Chiefly, food can distract us from more pressing, submerged experiences. Standing over a stove or dining out, the aromas, textures, and flavors require focus. That focus might go elsewhere.
Take last night. Please. We’re talking a gazpacho. Could anything be easier to prepare, tastier, seasonal, or economical? Followed by a few strands of bigoli in a guanciale sauce. Piquant. Finally, pan seared big-eye tuna tossed with Chinese chives, bean sprouts, and a light sauce of hoisin, soy, and ground cayenne pepper.
The entire prep took about 18 minutes.
Throughout it, I could forget a few key things in my life.
The “trick” is to limit the amount of time spent cooking, and use that cooking time in a restorative way. Like a vacation from the mind–few things are as mindless as cooking.