The Love of Cooking

“Don’t you just love to cook, Grandma?” My 8-year old granddaughter looked up from the other side of our work table where she was standing on a stool, apron tied around her waist, chopping vegetables with sparkling eyes and a big smile. “Yes, I do”, I answered. She’s here again this summer—now fifteen—and she still loves to cook.

But cooking is only part of this great passion—it begins with picking strawberries at Vasa Garden farm (in spite of a fresh wasp sting) and choosing the antique jelly jars—or going to the farmer’s market and hoisting the cantaloupes or thumping the watermelons. The appearance, the source, the aroma, the process of cooking--as well as the taste--are what make cooking such a joy.

Not to be preachy, but what is happening to this love of cooking? Or cooking at all, for that matter. The food channel is extremely popular, so people are watching other people cook; yet the number of young people who have never cooked or whose mothers never cooked is staggering (at least among the ones I talk to). The men and boys seem to be doing better, but it still seems that special occasion cooking is their specialty, not the day in, day out, grind of meals. Restaurants are doing a thriving business as are businesses like Let’s Dish where you can put together entire meals of already prepared food for your freezer.

I don’t think anyone would advocate going back to slaving over a wood-burning stove and growing all your own food—but there must be a way to preserve the culture of traditions and food without forsaking our high-tech life. Jean Zimmerman states it well in her book, “Made From Scratch”, when she says, “We must discover how to progress without abandoning the richness of our domestic past.”

I think the answer lies in the parent-child bonding around the cooking for the family table. Yes, it takes more time, but what a rewarding undertaking. First, you are teaching your child or grandchild how to do something useful, something that links you to the past, the future and to each other; second, you have a delicious (we hope) meal when you are done that you can share with the rest of the family. “Nothin’ says lovin’ like something from the oven” is true even if it is an ad for a processed, convenience food.

Florence Kerr Hirschfeld sums up my feelings about cooking in her “Cooking with Love”

When I learned to cook, my second-best love affair began—second only to that with my loving and long-suffering spouse…Cooking involves every facet of culture and history, the development of our six senses, plus the seventh of fine discernment. Like cup and saucer, foods mate with encounter, be it tête-à-tête or gala spectacular. With cooking as an interest, the pot of gold at rainbow’s end fills with all the satisfying ingredients of accomplishment. It has brought me study, travel, history, companionship, therapy and pure enjoyment… Turn about is fair play, so in gratitude, I offer a toast: To cooking—with love.”

Here’s a family-friendly recipe from her cookbook—“Cooking with Love” to try.

Streeterville Franks and ‘Taters

4 cups sliced cooked potatoes (about 6 medium)
2 Tbsp. butter
1 pound frankfurters, sliced diagonally in 1-inch pieces
1 package (1 5/8-ounce) dry onion soup mix
1 Tbsp. flour
1 cup water
2 Tbsp white vinegar
1 Tbsp brown sugar
1/8 tsp. white pepper
¼ cup dairy sour cream
1 Tbsp chopped parsley
½ tsp celery seed

Pare potatoes and cook whole; slice while m and set aside. Heat butter in saucepan; add frankfurters and sauté until browned, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat; blend in soup mix and flour. Add water gradually; stir in vinegar, brown sugar and pepper. Return to heat; bring to a boil, stir until thickened. Cover, reduce to a simmer and cook 10 minutes. Blend in sour cream, parsley and celery seed, then fold in potatoes lightly. Heat to serve. Serves 4 to 6.


Let the kids make the dessert ahead—they’ll love it, it looks pretty and gives the whole family something to look forward to.

Icy Lime Pie
1 quart lime sherbet, softened
1 9-inch Graham Cracker crust
1 pint strawberries, sliced thick

Pour sherbet into bowl of mixer and beat until fluffy and aerated. It should stand in peaks. Turn into prepared crust and place in freezer several hours to refreeze. To serve, border with overlapping sliced berries. The cool combination of colors is garnish enough. Serves 6 to 8.