How to Cook Your Life

I know I mentioned it already, but I wanted to send another thanks to Lisa from Wei of Chocolate for the movie passto How to Cook Your Life--maybe it will come your way, too!

"Is food precious? Is food worth caring about? Are you precious? Are you worth caring about?"

It's well worth seeing ...

I won't really talk about the movie because I don't want to risk ruining it for those of you planning or inspired to see it. It did, of course, make me think about the spirituality of food and cooking. Food has helped me in so many ways. Among the best ways:

1. Food and cooking made me like my mom again.
2. Food and cooking made me feel valuable.
3. Food and cooking made me feel sexy.
4. Food and cooking challenge me, both creatively and intellectually.
5. Food and cooking nourish my body and spirit.
6. Food and cooking have started many awesome conversations.
7. Food and cooking have made me many new friends, and strengthened and spiced old friendships.
8. Food and cooking give my hands, head, and heart something to do.
9. Food and cooking have helped me "give back."
10. Food and cooking have embedded my ancestors' culture into my current culture.

I think so much about food because it's had such an impact on my life. It has an impact on everyones' lives, regardless of whether or not they want to put any thought into it. One of the main ideas the movie portrays is to make your motions with intention--apply the idea to everything from baking bread to walking to just living in the day. One baking/Zen practitioner mentioned that when people asked him how he was, he'd reply, "I'm baking." It made me think of the almost out-of-body, euphoric sensation I'd have when watching someone write or create art, or when I myself would write or create art, and these days, cook. I didn't realize until I saw that scene in the documentary that those moments could possibly be related to Zen.

Comments

Kribha said…
wow...you are a perfect foodie! Never thought about food in so many ways.
Julie said…
Kribha, wow! That's such a compliment, and I'm honored that you'd say so! I would love if more people thought more about what they ate, why, and how. =D I certainly love thinking about it!
Hello Julie, Thank you for your comment on my pie. You have a lot of interesting recipes here. Your tartin sounds very interesting indeed.I love this Edward Espe Brown clip. I'd love to see this movie, but doublt it will make it to me, some day though. Tassajara bread book was one of the very first books or maybe the first cook book I ever purchased and I still have a deep connection with his spirit when I make bread. I can really relate to your list also.Ommmmmm
Julie said…
Pasticciera, thank you, too, for visiting my blog! Watching this clip makes me happy. It may not make it to your town, but I'm sure it will be on DVD soon, and it's well worth renting or buying! I've been considering buying the Tassajara bread book. I love the idea of relating food, even its preparation, to spirituality, making its preparation and consumption a spiritual act.

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