Friday, December 05, 2008

Cooking to Cement My Family

I'm thankful that God has changed my heart about cooking and has enabled me to grow in the kitchen because I think it's about more than fulfilling a Suzy Homemaker role or mortifying my pride. There are the practical benefits: eating at home saves us a lot of money, and the food is much better for us. But it goes even deeper. In a New York Times op-ed called "No Chefs in My Kitchen," Marcella Hazan writes:

The food Americans eat that is made fresh at home by someone who is close to them is shrinking compared with food consumed at restaurants or prepared outside. And while eating out or taking in may save us time or bring us enjoyment, I would argue that it deprives us of something important.

I am my family’s cook. It is the food prepared and shared at home that, for more than 50 years, has provided a solid center for our lives. In the context of the values that cement human relations, the clamor of restaurants and the facelessness of takeout are no match for what the well-laid family table has to offer. A restaurant will never strengthen familial bonds.

As I make dinner for our family tonight (stuffed shells are on the menu, at Steve's request), I want to find joy in the work and see it as more meaningful than simply filling our bellies. I want to contribute, in a way that may seem insignificant on the surface, to cementing our family intimacy as we gather around a home-cooked meal.

1 comment:

Sarah D. said...

Very true! Cooking for your family isn't just good for everyone (in more ways than one); it's another way you can be a blessing to them. =) God bless!