Its Not a Spectator Sport

I have really been nourishing my interest in cooking lately and it feels so fulfilling to do so. Cooking for myself was less interesting when I was single and less fun pre-summer 06 when our kitchen hadn't been renovated and that teeny 18 inch stove just wasn't cuttin' it. But now that both Luna and Lukas are older,and I've got counter space, some decent burners and a few systems in place that facilitate meal makin', its a full on affair around 1W. Im diggin' the menu plannin' and getting my ingredients ahead of time for the week and the creation of food that feeds my family with nourishment and love. Corny, but true.
I find myself gravitating to many familiar Spanish dishes, meals and ingredients my mom used to use when I was comin' up. Like lately I've been makin' stews and soups a few nights a week - chickpea, lentil, white bean, potato leek,you name it. Hey as long as you've got olive oil, garlic, and onion to start it'll be good. What's wild is that it's all straight up Pilar(my mom)and in that way I feel like cooking is an heirloom she's passed me that I don't want to disrespect by ignoring it or throwing it away. Its a way to express and preserve my cultural identity and connect with my ancestors. Bonding with my mom around cooking is a whole other thing. She gets psyched when I call her up and tell her about some swiss chard I bought and does not tire in repeating the recipe for her garlic chicken. Making cooking regularly a priority is an indication to her that I've got it under control, that things are stable and in order.
As Michael Pollan writes, food is about pleasure, family and spirituality and about expressing our identity as much as it is about biological necessity. Luna's been saying she wants to be a chef when she grows up lately and it makes me glad to know I may be succeeding at inculcating why she should advocate for us eating in.