A Cooking Community

Alone in a kitchen, the sounds of bubbling pots and the aromas of roasting vegetables are all yours to savor. No judgment, no pressure. Only you and the repast of your choosing are the company you keep. This is indeed a fine way to spend the day.

However, to truly explore the litany of cuisines you should remember no one is an island. A great way to achieve this is through communal cooking. By cooking alongside others you receive the wealth of their knowledge and experiences, while strengthening your personal bonds.

Many people feel a great deal of anxiety when confronted with the task of preparing food in front of others. This does not have to be the case. By working together people can share recipes, techniques and tricks they have learned thereby enriching the entire group’s experience. Historically cooking has been a joint venture between families and communities. It is where ideas and concerns are shared, debates begun and conflicts resolved. Starting a “cooking club” is easy; all you need are a few friends, good food and a little time.

If you want to take it to the next level, you can corral some of your more confidant compatriots and arrange your own competition. By having one person prepare “blind baskets” containing the ingredients required to create the dish, the participants (your friends) must then rely on their own creativity and experience to utilize the products to the best of their ability. All of the contestants receive the same ingredients and are allowed an array of essentials such as oils, vinegars, and wines as well as spices. Depending on the variety of items in the basket, the challenge can be quite formidable. Often plumbing one’s own abilities is the greatest adventure of all.