Cooking is one of those activities that always generates mixed reactions. My mother is a true kitchen whiz and so, of course, she loves cooking. No measuring cups or spoons necessary. She comes up with culinary masterpieces just by using her taste buds (Hmm..needs just a pinch of salt more.) One of my dearest friends (a real estate agent), on the other hand, detests the very idea of stepping into a kitchen unless she has to show one to her clients –in which case, she waxes poetic about the features of the Italian marble or the Viking range. Some are what I would characterize as in-betweeners. There are days when they like slaving over a stove and days when they just can’t be bothered. Some individuals think cooking is just great but only if they’re on the receiving end, that is, they’re the ones devouring their friends’ recipe. I guess I’m one of those in-betweeners. There are days when I like preparing elaborate feasts for the family and days when take-out seems like food for the gods. When you get a call at 5 PM and find out that a bunch of out-of-towners are on their way for dinner, stress doesn’t even begin to describe what you feel. And that’s when you dally with the idea of passing off Marie Callender’s pie as your own.Generally speaking, however, I find cooking quite relaxing especially when there is no time pressure involved. I decide on what I want to work on and then start lining up everything I need. There is almost a soothing rhythm to it all — from measuring the ingredients to cutting up the meat and greens and, finally, putting them all together in a pot to simmer. There is great pleasure in the motions of leveling off, slicing, stirring, and tasting. Some of my better ideas were conceived as i busied myself with the several layers of a lasagna. Well, now, all this talk has me thinking. I’ve been mulling how to best approach this business problem I have…Perhaps now would be a good time to bake my hubby’s favorite cake.

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