I have a confession to make. The kitchen is my domain. I realized it the other day as I was making hamburgers for my family. My poor, sweet husband came into my domain. While I was cooking. . .in my domain. My domain. . .the kitchen. . .my husband. . .there. I had this odd feeling of being unsettled. After all it is his house too, but I’m pretty sure that the kitchen. . .is my domain.
I am wondering if any other foodies out there have this strong yet seemingly illogical attraction to their domain? In my domain everything goes a certain way. I have a bowl full of ‘waste’ (like egg shells) so that as I’m cooking it’s a little quicker. Just like Rachel Ray said. I have my vegetable peeling section, my meat tenderizing section, my baking section for rolling out pastry(and considering my kitchen is tiny–this is impressive).
In my domain, to fold something means to fold it in gently with the spatula as nature (or KitchenAid) intended. A whisk cannot be replaced by a fork and I don’t cut butter into batter with knives. In my domain I know where all my stuff goes. And why? Because it’s my domain.
Don’t get me wrong. . .people are allowed into my domain. But only on my terms. For years I’ve hidden behind the idea that my husband must keep the children out (or at least most of them) of my domain because they were too young and would get hurt. However, the twins have just turned two and this is the age at which I start allowing minimal cooking participation. (Although I have to admit, I haven’t quite figured out how to do my tried and true two year old recipes with two of them. I either have to end up with two dishes or I have to have a spatula en garde, ready to slice through tricky twinnery.) I now must come clean and simply explain that I just really like my domain.
So I am now wondering. . .does anyone else who loves to cook have this strange love of being alone in your kitchen? There is something cathartic to me about cooking a batch of zucchini bread or marinating chicken. This either makes me a true gourmet cook. . .or a little weird. I guess some people think in the shower or as they’re going to bed at night but as for me. . .the kitchen is my domain!