PAGE 2
If I ask myself why I love to cook, the following would be some good reasons:
  • I get to be in control of my own health, happiness and well being.
  • I get to support others in living healthier lives.
  • I can exercise my creative spirit and I have a wonderful, varied, colorful and delicious palette to create with.
  • I am my own boss—even though I have employers, they always allow me free rein in the kitchen.
  • I get paid to indulge every day in doing what I love and something I would be doing anyway.
  • I get to cross boundaries and explore cultures in a most interesting way—through their foods.
  • I never feel like I've finished learning, even after 35 years. Cooking is a constantly evolving art form and there's always so much more to learn and explore—I feel like I'm just scratching the surface.
  • I get to have a relationship with where my nourishment comes from through sourcing ingredients, meeting food producers and, when possible, planting my own foods. I travel so much with my work that it's still down there on my to-do list to create my own organic farm!
  • In my work with clients, I often get to prepare food for children, and I love to get them involved in the creative process and find ways to get them excited about eating in a better way.
  • Food is a wonderful form of non-verbal communication. When you're cooking for someone, you're offering them love and nourishment, and there has to be a level of trust that is not often achieved in other ways.
  • Last but not least, the marriage proposals keep on rolling in. I'd like to think that it's because I'm just so gorgeous, but I have a sneaking suspicion that it has much more to do with how I look in an apron!

Since we're on the subject of food and love, today I'm bringing you my Seductive Salmon with Rainbow Salsa, from the "Food For Love" chapter of my cookbook Recipes to Nurture.

This dish brings color, texture and flavor together in a most delightful way and I hope it will inspire you to let your creative spirit out to play! I like to serve it up with a light grain—like couscous or aromatic jasmine rice—and a green vegetable such as asparagus, broccoli or green beans.

With love,
Aine

More from Aine

NEXT STORY

Next Story