Caring for our two young kids leaves me and my husband with precious little time to connect face to face, but recently, our shared appreciation of good food and drink has been a means of unity even in the current chaos.
Imagine the scene.
It's 6pm. My husband arrives home from a demanding day at the office, and I, too, am exhausted. He takes the kids while I get dinner going. There's this temptation to stay separate with each person tending his own task, but a simple gift changes the mood.
An offering, a glass of wine poured for another. Suddenly the routine becomes easier, and our spirits lift. This doesn't have to be drudgery; we can be together in this. In the crazy. In the chaos. So much is communicated in a garlic-smeared slice of bread. I see you, and I care. Let me nourish you.
Extraordinary flavors from such ordinary ingredients, and kindness in the small moments. A reminder to see the beauty in the midst of a hard season. It's the bridge that connects us when our words and energy are lacking.
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I feel this so acutely, as my partner is a diabetic and I am the main cook in the house. So much caring, so much hope for a healthy future for us, goes into what I cook and the lunches I make for him.
I think this is a beautiful post! Something all of us home cooks should keep in mind. I love cooking for my husband and I know he feels it thru my food. It's truly something special. Thanks for reminding us!
Maria Tadic, http://beanafoodie.com
Cooking for someone is absolutely a way of showing love.
At the end of a long day, cooking good food and sharing a glass of wine is about as close to bliss as I can imagine.
Just las week my husband and I started preparing dinner together every night --- it's already bringing us closer. The first time it happened by accident as he stepped in to help with something on "my" night cooking. We had so much fun we continued it every night since. Even when we're just having frozen pizza, he turns on the oven, I open the box. Partners!
My husband isn't a fan of food, cooking, or eating. I don't think we've just eaten a meal together without the tv or friends around for at least a year. :-(
Cooking is one of my favorite ways to show love for the people in my life.
This really is a post i can relate to! with a toddler, sometimes 6pm is the only time in the day when all three of us can be together, cooking, toddler eating, its nice, and being that we are in our first house i hope for many more of these crazy but quiet moments we forget about
Oh yes, love this. I feel that not only is food showing our love, but it also nourishes our spirit and soul too. It's not just for sustenance, but to bring us all closer together in a way almost nothing else will.
Not only is it the act of sharing the finished dish, but the actual taking the time to actually cook from scratch something delicious is just as important.
I used to share my cooking with my late mother when I would go visit her and since she passed on back in the fall, I now feel more a need to cook, even if just for me.
Hope to do some cooking for others like my sisters and friends this year.
Friday nights were always "our night." Whether we are with friends, or just us, we never make plans separately. Our standard is to share a beautiful steak, a nice salad, some cheese and a loaf of good wine. A cocktail after work, transitioning to a decent bottle of wine. When they were little we would wait until they were in bed, now they are 9 and 11 and love to join us.
Oh yes...this is one of my favorite ways of demonstrating how much I care for someone. To cook and share a meal, a small bite to eat or a drink brings people together.
A lovely post.
Agreed, a lovely post.
One of the best here.
I completely agree. What a beautiful, honest post.
The kitchen brings my husband and I together even more. Meal times are the rare few times a day that we both stop what we were just doing and relax together.
Love this post! I don't have children, but my partner travels a lot and on the rare occasion when he doesn't we're too often tired and grumpy to truly appreciate evenings. When we manage to sneak in a weeknight dinner together (and sometimes even a glass of wine!) it feels so nice, whether I cooked it for him or we cooked together! It is really not about the quantity but the quality of those moments, and managing to connect through our shared love of food.