A Sprig of Time was conceived as an outlet for my desire to help others experience the pure joy that I do while I’m cooking. Every single day, I get to go home from work and do something that restores me, entertains me, and energizes me. How many people get to experience something like that every day? Not many – we’re too busy for that.
In this country, we are surrounded by more convenient “healthy” options which promise instant gratification, but generally don’t provide any actual gratification at all. We have lost interest in food as a source of nourishment, not just for the body, but also the spirit.
As a result, we, as a whole, have lost touch with the skills and attitudes to appreciate cooking. Food is something to be feared, or at least to feel guilty about, depending on which headline you believe. Cooking is seen as a chore, if done at all, and often involves assembly rather than skill or thought. Even eating is an act that no longer necessitates a set-aside time to complete.
This isn’t a new phenomenon either – Julia Child made note of this while working on her masterpiece, Mastering the Art of French Cooking, back in the 1950s:
It is true that cooking can seem like just another check box on the never-ending to-do list of life. But what if the time spent meal planning, grocery shopping, and cooking could be the most restorative, refreshing, and enjoyable moment of your time? With some new skills, helpful resources, and a fresh attitude, it can be! Forget about comparing nutrition facts panels, standing in line at restaurants, and reading blogs on which new diet to try, and instead use that time doing the most generous and nourishing activity we know of – preparing something delicious for yourself and the people you love.