Sharing is Caring

As I whisked the young cookie dough, I stared at it thoughtfully, trying to decide whether to add cinnamon or not. And what about coconut? And granola? I finally decided yes to all three. This would make them interesting. Maybe some white chocolate chips too. Oh, my friends were going to love these. And so would Gramps, I think he is in need of his next cookie supply.

So last year, I got really into baking. Like so much so that my parents would have to limit how much I could bake in a week. Yeah, what a wonderful fad, right? My friends sure thought so. I bought cookbooks, searched recipes online, and even started to come up with some recipes of my own.

But the best part about all of this baking was sharing my recipes and treats with my friends and family. My friends loved baking day, as I would be sure to greet each of them with a small Ziploc bag full of sweets. And of course my family also enjoyed my latest addiction, as they were my prime taste-testers. I was also always sure to bring some to my great-grandfather, Gramps, as he claims that at his age of 97, the cookies are what keep him going.
So why do I love baking so much? Sure it is always fun to experiment with new ingredients in the kitchen, but I think the real reason is that I just love to share with the people I love. It’s kinda like my own way of saying, “thanks for being wonderful.”

The best part is the suspense just before they take their first bite. Their reaction is a close second, and very amusing. Hopefully, I get some form of “mmmmmm” or “yummmm.” Even if the reaction is not what I had hoped for, it always provides valuable feedback. I love sharing my recipes, but most of all, I love making people smile.  

To me, food is a form of communication. Baking brownies for someone can be a great birthday present, just as lemon bars can be wonderful way of saying “thank you.” Celebrations, festivities, and even mournings all focus around food. And they have for thousands and thousands of years. Food is what brings us together and what holds us there.

 
Yesterday, I was lucky enough to cook something that I am much less familiar with than, say, chocolate chip cookies for example. I cooked vegan lentil soup with a group of three other students from class. Even though our soup was not the most tasty thing in the world, we were still able to have a lot of fun working together. In a sense, the soup seemed to make our class just that much closer. Now whenever I see a classmate around campus, the first topic of discussion is always the soup, usually followed by funny facial expressions and some giggles.