Cooking long and elaborate meals from scratch is such a vital part of my self care that when I don’t get to do it, like when I’m living in a hotel for a few days, I get a little unmoored. Glad to be home in my kitchen making sauces from scratch. Hehe
My main motivator is that I don’t see food as just a way of fueling my body. Very often it’s also the only way I can reconnect with the deep homesickness I often feel. Learning how to cook the things I miss and definitely can’t get abroad is something that calms me and tells me that everything is going to be fine.
My first year in SF I used to have extremely sad crying days when I would be like I can’t get this or that and then I knew I had to just make it myself
Something I also love doing: when I’m cooking a specific cuisine (there are many cuisines I associate with home), I put on a playlist as well.
If I cook Indonesian food, my lagu galau Indonesian sad songs playlist comes on.
Malay food then there’s lots of Sheila Majid.
South Indian food has its own playlist.
Chinese food has all sorts. Thai too. Really helps me get in the mood!
@skinnylatte Have you read Sourdough by Robin Sloan? It features a sourdough starter that enjoys listening to music from its homeland and is set in SF
@chad oh cool! Love the concept, except I personally dislike SF sourdough hehe