Alone In the Kitchen: Stirring Up Mindfulness

Put on your apron! It's time to stir up a batch of mindfulness.

Julia Child, the trilling television chef who taught millions of Americans how to prepare French food without being hoity-toity, died in her sleep at the age of 92 recently. In dozens of articles, she has been glowingly eulogized for her spirit, her humor, and her ability to share her passion for cooking and fine dining.

I've never tried any of Julia Child's recipes, and I watched her show only on those days when I was skipping high school. I was fascinated by her confidence in the kitchen, and I absolutely loved the way she dealt matter-of-factly with her mistakes. The line she used to excuse a dropped chicken or imprecisely flipped potato pancake? "You're alone in the kitchen, anyway." Just patch it up and serve with a smile.

We would do well to stir in a little of Julia's wisdom when it comes to stewing in our own juices. For those of us likely to simmer in frustration or stick to the fear pan, her gentle and humorous approach to making mistakes is a refreshing reminder to be forgiving in order to be fabulous.

A mischievous teen and notorious good-time girl in college, Julia didn't set out to impress anyone but herself. Along the way, she inspired millions. Her wildly popular cookbook, "The Way To Cook", made gourmet food attainable to anyone willing to give it a go.

Child herself served up some delicious morsels of advice for the way to live:

1) Start at any age. If you think that only monks who start chanting at age 8 are likely to develop any respectable level of mindfulness, remember Julia Child. She grew up completely oblivious to her potential in the kitchen, relying on the family cook for meals and snacks. She didn't take a cooking class until she was 34 years old, and it wasn't until the age of 51 that she started cooking before the masses on television. She continued to write cookbooks throughout her eighties.

2) Move past your mistakes. This is especially helpful in meditation. If you find yourself kneading a few thoughts, whipping up some emotions, or punching down your view of yourself as a "good" meditator, simply dump that flattened soufflé in the trash and move on.

You're alone in your head, anyway.

3) Do it for yourself. Julia Child always ended her television shows by sitting at a beautiful table set for one and raising her glass of wine to the camera with a melodic, ascending "Bon Appetit!" She made it seem perfectly reasonable to spend time lovingly preparing a delicious meal--for yourself. She delighted in the idea of cooking--and dining--for the sheer joy of the experience.

By remembering that we are never too old to start, that we must expect to make mistakes as we keep moving forward, and that we need not impress anyone but ourselves, we can stir up mindfulness wherever we are.

I still think that staying home to watch Julia Child should have been an excused absence from school. She taught me the value of demystifying difficult concepts in order to embrace learning without fear.

Bon appetit!

Maya Talisman Frost is a mind masseuse in Portland, Oregon. Through her company, Real-World Mindfulness Training, she teaches fun and effective eyes-wide-open alternatives to meditation. To subscribe to her free weekly ezine, the Friday Mind Massage, please visit http://www.MassageYourMind.com

---

10 Dishes Every New Bride or Groom Must Know How to Make!

Okay, you've either gotten married or are planning to pretty... Read More

Slimming Secrets From The Kitchen

To get the svelte figure, start in the kitchen. Slimming... Read More

Weber Grills Reviewed: Quality that Lasts

Barbecuing has long been a favorite pastime for many and... Read More

Wok this Way! (Part 4 of 5) Cleaning and Caring for Your Wok

Non-stick woks do not require seasoning, and come with simple... Read More

Microwave Ovens and the Healthfulness of Microwaved Food

Microwave ovens do have benefits. They are certainly convenient. They... Read More

The Perfect Omelet(te), How to Cook It

Omelet(te)sThey're easy to cook, right?We'll see.The first thing to remember... Read More

Digital Kitchen Timers ? Never Burn Another Dish

Digital kitchen timers come in many shapes and sizes. Timers... Read More

Barbequing, a Fun and Convenient Way to Make Dinner

"There's nothing more enjoyable than having friends and family gathered... Read More

The Almighty Beer-Can Chicken

A popular method of cooking chicken in recent years both... Read More

Fruit Cake

Are you the fruit cake in your family? Before you... Read More

How to Grill Most Any Vegetable You Can Think Of!

Grilling vegetables is easy. The fact that more people don't... Read More

Is Cooked Food Really All That Good For Us?

In nature all animals eat living foods as yielded up... Read More

Seasoning An Oven

Untreated cast iron rusts, especially around water. To prevent metal... Read More

Gourmet Sauces, Rubs and Marinades - Give Your BBQ a Gourmet Kick

Many individuals agree that the sauce on barbecued meat is... Read More

How to Bake: How Long Should My Bread Rise?

It depends. The best way to tell if the dough... Read More

10 Simple Ways To Safely Store Food

Storing foods can present its own set of problems. And... Read More

Ten Proven Tips to Buy the Best Meat Available

Ten Proven Tips to buy the Best Meat AvailableAs you... Read More

Flax Seed Will Add A Little Extra Flavor To Your Recipes

Flax seed will add a pleasant nutty taste to any... Read More

Cake Pans

Cake pans?.the secret behind every successful cake. My husband tells... Read More

Better Baking Technique: Is it Done Yet?

Are my breads, cookies, or cakes baked and ready to... Read More

Is Your Cookware Poisoning You?

For over 40 years scientists have known that the fumes... Read More

What is Gluten and Why does it Matter?

Gluten is a substance made up of the proteins found... Read More

Secrets of Great Breads

Often we field questions about making great bread. Great bread... Read More

Peppercorns & Ways To Use Them

New and exciting varieties of peppercorns are becoming available to... Read More

Chinese Cooking Technique: Thicken

"Thicken", or "Thickening" is a very common technique used in... Read More

The Art of the Marinade

It's a sad fact that these days it has become... Read More

Ten Steps to Perfect Pasta

I'm amazed at how often I get e-mail from a... Read More

Whisk Your Way To a Perfect Meal Every Time!

The whisk. A true versatile cooking utensil. Whisks come in... Read More

How to Peel Almost Anything

The great English cook Prue Leith once famously remarked "life's... Read More

High Altitude Baking - A Cooks Guide

High altitude baking can be a real adventure for the... Read More

10 Smoky Tips To BBQ Food Safely

Cooking outdoors was once only a summer activity shared with... Read More

The Noble Crescent Roll - How to Roll a Masterpiece

Ahhh?the noble crescent roll. In some forms it has its... Read More

Barbecue for You

In may just be in human nature to barbecue. Well,... Read More