Prompt Justice

A prompt for a scholarship I had to write at some point:

Describe a topic, idea or concept you find so engaging that it makes you lose all track of time. Why does it captivate you? What or who do you turn to when you want to learn more?

My Response:

The wooden spoon, king of the kitchen, all sauces, pastas caramelizing food be not fooled by its soft touch and kind demeanor, for it is lionhearted; ready to passionately aggregate as quickly as whip into shape.

The knife, when used judiciously, the definer of the domain, the sculptor ready to strike to create order from where only chaos existed before.

The cast iron pot, the most elegant and sophisticated of kitchen implements, greats all those who enter within its sight. It will cook any bread to a crescendo of a crisp, sear any meat to lock in the savory secretes that have yet to be seduced into the foreground, and simmer any soup, bisque, chowder, or stew to the exact point of orgasmic perfection.

The captivation of my attention is complete.

The cathartic embrace of alluring smells dancing around and wafting into the sinus of all those lucky enough to be present for their olfactory ballet. I never lose anything but track of time when I am bearing witness to them.

From parents to children, recipes and techniques move down lineage like stories of old-time settlers, suffering for scraps. Whenever a junction is approached, and a question raised about what road to travel, the wisdom of generations can be called upon at a moment’s notice. If it is not as plain as day yet, I love to cook.

Though I might not be a winner of over-contentious competitions or incredible by any standard, I love every aspect of it. From its end products’ ability to animate and alter even the dreariest of days for all those in my life, to every memory that has been wrapped up into a beautiful tapestry of taste. For me, food is not just a how, but a part of why I live.

I was not awarded the scholarship... still salty (pun intended)