Entry #1: This Calls for an Introduction!

    Greetings, Reader! These days I find myself up to my ears in responsibility. Take the kids to school at three different locations and times. Go to work and then actually be productive. Home maintenance and renovations on the weekends. And I decided to throw college in on top of it all. Would I like to build small models, intricate models of mecha? Absolutely. Take up blacksmithing to make myself an awesome battleaxe? Who wouldn't?

    Unfortunately, my budget on time has become quite limited and I don’t have much opportunity to pursue my myriad interests. Luckily for me, one of my favorite hobbies happens to be incredibly useful. It is one of humankind’s oldest professions (no, not that one!). The process of taking raw materials, shaping them as needed and applying heat to transform them into, hopefully, delicious nutrients. I am of course talking about the art of cooking!

    Cooking is a discipline that involves all five senses. You feel the texture of the ingredients. Smell them as they cook. See as they alter on a chemical level. Taste them to adapt your recipe as needed. You even listen for sounds that tell you if your temperature is correct. It is an exploration of new flavors, new experiences and even new cultures. If you allow yourself to be curious about new tastes, you can experience things you never would have otherwise.

    But it isn't just me being a romantic. As previously stated, it is extremely practical. We all need to eat, and cooking for ourselves can not only be the most delicious way to do that, but also the most cost effective. You can keep a hold of your budget while exploring the culinary world. It also lets you control what you eat and how healthy, or unhealthy, your meal is. You can prepare your meals in advance to save time. Even if you don't enjoy the depth beyond calories that cooking has to offer, it is a skill everyone should develop to some degree of competency.

    

    And so, I implore you to take your first steps on a culinary journey. Check out some YouTube cooking channels. Buy an interesting looking cookbook. Try to recreate your favorite childhood recipe with the help of a family member. Or perhaps you already cook for yourself. Take the next step, don't just cook to eat. Cook to experience. Dive deeper into the techniques and the theory. Try making your own bread. Make a homemade sauce. Learn how to pickle. Pickle this, pickle that. Pickle everything!