Perfectly Human

Daily writing prompt

What’s your favorite thing to cook?

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I enjoy cooking and baking from scratch. I’ve cooked on my own since I was 5. I almost set the house on fire by microwaving an unopened can of Spaghetti O’s. After that, my grandmothers and elderly neighborhood women started inviting me over for a lot of cooking lessons. Then, as a teen, my aunt got me a job to learn and cook under a chef at a hotel. Lupus-like health issues interfered about six months in (I was only 16) and temporarily was unable to walk or stand. I went back to working at the hotel and an additional cafe until it became too much.

I’ve continued to cook ever since. I like to try a new recipe a month (when the budget allows room for error). But my favorite food to cook is homemade, old-fashioned, all fresh ingredient, spaghetti. I like to stew and reduce my own fresh tomatoes. Then load the sauce with garden veggies, and fresh herbs that I grow, clip, and prepare myself. Sometimes I like to add meat to it; other times, I just want veggies and pasta.

Also, I like to make my own pasta at times too. I learned how to do that around the age of ten. I usually make at least one completely homemade pasta meal once a year. It’s a lot of work, but worth it!