“To be a good cook you have to have a love of the good, a love of hard work, and a love of creating. ” Julia Child The peanut butter cookie recipe called for brown sugar. My house was running low on it, but I didn’t think much of using the last of it; maybe ¾ of what I needed. I didn’t think mixing white sugar and brown sugar was a good idea, so I decided to just bake the cookies with less sugar then needed. The cookies took almost double the amount of time they were supposed to bake. This was strange, as I had followed all the directions except using the right amount of sugar.
After I thought the cookies were ready for eating, I took one. My cookies were a big surprise! I was ready to enjoy sweet, peanut butter cookies, but instead ate a salty cookie with extreme peanut butter flavor. My cookies were a disaster that led me to be more creative, made me venture away from cookbooks to create my own masterpiece. I could control how much of each ingredient was added and make it perfect. Looking for something to cook, I came across a bundle of bananas resting upon our fruit display. Maybe I was taken by the bright yellow color, but for whatever reason I chose bananas over oranges, cherries, and grapes.
I still was craving dessert. I suddenly thought of cinnamon and sugar. I decided to use the stove and put bananas in cinnamon and sugar. Everyone in my home looked at me funny, perhaps they thought my creation was odd. They however tried the banana stir fry. They thought it was delicious. I believe it was a masterpiece, my masterpiece, and my cure to feeling sad about my disastrous peanut butter cookies. Cooking has meaning to me, especially as it helped me recuperate in a difficult time of my life. After my parents got divorced, many of typical family chores were left upon me as the older sister.
Both of my parents worked long hours, so I found myself home watching my younger sister a lot of the time. Cooking became a responsibility for me, even if it was just simply making pasta or tossing a salad. I love cooking, as it has helped me grow and learn my responsibilities. Starting cooking at a younger age, I liked following strict recipes. I wasn’t sure how to tweak and edit a recipe yet, so instead I liked following a recipe from a cookbook or even online. At that time in my life, things were confusing as many changes occurred. Even though following a recipe was simple, it still gave me a sense of togetherness.
At that time in my life, I lacked certainty, as the divorce was confusing and I switched homes frequently. At the end of the day, I knew I could follow a recipe and stay on track. I liked being able to set my cooking goals, which was to be able to have dinner ready early so that my sister and I could eat at the same time every night, as that provided certainty to us in a time of confusion. My banana stir-fry makes me realize that failure can turn into achievement. The failure of my cookies led me to realize I could go farther in the kitchen, and come up with something all on my own.
Coming up with a recipe on my own led me to a new discovery; something different than anything. Throwing things together can lead to a new discovery. I didn’t believe that until this creation was formed. So maybe I’m not a professional baker who can make gourmet cupcakes and cookies. I made something that’s mine. My work, my creation, my thoughts ¦all put into one simple meal. My banana stir-fry has taught me to appreciate mistakes. Maybe ill never make delicious peanut butter cookies if I don’t follow the recipe. I can still create delicious treats on my own with exploration, time, and uncertainty.
