24-10-2011
Spirituality is something I find very difficult to completely understand or explain. I guess to me it is somewhat a person's soul and personality and how they view themselves in their world (but I could be wrong). I also believe a key part of spirituality is often a person's culture and/or religion. Famous chef Nigela Lawson (2004) believes when we are cooking "we are both creating and responding to an idea we hold about ourselves, about what kind of person we are or wish to be".
I would not consider myself a hugely spiritual person, however, my culture as a kiwi and a flatmate determine some of what I might cook and what cooking means to me. Like many other kiwi's I enjoy roast veges on a more common basis than just special occasions like many overseas cultures. Therefore roast veges are a common part of the meals that I prepare.
Another culture I am a part of is being a poor student living with poor flatmates we also eat a lot of mince as this is the cheapest meat we can get. Therefore I have made meals such as nachos, burritos, spagetti bolognese, shephards pie etc as I like to mix things up as much as possible despite having the same basic ingredient.
I cannot report back on my cooking this week as this blog is due before my night for cooking, but I am sure my culture, values, beliefs and overall spirituality will again be subconsciously represented to a degree through my meal.
Friday, 21 October 2011
The need for cooking
17-10-2011
A discussion in class this week was based around what need is met through cooking for me in particular. Well, again I have touched on this in some of my past blogs but in this tutorial we pulled apart my needs much more specifically. It was interesting that I could not easily determine these without some serious thought which shows that my needs for cooking are muchly subconscious and not something I have needed to address in the past. With help from Mary and some of my peers we identified the following as some of my needs:
References:
Visser, M. (1992). The rituals of dinner. London: Viking, The Penguin Group.
A discussion in class this week was based around what need is met through cooking for me in particular. Well, again I have touched on this in some of my past blogs but in this tutorial we pulled apart my needs much more specifically. It was interesting that I could not easily determine these without some serious thought which shows that my needs for cooking are muchly subconscious and not something I have needed to address in the past. With help from Mary and some of my peers we identified the following as some of my needs:
- Survival and health: "Food is 'everyday'-it has to be, or we would not survive for long" (Visser, 1986, p. 12) and this is a big part of my need to cook for both myself and my flatmates as the dinner meal is a staple meal of the day. It is also important for our health that we incorporate fruit and vegetables into our diet and therefore this is another need for me to cook and think about what ways I might include these in my meal.
- To meet my responsibilities as a flatmate: this appeared to be an underlying theme throughout a lot of my thoughts around my cooking. Within this I feel the need to make a satisfying meal that also tastes fairly good is important so that I feel as competent as my flatmates in terms of providing for each other.
References:
Visser, M. (1992). The rituals of dinner. London: Viking, The Penguin Group.
Aesthetics
10-10-2011
Aesthetics is concerned with "the branch of philosophy that deals with the principles of beauty and artistic nature" (Aesthetics, n.d.). A beautiful meal is something many people appreciate. I believe it is a part of why people will choose to dine out on a special occasion and why people put extra effort into arranging food on a plate rather than chucking it all on top of each other. I agree with the quote from Lagasse & Tirsch (1993) "food that's beautiful to look at seems to taste better than food that isn't."
It is also interesting to think that some food is made purely for it's beauty, almost as a form of art which may or may not be eaten following it's visual appreciation. I specifically remember the elaborate cakes Mum used to make for us as children. We had things such as fairy castles, trains, animals, and many others, all of which were made for consumption but appreciated for their visual beauty first off.
When I create meals for my flatmates I like to present them nicely. However, I do not go to many lengths as I think at this stage my skill level requires more attention to making the food taste nice. Despite this though I generally make sure that the food is arranged on the plate without being too unappealing. For example this week I made burritoes and when I toasted them in the sandwhich press I created a criss-cross pattern on them just for fun and to make them a look a little more appealing.
However the beauty of food does not necessarily have to be visual. The taste and aromas of food can also create a sense of beauty and appreciation. This week when I was cooking the mince for inside the burritoes my flatmates were commenting on how delicious it smelt and therefore were demonstrating their appreciation for the smell of the food rather than the looks.
I think the aesthetics of food may also be interpreted through texture or other ways too and this shows that different people appreciate different elements of beauty in their food, interesting to ponder as it is something that we often do not consciously think about :)
References:
Aesthetics (n.d.) In Google dictionary. Retrieved from
Aesthetics is concerned with "the branch of philosophy that deals with the principles of beauty and artistic nature" (Aesthetics, n.d.). A beautiful meal is something many people appreciate. I believe it is a part of why people will choose to dine out on a special occasion and why people put extra effort into arranging food on a plate rather than chucking it all on top of each other. I agree with the quote from Lagasse & Tirsch (1993) "food that's beautiful to look at seems to taste better than food that isn't."
It is also interesting to think that some food is made purely for it's beauty, almost as a form of art which may or may not be eaten following it's visual appreciation. I specifically remember the elaborate cakes Mum used to make for us as children. We had things such as fairy castles, trains, animals, and many others, all of which were made for consumption but appreciated for their visual beauty first off.
When I create meals for my flatmates I like to present them nicely. However, I do not go to many lengths as I think at this stage my skill level requires more attention to making the food taste nice. Despite this though I generally make sure that the food is arranged on the plate without being too unappealing. For example this week I made burritoes and when I toasted them in the sandwhich press I created a criss-cross pattern on them just for fun and to make them a look a little more appealing.
However the beauty of food does not necessarily have to be visual. The taste and aromas of food can also create a sense of beauty and appreciation. This week when I was cooking the mince for inside the burritoes my flatmates were commenting on how delicious it smelt and therefore were demonstrating their appreciation for the smell of the food rather than the looks.
I think the aesthetics of food may also be interpreted through texture or other ways too and this shows that different people appreciate different elements of beauty in their food, interesting to ponder as it is something that we often do not consciously think about :)
References:
Aesthetics (n.d.) In Google dictionary. Retrieved from
Laggasse, E. & Tirsch, J. (1993). Emeril's new New Orleans cooking. USA: William Morrow Cookbooks.
Thursday, 20 October 2011
Labour
03-10-2011
Cooking is a part of feeding ourselves which is necessary for survival throughout our lives. I believe this is what makes us consider cooking as a form of labour. Green (1968) demonstrates this in what I consider almost a poetic way, stating "the gathering of nourishment, however, it is not only necessary; it is also endless. Once done, it must be done again. Answering as it does to the requirements of life itself, it can only end with the end of life".
When I cook it is both for the need and the want. My flatmates and I need to eat to survive and therefore there must be a meal provided. The want then comes with what I decide to cook, we could live off very basic meals however our wants make us purchase and prepare food we cosider desirable.
Another quote from Green (1968) that interests me is "the food gatherer, however, does not live only from day to day. An exact vision of the future is not possible for man, yet they can attain some expectations of things to come." This makes me think of two things in particular:
References:
Green, T. (1968). Work, leisure,and the American schools. New York: Random House.
Cooking is a part of feeding ourselves which is necessary for survival throughout our lives. I believe this is what makes us consider cooking as a form of labour. Green (1968) demonstrates this in what I consider almost a poetic way, stating "the gathering of nourishment, however, it is not only necessary; it is also endless. Once done, it must be done again. Answering as it does to the requirements of life itself, it can only end with the end of life".
When I cook it is both for the need and the want. My flatmates and I need to eat to survive and therefore there must be a meal provided. The want then comes with what I decide to cook, we could live off very basic meals however our wants make us purchase and prepare food we cosider desirable.
Another quote from Green (1968) that interests me is "the food gatherer, however, does not live only from day to day. An exact vision of the future is not possible for man, yet they can attain some expectations of things to come." This makes me think of two things in particular:
- One is of being at home on the farm where this is exactly the purpose of farming, to breed stock for future consumption, this demonstrates man thinking ahead and not gathering food purely for 'day to day' consumption.
- Secondly is when I am cooking I will often consider what I may use at the present time but also what I should perhaps be keeping for future consumption. This is planning for the future on a smaller scale to the point above.
References:
Green, T. (1968). Work, leisure,and the American schools. New York: Random House.
Wednesday, 19 October 2011
Affordances
26-09-2011
Last week I cooked venison steak, coleslaw and roast potatoes for dinner. I tried to have a think about affordances while I cooked the meal. My understanding is that affordances refers to 'what comes out of the activity'. Well, for me I can see how communication is brought out between members in my flat and how one's cooking can often be a reflection of their personality.
As stated in my previous blog my role as cook on Wednesday night makes me feel like I hold some responsibility within the flat which is important to me. I also get satisfaction from doing my best to make a tasty meal which I feel is a sense of giving and caring for my flatmates.
Sometimes I communicate with my flatmates regarding what I should cook and they will request certain foods, I often then cook those foods as I know this will please them and heighten my sense of giving. For example, my flatmates have expressed that they enjoy vension steak and often request this as they find it an enjoyable meal, therefore it is a meal that I make quite frequently within the flat. We also communicate in terms of the weekly grocery shop to ensure each person's needs/wants are taken into consideration and the right ingredients are purchased for each person's planned dinner meal. I find that we also communicate over the meal that has been prepared as it is generally a time that we are all home and have a chance to converse.
Because we share the workload between us I feel that as a flat we have created a 'homely' sense with each member being a fairly competent cook and providing for the flat on their nominated day. To me, the food someone prepares tells you something about their personality. This is where a quote from the movie 'Chocolat' by Lasse Hallstrom (2000) interests me. It is a character describing chocolate as "rich" and "sinful" which are terms I would consider in sync with the women who makes the chocolate. I think this is a good example of how someone's cooking can reflect them as a person.
References:
Brown, D., Golden, K., Holleran, L. (Producers), Hallstrom, L. (Director). (2000). Chocolat (Motion picture). United States: Miramax Films.
Last week I cooked venison steak, coleslaw and roast potatoes for dinner. I tried to have a think about affordances while I cooked the meal. My understanding is that affordances refers to 'what comes out of the activity'. Well, for me I can see how communication is brought out between members in my flat and how one's cooking can often be a reflection of their personality.
As stated in my previous blog my role as cook on Wednesday night makes me feel like I hold some responsibility within the flat which is important to me. I also get satisfaction from doing my best to make a tasty meal which I feel is a sense of giving and caring for my flatmates.
Sometimes I communicate with my flatmates regarding what I should cook and they will request certain foods, I often then cook those foods as I know this will please them and heighten my sense of giving. For example, my flatmates have expressed that they enjoy vension steak and often request this as they find it an enjoyable meal, therefore it is a meal that I make quite frequently within the flat. We also communicate in terms of the weekly grocery shop to ensure each person's needs/wants are taken into consideration and the right ingredients are purchased for each person's planned dinner meal. I find that we also communicate over the meal that has been prepared as it is generally a time that we are all home and have a chance to converse.
Because we share the workload between us I feel that as a flat we have created a 'homely' sense with each member being a fairly competent cook and providing for the flat on their nominated day. To me, the food someone prepares tells you something about their personality. This is where a quote from the movie 'Chocolat' by Lasse Hallstrom (2000) interests me. It is a character describing chocolate as "rich" and "sinful" which are terms I would consider in sync with the women who makes the chocolate. I think this is a good example of how someone's cooking can reflect them as a person.
References:
Brown, D., Golden, K., Holleran, L. (Producers), Hallstrom, L. (Director). (2000). Chocolat (Motion picture). United States: Miramax Films.
Sunday, 2 October 2011
Ergonomics
19-09-2011
My understanding is that ergonomics refers to the 'fit' between the activity, the person and the environment. According to Caulton & Dickson (2007) occupational therapists are involved with ergonomics as they "make slight invisible adjustments to an activity to adapt to the needs of those taking part and ensure that it continues to work for its intended purpose".
Ergonomics can be an important consideration when working in a kitchen. To some extent it is a consideration I need to think about when I am cooking but it is even more relevant to those who may work in a kitchen for long periods of time, perhaps for employment or who may have a disease/disorder that influences how they can perform in a kitchen setting.
Looking at the kitchen environment in terms of occupational therapy we must remember that the environment of which the kitchen assessment/cooking group etc is undertaken may differ from the client's home kitchen environment. This incorporates the design of the kitchen, the utensils that are available and the cues which help us manage the preparation of a meal and can be considered the practical considerations of cooking.
This week the most time I spent cooking was dinner on Wednesday night which is my usual night for cooking a dinner meal in my flat. I decided to cook spagetti bolognese as we had the right ingredients and I have made it in the past so I feel confident it is something I can do. For me, the prompt to cook and try my best to do a good job of it is to satisfy my flatmates and have them feel like I am pulling my weight within the flat. My kitchen environment is very limited in space however it has the relevant appliances for me to cook mostly whatever I choose which is a time saver. As a person I find that cooking for others creates a sense of 'giving' which I is something I value when I prepare a meal.
References:
Caulton, R. & Dickson, R. (2007). What’s going on? Finding an explanation for what we do. In J. Creek & A. Lawson-Porter (Eds.), Contemporary issues in occupational therapy (pp. 87-114). Chichester: John Wiley & Sons Ltd
My understanding is that ergonomics refers to the 'fit' between the activity, the person and the environment. According to Caulton & Dickson (2007) occupational therapists are involved with ergonomics as they "make slight invisible adjustments to an activity to adapt to the needs of those taking part and ensure that it continues to work for its intended purpose".
Ergonomics can be an important consideration when working in a kitchen. To some extent it is a consideration I need to think about when I am cooking but it is even more relevant to those who may work in a kitchen for long periods of time, perhaps for employment or who may have a disease/disorder that influences how they can perform in a kitchen setting.
Looking at the kitchen environment in terms of occupational therapy we must remember that the environment of which the kitchen assessment/cooking group etc is undertaken may differ from the client's home kitchen environment. This incorporates the design of the kitchen, the utensils that are available and the cues which help us manage the preparation of a meal and can be considered the practical considerations of cooking.
This week the most time I spent cooking was dinner on Wednesday night which is my usual night for cooking a dinner meal in my flat. I decided to cook spagetti bolognese as we had the right ingredients and I have made it in the past so I feel confident it is something I can do. For me, the prompt to cook and try my best to do a good job of it is to satisfy my flatmates and have them feel like I am pulling my weight within the flat. My kitchen environment is very limited in space however it has the relevant appliances for me to cook mostly whatever I choose which is a time saver. As a person I find that cooking for others creates a sense of 'giving' which I is something I value when I prepare a meal.
References:
Caulton, R. & Dickson, R. (2007). What’s going on? Finding an explanation for what we do. In J. Creek & A. Lawson-Porter (Eds.), Contemporary issues in occupational therapy (pp. 87-114). Chichester: John Wiley & Sons Ltd
Friday, 9 September 2011
PARTICIPATION IN OCCUPATION TWO
05-09-2011
The occupation I have chosen to look at this semester is cooking. I enjoy cooking both for myself and for others, which has become a typical part of my flatting life. When cooking for only myself I like to experiment with new recipes and new ingredients, however when cooking for flatmates and family I will often stick to recipes which I know work for me. Cooking is something I intend to continue doing throughout my life and I would like to grow and expand on the types of things I am capable of cooking. Cooking is also a passion of my mothers and grandmothers and I consider them both very skillful in this domain, as I develop my skills with cooking I intend to attempt recipes I liked when I was a child or that remind me of home.Cooking is something which identifies as meaningful for a lot of people and therefore should be relevant to my Occupational Therapy practice in the future, cooking can be used as both an assessment and an intervention. This week I will focus more definately on what I am doing whilst I cook and consider the processes invloved during this.
The occupation I have chosen to look at this semester is cooking. I enjoy cooking both for myself and for others, which has become a typical part of my flatting life. When cooking for only myself I like to experiment with new recipes and new ingredients, however when cooking for flatmates and family I will often stick to recipes which I know work for me. Cooking is something I intend to continue doing throughout my life and I would like to grow and expand on the types of things I am capable of cooking. Cooking is also a passion of my mothers and grandmothers and I consider them both very skillful in this domain, as I develop my skills with cooking I intend to attempt recipes I liked when I was a child or that remind me of home.Cooking is something which identifies as meaningful for a lot of people and therefore should be relevant to my Occupational Therapy practice in the future, cooking can be used as both an assessment and an intervention. This week I will focus more definately on what I am doing whilst I cook and consider the processes invloved during this.
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