Monday 21 March 2011

The Voodoo Effect?

I just read something interesting and got me to think. 

Cooking as a way to de-stress?  Is there a logic behind this?  I mean how can it be possible when after a long day of work in the office, all you want is to sit down and enjoy a delectable meal.  Let alone all the cutting and chopping. 

There might just be some ground for that as I have heard it more than once.  For instance, in the words of Julie Powell in the film “Julie and Julia”,

“Chocolate cream pie! You know what I love about cooking? I love that after a day when NOTHING is sure and when I say nothing, I mean NOTHING, you can come home and absolutely know that if you add egg yolks to chocolate and sugar and milk, it will get thick. That’s such a comfort.”


Very logical indeed - can't fault that at all.    




I also have a friend who told me whenever she has a quarrel with her husband, she will crease papers into ball shape and throw them into the bin.  Sheer joy derived just by imagining her own husband being tossed and trashed.  That works for her every time in driving her anger away.    

So this is what the stress relief is about - Voodoo Effect it is then.  In which perhaps some cutting and chopping food can really help?   

The next time you have a terrible day in the office, try reasserting your dominance at the top of the food chain by chopping some veggies and butchering some chickens at home!  



Just make sure you focus on food chopping, not your fingers!  


And if that can't take the edges off you, at least you can cook and eat the remains, can't you?    

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

couldn't agree more! But I guess you need to know some very basic cooking skills first! Otherwise you can't appreciate the fun!! ;)
Cleaning is also another good way to de-stress, you'll get such a high sense of achievement!!

Benson said...

Given that you don't cook...you need to try it more often...don't hang onto the THEORY only my friend...