Why do people cook? I mean, besides the obvious, day-to-day, nutritional reasons. I think the people who eat to live, cooking anything to put food in their stomachs, are in the minority in this country. At least, I want to believe that. And I think the rising grocery costs from the increase in organic and designer foods bears that out.
    So, what about the live-to-eat people? Why do they cook? One of the old chestnuts you often hear is that cooking for someone is an act of love. The argument runs that you are giving your time, your focus, and your energy when you cook for another person. Time, focus, and energy are valuable commodities in the 21st century, and you only give these to people who are important to you.
    I'm not sure I buy this whole argument. Why do I cook? Good Lord, the reasons for that probably number in the dozens. The way my mind works in God's own private mystery, and frankly, I'm not sure I want to burrow too deeply into all the reasons why I cook. Pop psychology is a fun game, until you play it solitaire. But, some of the reasons why I cook are pretty clear:

    One - I like to please people. Why? I don't know, but I take great pleasure in the praise from people who eat my food. It was probably the primary reason why I got into the cooking game.
    Two - I am pretty good at it. No one wants to work at a job at which they suck, and anyone with any self-awareness knows whether or not they are good at their job. (Which leads to the logical corollary - no one wants to work at a job at which they suck, unless they are the President of the U.S.).
    Three - I need an income. Self-explanatory.
    Four - It is cool. Pro sports were never gonna be in my future. Neither was American Idol. Chefs have been cool for the past ten or fifteen years now, and cooking was something I knew I could do when I was mapping out potential career paths ten years ago. I'm a somewhat shy and private person (yeah, that's why I've started a blog!), and I'm uncomfortable in many social situations, but I can always start conversations with strangers by telling them what I do for a living. 'Yeah, you're right, personal chef is a pretty cool occupation. So, what do you do?'
   
    Is cooking for someone associated with love and generosity, or is it associated with power? That's another of these questions that can be answered with the whole glass-half-full-or-empty notion. I was in grad school in the mid-90s, back in the day when philosophical academics explained everything by power relationships, relativity, and symbol. (Is it still that way? I haven't kept up with academia at all since I left grad school.) When you cook for someone, are you demonstrating your power over them? When you cook for someone, do you do so because that person has power over you? I never particularly enjoyed grad school - I am a loving, glass-is-half-full kind-of-guy. And, no, I also don't think cooking for someone is a class or racial question either.

    Why have these thoughts about the nature of cooking entered my conscoius and sub-conscious mind this week? That's not difficult to answer, even for an reluctant pop pyschologist. I have been flat on my back for 12 days now. Broken foot, tendonitis. Can barely shuffle back and forth from the bedroom to the living room. Can barely keep from gouging my eyes out due to an critical mass of reality shows. I've been off work, naturally, so if I can't cook, I guess I can think about the nature of cooking.
    Oh yeah, one more small detail to add - David has been cooking for me for the last 12 days. First period of time since we've been together that he has performed this "chore", and I am so so grateful for it.  We've spent 7 years together next week, and I have done all the cooking in all that time. Does that mean I haven't felt any love from David in the past 7 years until now? Pfffft. It just means that I have felt the love a little stronger in the past 12 days.

    So, in response to one of my thematic question here: Do I believe cooking is an act of love? Yes, I do believe it is an act of love, when someone you love cooks for you, and vice versa. It is not always an act of love - I like my clients, I enjoy their company and conversation, but no, I don't love my clients, and I spend the vast majority of my work week cooking for them. No, I don't believe the underpaid, overworked, sweat-drenched line cook loves the clientele in the dining room. No, I don't believe Emeril loves his robotic studio audiences. (Who could love them?)

    I feel loved this week. Thank you sweetie.