I have recently read a few books about cooking, learning to develop the skills I have, and I think my daughter is now a little fed up with me. I may have swung a bit too far.
You see, when you read and learn something new, you often get so excited about what you have discovered, that you start to inflict it on others!
You become not only an advocate of your new learning, be it a new method, approach or technique, but often you become a radical. You swing right across from disinterested to extreme obsession.
This is starting to happen as I get more involved in healthy eating; I am starting to analyse food labels, seriously reduce salt in our cooking at home, avoid all cakes and cookies – aha – now you understand why my ten-year-old is getting fed up 🙁
However, I think success at leading a healthy lifestyle isn’t really about extreme dieting or obsessive policing of the family pantry (do people still have pantries?). I suspect that rarely works, at least not for most people.
I am trying to swing back now, to a more moderate stance. One of noting some food labels, of being careful with salt and sugar, but not excluding it. Overall I am now careful and sensible with food, but very careful to make sure I enjoy food; including the shopping, cooking and devouring of it.
I guess the nice thing about swinging back to a place of moderation, is now having more confidence and more knowledge to help me make informed choices – including enjoying a cream cake with my daughter now and again!
P.S. One of the books I have read which I will talk more about soon is this one by Samin Nosrat. It goes beyond recipes to learning to feel and taste your way to cooking. Absolutely loved it!
Check it out and let me know what you think.
Click below to check it out.
Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat: Mastering the Elements of Good Cooking