We love cooking together but it usually means she cuts an onion very very slowly and tells me a story, while I cut the rest and cook the food. But we still love it both spending time together this way.
Honestly that’s basically all I ever wanted when I’d ask my ex to come cook with me…
I then started saying “can you just come hang out with me at least? You don’t have to do anything, just hang out. I don’t even like cooking and doing it by myself while you watch TV isn’t really fun to me…”
Ex for a reason, but that’s all I ever wanted as well. Cooking used to be a social activity. It still should be.
eh, it can work. when my wife was well enough to cook we’d divide it like she washes, I chop and prep, and she cooks, then we split cleaning. Now I’m doing all of that and I really appreciate the occasions where we have a friend visiting who is willing to do some prep and cleaning. I usually do the cooking even when I have help, mostly because it’s rare to find someone who knows how to cook what we eat. But I’m always eager to have help.
Before my mom got to the point of not being able to cook anymore, we routinely cooked together for most of my life (as in, from the age of about 8 until I was 31. I’m 34 now). It was wonderful. We’d get excited, try new things, make little rest batches to try out new spice ideas. Cooking with someone else, someone that you love, get along with, is a fantastic experience. It adds so much to life. Cooking, food, meals, eating, it’s our most basic and lasting form of art, a showcase of love and expression. Doing that collaboratively can be a really splendid thing.
if you don’t mind me asking, is your wife still with you?
She is. She has cancer and spends a lot of time resting. She has more energy in the morning. She makes her breakfast. But I do all the cooking at night and usually lunch too.
