Creativity

There are only two things I do with any degree of creativity – one is writing and the other, cooking. I love both and I can technically do both every day though the result is far better if I feel inspired or am simply in the mood for it.

When I write, it is with a feeling of pleasure that I am among my friends, the words that are all about me. When I cook, it is with a feeling of anticipation that those I love would enjoy eating it and then their pleasure becomes mine. I would infinitely prefer to watch someone enjoy that which I have created than consume it myself. Both require a degree of skill in the sense that one cannot simply throw either words or ingredients together randomly and hope for a favourable result. Both are very sensual experiences for me. If the words are strung correctly, they fall in place like the pearls on a necklace – perfect and lacking nothing. If they are put in haphazardly, they look like the Lego blocks in my kids’ room after a riotous bout of playing.

When I cook, I know beforehand that I would not mix certain spices together but I never try to anticipate where the ingredients will take me. Each step should be done with love from the artful chopping of onions to their perfect sautéing to the addition of roasted and hand-ground spices and the final garnish. Friends and family look at me askance when I only serve dishes with colours that complement each other – I am no perfectionist by a long shot but I do long to be one. Of course there are days when I cook just to finish a chore but even then I refuse to compromise on the basics.

It can be very de-stressing to let oneself go and give free rein to the emotions and ideas within – the only problem with cooking like that is that I can never recreate a dish that I myself have prepared well since my moods vary. The words that I put down have a part of me in them forever. The food that I create also reflects the person that I am – a bit of zing, plenty of passion and lots of colour. Perhaps that is why I always choose to show my affection for my family by giving them their favourite foods when I know they are down and do not have the words to comfort them. Food is celebration, comfort and adventure all in one. Just like a well put-together piece of writing.