complete the recipe.
Don’t mix time consuming with difficult, there are some
meals that can take a bit of time to do but can be fairly easy once you have prepped
and made the recipe a few times. Some meals can be very quick to do but can
take a little longer to cook, but doesn’t mean it is difficult it’s like
anything different recipes take different amounts of time to prepare and to
cook, but doesn’t make them hard work.
Cutting corners
There is nothing wrong in my opinion with cutting corners, I
still buy tubs of homemade soup and tinned, and still by a jar of curry sauce
to save time, but then I will make a dessert instead, or I will make some
croutons or some homemade garlic bread for example to go with it.
If you have a busy lifestyle then sometimes it’s must to cut
corners, but you can still add your own touches to a meal for example, if I am
having a roast dinner I will make a dressing to go over the meat whilst it
cooks, or I will make my own roast potatoes, and use tinned peas and carrots.
Who says I can’t?
Sometimes the most simplest and quickest of meals are the
best. For example this Friday my husband’s away to Southampton for his brothers
birthday, which I won’t be going as I know they will be having a pub crawl and
being pregnant don’t fancy it this time, but I decided rather than buy a Chinese
takeaway I would make my own. So I bought some diced meat, broccoli and
carrots, beansprouts, some chow mein sauce, some rice which I will make my own
egg fried rice with and some spare ribs, with prawn crackers on the side. I may
decide to eat this in bed or watch a DVD downstairs, but veg out for the night.
So I am not exactly making my own Chinese meal but I making
my own version in the respect that saves me money as it will be cost friendly
compared to a takeaway and I am still doing a little to add my own touches which
suits me and I may also do some writing over the weekend whilst my husband’s
away to keep me occupied, who knows.
All I say is if you want to cook and write, which you too
may feel therapeutic then be my guest and if you want to cut corners go one,
who’s going to know and people don’t really care.
I will be adding some recipe ideas and pictures of my
cooking soon and some more writing tips too so please watch this space.
Many thanks for reading,
Carrie X
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