You know, that sentence has multiple meanings these days. I mean, if you are around anyone under 25 that sentence and the word cooked means the person described is toast (I couldn't help myself there).
If I had a BTC for every time I heard "he's cooked" or "let him cook" everyday I'd be Warren Buffet level wealthy.
It's a very popular phrase.
So much so that as I was whipping up tomorrow's loaf of bread for an overnight ferment, I just blurted out, Let her cook!
Sadly, there were no Zoomers or Alphas around to say whatever passes as an affirmation grammatically these days.
But it did send me down a thought trail about how much I do cook. I love cooking and baking for sure, but after feeding my daughter's boyfriend's family horde this weekend, well, I think I may do a bit more than average.
As I stood in the corner of my kitchen, tending to serving things, a chorus of yums and satisfied grunts emitted from my kitchen table. Like anyone who enjoys serving food to others, my face was smiling contentedly that I had brought comestible joy to an entire extended family, but then one of them erupted,
"Oh, we are so kidnapping you! I have a full kitchen in my basement, you can totally just live and cook there."
This command was so heartfeltly delivered that I might a cackled a bit.
The Katnapping comment broke the ice and soon I and my kitchen handiworks were the topic of the table.
I had baked two loaves of overnight artisan bread, chopped up garlic I had grown this year, and slathered the sliced bread in butter and garlic before returning it to the oven for a roast and toast. My girl told me the family liked spaghetti so I spent all day crafting a delightful marinara that had all manner of tasty herbs, spices, and components, including home grown and canned tomatoes. The salad was straightforward but it was topped with buttermilk ranch made from my own homemade ranch seasoning.
But that's just how I cook all the time, I am not fancy, nor am I professionally trained, but I do know how to get a meal for a crowd prepared.
And I also love serving people. Hospitality is my jam!
That said, after bashfully appreciating the appreciation, I've been in a pensive mood for the last couple days, especially about the cooking. I joke with my D&D group all of the time that we need to just start a D&D themed inn and I will be the kitchen hobbit who whips up all manner of culinary delights for those who cross the inn's threshold.
A girl can dream.
As I am firmly medium-aged now, I am much more comfortable embracing who I am in the now. I am not some amazing cook or baker, but my super power is time management in intense situations that require multitasking and attention to detail. Couple that with a person who loves to bring people joy with food and you got a Kat who is cooked.
At least when it comes to always and forever serving others food crafted out of love.
Let her cook indeed.
And as most of the time, all of the images in this post were taken on the author's still new but already in need of a thorough cleansing due to food detritus in its crevices iPhone.
