The Soulshine Project: Food and Love

I'm not going to lie and say I have always been into cooking. In fact, when I was younger, my idea of cooking was opening a can of corned beef or spam, frying it and eating it with fried rice mixed with Knorr seasoning. That or Instant Ramen.

It was only when I moved out of my house that I actually had to learn how to whip up something more substantial then canned food. Learning this lesson wasn't easy though, as I was blessed (and cursed) with a flatmate who could put together a great meal in 10 minutes, a mom who would send me off with her special spaghetti sauce (to be put in the freezer until I needed to eat it) and an uncle who, weekly, would buy me all sorts of ready made food from Milky Way.

Even though I was surrounded by everything that practically assured me of never learning to find my way around a kitchen, I persevered and started making omelets for breakfast, learning 4-5 ingredient quick cook recipes and stopped eating out. I think the real learning experience for me though, was moving to Australia where my family had no choice but to cook for ourselves. By then though, I enjoyed cooking so much I did not need to be prodded to do so, plus the amazing selection of meats, seafood and fresh fruits and veggies was dizzying and fun.

Now I can't imagine not tinkering about in the kitchen. My love for cooking used to be about my love for food and experimentation. While it is still that, I also realized that at the core of it is my love for seeing people happy, enjoying a good meal and good conversation. I love how meals always bring people together and how in my life, my family gatherings were always centered around the dining table. Perhaps this is where all of this is coming from.

I am thankful to have been blessed growing up, being in an environment that encouraged family togetherness. Eating was a big part of my life, and still is, and the joy of cooking and sharing this with my friends is one of the things that makes life worth it.