I’m not one of these people who just eat to live. I totally live to eat. I love food. Good food is orgasmic to me. Nothing makes me happier than a good meal.
Not only do I love to eat, but I also love to cook. Pouring myself a glass of wine and setting about to make a good dinner is my favorite time of the day. I actually look forward to it all day long. I get so excited when 5 o’clock rolls around. I then take my first sip of wine and go about dinner preparation.
We live in a small town. There are not a lot of good restaurants to choose from. Nothing pisses my entire family off more than a bad meal, so this means I prepare most of the food we consume. I’m totally okay with that. It is healthier and cheaper that way, plus I enjoy it.
I really picked up my cooking skills during the pandemic. What other choice was there? Don’t get me wrong, I’ve cooked since I was a child, but Covid made me more adventurous with my meals. I bought SO many cookbooks in 2020. It was as crazy. I had to buy another bookshelf just to house them all.
My favorite cookbooks are Christopher Kimball’s Milk Street cookbooks. That man is brilliant in the kitchen! His recipes are approachable and have a very high-reward factor. I must have a dozen Milk Street cookbooks, and I subscribe to the magazine. Oh, I get so excited every other month when a new magazine comes in. I immediately mark all the recipes I want to try.
My love for cooking has been handed down to my daughter. Now that she is away at school, she has started meal prepping. She is a more intuitive cook than me. She just throws shit together and it comes out great. I think it is because she is Chinese, and that is just how they roll. She is always improvising a curry or stir-fry of some sort. She said that her friend’s mom, who is also Chinese, says real cooks don’t use recipes. I don’t believe that. I’m a good cook, but I do follow recipes. Of course, I do tweak them to my taste.
I think cookbooks are works of art. I could sit and look through cookbooks all day long and not get bored. I love the pictures and reading the ingredients. It’s so satisfying.
What I enjoy most about cooking is doing it for other people. Food is my love language. I love having my mom and bonus dad over for dinner. My bonus dad is a very enthusiastic eater. He is also a good cook in his own right. We enjoy each other’s meals, and we like to discuss the preparation. I really love talking with anyone who likes to cook. I have learned so much from others.
If it is true, the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach; this would explain my 33-year marriage. My husband loves food like it is his job. He totally appreciates my efforts. This is one of the reasons I try so hard in the kitchen.
I know we must eat to live. However, I believe that life should be tasty and joyous. So, cheers to your next delicious meal! Don’t settle on food that does not bring you joy. That is not a life well-lived.
Angela Traver
What is this blog about? Well, it's a general blog, but it is also a very specific blog. If you get that reference, you get a gold star! I have been a public relations professional and writer of press releases for more than 20 years—primarily in the booze biz. I decided to do some writing for fun and embrace the humor that gets me through most days. Hopefully it will make you chuckle—or at least smile. I’m a certified crazy magnet, and more than a little nutty myself, so buckle up. Also, I have two vices—profanity and red wine/whiskey. You’ve been warned. It should also be noted, that I’m a HUGE Bob & Sheri fan. I’ve been a listener for more than 20 years. This opportunity is a dream come true and it may have made me cry. That being said, I cry at everything. If you are into booze, dogs, food and/or knitting, hit me up on Instagram, Facebook or Twitter (although I’m terrible at Twitter and it scares me) @kyspiritsgal. You can also find all my previous blog posts at www.kyspiritsgal.com.
