Many people cringe at the thought of cooking, yet almost everyone loves food and eating! Cooking, baking, or any form of food preparation for that matter is an art. Thus, cooking is an expression of one’s thoughts and emotions. So perhaps in a society bounded by complex rules of behavior, people are afraid or constrained to express themselves?
For me, cooking has a Zen-like quality. In times of stress and depression, I run to my kitchen, open my fridge, and then ponder. Not on the too little time I devoted to reviewing the principles of Surgery that I flunked my Exams, or why the girl I like turned me down for a date, or simply what to do after I passed my Licensure Exams, but on how I could transform a few bars of chocolate into an even more sinful and indulgent treat – the type with moist centers and a rich fudge icing.
I preheat my oven, look up to my shelf, then consult Julia (Child) and Alton (Brown) on how best to carry out my “meditation.” Should I start by creaming the butter? Do I whip the egg whites into stiff peaks? Cocoa powder or baking blocks? Should I make a custard filling? I “feel” my way through.
In an afternoon of baking, I leave behind that mess outside my kitchen, and forge that decadent cake in the fires of my MagicChef (oven). That cake is a reminder of my human self – not of my failures – but of the things I can accomplish, even as a mortal being. And I am reminded that my previous failures is not THE end, but only the beginning of a pursuit to undo myself.
This blog is dedicated to all my escapades with food – wholesome or not. This will document all my experiments in the kitchen and adventures elsewhere.
Why champorado blogger?
Champorado is a porridge made with Filipino chocolate and sticky rice. It is both indulgent and humble in its use of chocolate and rice, respectively. It is homey – a comfort food. Above all, it is uniquely Filipino!
For me, cooking has a Zen-like quality. In times of stress and depression, I run to my kitchen, open my fridge, and then ponder. Not on the too little time I devoted to reviewing the principles of Surgery that I flunked my Exams, or why the girl I like turned me down for a date, or simply what to do after I passed my Licensure Exams, but on how I could transform a few bars of chocolate into an even more sinful and indulgent treat – the type with moist centers and a rich fudge icing.
I preheat my oven, look up to my shelf, then consult Julia (Child) and Alton (Brown) on how best to carry out my “meditation.” Should I start by creaming the butter? Do I whip the egg whites into stiff peaks? Cocoa powder or baking blocks? Should I make a custard filling? I “feel” my way through.
In an afternoon of baking, I leave behind that mess outside my kitchen, and forge that decadent cake in the fires of my MagicChef (oven). That cake is a reminder of my human self – not of my failures – but of the things I can accomplish, even as a mortal being. And I am reminded that my previous failures is not THE end, but only the beginning of a pursuit to undo myself.
This blog is dedicated to all my escapades with food – wholesome or not. This will document all my experiments in the kitchen and adventures elsewhere.
Why champorado blogger?
Champorado is a porridge made with Filipino chocolate and sticky rice. It is both indulgent and humble in its use of chocolate and rice, respectively. It is homey – a comfort food. Above all, it is uniquely Filipino!
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