Cooking
I'm not sure there is a harder working food writer than Monica Bhide. She teaches, writes magazine articles, has a syndicated newspaper column called Seasonings, and has written several cookbooks including her most recent, Modern Spice. What I like about her writing is the personal stories and her enthusiasm for using different ingredients. She's also about as big a twitteraholic as I am. Not only do I learn something new when I read her stories, articles and tweets, but I enjoy the journey.
As a child, I always felt that I had trouble relating with the world. I always felt that I did not fit in the crowd and that I could not really "connect" with people. Then one day, I discovered what I did relate to: the kitchen. I would spend hours watching my parents and my grandparents and uncles and aunts cooking but never attempted to try it myself. I think I was about 8 or 9 when I began to cook. It was an experience unlike any other. I never felt awkward or out of place in the kitchen. I never thought of cooking as hard (unlike school work!). The kitchen made me feel at peace with myself. It was around the same time that I started writing... but all the writing was private. I never shared it with anyone.
But back to cooking: As a child, there were so many things I could not do. I did not know how to swim or ride a bike or be one with the in crowd. But I knew how to bring out the best in eggplant, i knew how to sizzle cumin just right to release it's flavor and aroma, i knew how to stuff an okra with a pungent spice mix, I knew how to simmer a deep and intensely flavored lamb curry. I would go to the farmers market and pick fruits and vegetables with my dad and learned how to tell good fish from bad. And then the magic happened: when I served the food to people, they liked it. It became the source of connection with friends and family and those who came to my table. I felt like I finally had made a connection. Years later, as I cook to care and nurture my family, my writing grew up. I heard from more and more people that they connected with my words and that made them want to cook my food.
I cook because it is who I am. Cooking, for me, is a away of nurturing those around me and sharing a part of me with them. My world of writing and food makes me feel like I belong in this world and that I have a purpose and that I matter and can make a difference.
Monica Bhide is the twentieth person profiled in this series. Read more profiles.
- Interview With Nigel Slater
Nigel Slater is a cook and food writer from England who has written extensively for magazines and newspapers and is author of nine cookbooks. The film based on his autobiography Toast is being released in theaters in the US this month. It features a...
- Why Do You Cook, Dianne Jacob?
...
- Why Do You Cook, Susan Russo?
In a very short time Susan of the blog Food Blogga has established herself in the food blogging constellation. From the very beginning she reached out to her readers and other bloggers which is how I got to know her. Her breezy honest writing style and...
- Jacques Pepin
You learn by doing. How many times have you heard that? It couldn't be more true when it comes to cooking. I have been very lucky to learn from my parents who are both good cooks and to learn from a wonderful cook whose family I lived with in Italy....
- Let's See If I Can Clear My Schedule...
Just learned about this: New food writing class at UT Prof and Personal Development Interested in compiling a family cookbook? Want to be a writer for “Gourmet” magazine? Love critiquing restaurants? Learn the basics of food writing—publishing and...
Cooking
Why do YOU cook, Monica Bhide?
I'm not sure there is a harder working food writer than Monica Bhide. She teaches, writes magazine articles, has a syndicated newspaper column called Seasonings, and has written several cookbooks including her most recent, Modern Spice. What I like about her writing is the personal stories and her enthusiasm for using different ingredients. She's also about as big a twitteraholic as I am. Not only do I learn something new when I read her stories, articles and tweets, but I enjoy the journey.
As a child, I always felt that I had trouble relating with the world. I always felt that I did not fit in the crowd and that I could not really "connect" with people. Then one day, I discovered what I did relate to: the kitchen. I would spend hours watching my parents and my grandparents and uncles and aunts cooking but never attempted to try it myself. I think I was about 8 or 9 when I began to cook. It was an experience unlike any other. I never felt awkward or out of place in the kitchen. I never thought of cooking as hard (unlike school work!). The kitchen made me feel at peace with myself. It was around the same time that I started writing... but all the writing was private. I never shared it with anyone.
But back to cooking: As a child, there were so many things I could not do. I did not know how to swim or ride a bike or be one with the in crowd. But I knew how to bring out the best in eggplant, i knew how to sizzle cumin just right to release it's flavor and aroma, i knew how to stuff an okra with a pungent spice mix, I knew how to simmer a deep and intensely flavored lamb curry. I would go to the farmers market and pick fruits and vegetables with my dad and learned how to tell good fish from bad. And then the magic happened: when I served the food to people, they liked it. It became the source of connection with friends and family and those who came to my table. I felt like I finally had made a connection. Years later, as I cook to care and nurture my family, my writing grew up. I heard from more and more people that they connected with my words and that made them want to cook my food.
I cook because it is who I am. Cooking, for me, is a away of nurturing those around me and sharing a part of me with them. My world of writing and food makes me feel like I belong in this world and that I have a purpose and that I matter and can make a difference.
Monica Bhide is the twentieth person profiled in this series. Read more profiles.
- Interview With Nigel Slater
Nigel Slater is a cook and food writer from England who has written extensively for magazines and newspapers and is author of nine cookbooks. The film based on his autobiography Toast is being released in theaters in the US this month. It features a...
- Why Do You Cook, Dianne Jacob?
...
- Why Do You Cook, Susan Russo?
In a very short time Susan of the blog Food Blogga has established herself in the food blogging constellation. From the very beginning she reached out to her readers and other bloggers which is how I got to know her. Her breezy honest writing style and...
- Jacques Pepin
You learn by doing. How many times have you heard that? It couldn't be more true when it comes to cooking. I have been very lucky to learn from my parents who are both good cooks and to learn from a wonderful cook whose family I lived with in Italy....
- Let's See If I Can Clear My Schedule...
Just learned about this: New food writing class at UT Prof and Personal Development Interested in compiling a family cookbook? Want to be a writer for “Gourmet” magazine? Love critiquing restaurants? Learn the basics of food writing—publishing and...