All Dressed Up and Nothing to Eat?

Sometimes I wonder if I was born in the wrong era. Perhaps I’m old-fashioned, but I find no greater pleasure in life than cooking up something delectable and revolutionary in the kitchen. In fact, I feel most grounded when my two feet are planted firmly on that cold kitchen tile and I’m surrounded by a world of possibilities.

Growing up, I remember helping my mother in the kitchen every single day. We spent our Sundays browsing Bon Appétit, planning the weekly menu, making a shopping list and going down every aisle at the grocery store. Then came the best part--- cooking together. We viewed this time (and still do) as the ultimate indulgence, where we acted as a synchronized team to whip up something thrilling. Maybe we wanted to try to mimic those amazing ‘avocado eggrolls’ from the Cheesecake Factory, or perhaps homemade pumpkin ravioli.

I learned several other lessons from my mother in the kitchen aside from simply cooking. For example, I’ll always remember her teaching me that “chocolate is a calcium serving” and “pumpkin pie is a vegetable.” I plan on living by these philosophies for the rest of my life.

During my college years, I learned to adapt my cooking talents to my changing environments. Freshman year, when I lacked a stove and oven, I learned the art of dorm-style cooking. I’ll always remember flipping blueberry pancakes on a small electric griddle, plugged into the bathroom, with all of my floor mates.

I’ve come up with the phrase “all dressed up and nothing to eat” as a way to describe the importance of a well-crafted meal. In an era where we spend so much time focusing on beauty, fashion and appearance, we ought to dress up our meals a bit more. Much like a great pair of shoes, preparing a carefully planned and beautifully executed meal can make you feel like a million bucks.