Cooking is a community

Cooking is a community because people love food, almost everyone loves to share the food they cooked or the recipe they used. Cooking gets people talking. Think about when you're at a party, where does everyone gather? In the kitchen. You don't even need a reason to talk about food, it's such an easy conversation starter. That's why people go out on dates to get to know each other, you can always use the food you're eating to fall back on in a conversation. I think at the heart of it, what keeps a cooking community together is the recipes. Every chef or home cook is always searching for a new recipe and the fact that you can do almost anything with food when you cook or bake means that it's a never ending journey - together. They need each other to get new recipes, try new foods and urge each other on to try those new ideas.

The interests the cooking community shares are food for obvious reasons, but you really know when someone loves food. It's the way they describe the cooking technique or the specific taste they get out of each mouthful. Sharing and the need to please are other interests a cooking community shares. Each cook just wants to see the look on the persons face when they dig into the first bite. Cooks really enjoy seeing a person; their family, customer or even their dog, whatever the need to please is there.

The tensions or differences that work against the cohesion of a cooking community is selfishness. When another cook steals a recipe and takes it as their own is the worst thing you can do that community. It's a betrayal especially when everyone works so closely together, whether it be in a restaurant, a cooking group or even a family.

I fit into the cooking community quite well, in fact I have a passion for food and I can't help it, I always have. I love to cook and bake, grow my own food, you name it when it comes to food and I like it. I'm a people pleas er and the cooking community sure does that for me. When you put a plate of homemade food in front of someone, anyone, it's an accomplishment and a pleasure.

A cooking community is a one that I want to be apart of because of the camaraderie and the sense of togetherness you feel. When you have a conversation with someone else who is as into everything food as you are it's a truly wonderful thing. Sharing recipes, techniques and that time together cooking is quite special.