Soul Highway

Open package, will cook

I mentioned “little discoveries” in my previous entry and those two words best describe this so-called adjustment phase that I now find myself in. The man of the house seemed a bit surprised I haven’t burned the lines yet trying to overcome hysterical bouts of homesickness. I’ve heard of stories of women who have gone through a similar immigration process experiencing the worse case of that “affliction”, driving their partners to discussion boards to seek help. I have my sentimental days as well but I guess having been independent for a long time back in the Philippines has its benefits.

What I was actually more concerned about was the skills required or expected when one changes or is about to change his/her civil status. I’ve made no secret of my misadventures in the kitchen. Prior to leaving, I made desperate attempts to equip myself with what a friend of mine called “minimal” requirements, gathering recipes, buying cookbooks and watching my mother cook with forced interest. I felt I was doomed.

Well, turns out America has a way out for kitchen dummies like myself and they’re called packaged, frozen, microwaveable, ready-to-bake food. The first time we went grocery shopping here I was amazed at the mountain of boxes, cans, bottles of various food items sitting in the cart that we were getting ready to push toward the counter. In the following days I got myself acquainted with cooking meals under 30 minutes without much activity involved. Open box, pour, stir contents, boil, simmer, serve. I have been redeemed.

Say what? Coming from a country where a crab is a crab, I had to do a double-take when I saw the word "imitation."

Back at home cooking seemed far more complicated. The whole slicing and dicing and carving and cutting was anything but appealing to me. Then, there is of course the matter of ingredients – almost everything is fresh. And then almost everything is fried. Both my parents are passionate about cooking (something which they obviously failed to pass on to me) and there is not a single cookbook lying around the house. I felt resigned to the fact that some people are simply gifted in the culinary department.

My friends would probably laugh at this, but I find myself beginning to like being around the kitchen. My so-called experiments are not always a success but cooking has finally caught my interest. I guess I am getting better at following recipes. But who would have thought I’d finally learn to do more than just boil an egg?

Posted by fleur at November 1, 2006 11:04 PM