I was a novice when it comes to cooking. I know just the very basic like fried eggs, fried chicken, fried fish and other food that just needs to be fried. However, when I met Steve, I knew it was essential that I should learn to cook. He is a great cook and he can come up with amazing dishes even when it’s almost like time to go grocery shopping again. You know--- when the fridge is almost empty, and the cupboard needs restocking. He would check what’s left and he can whip up something from the “stragglers” that is sure to whet the appetite. I would watch him cook, awed at the ingenuity and expertise. He would talk about the different cuts of meat, how long they need to be cooked, what spices go well with what, how he would mix fruits and veggies in the salads. 
It isn’t because I feel less of a woman because I couldn’t cook well and Steve can, or that I think of cooking as a woman’s job. Anyone can cook well whether the person is a man or a woman. It doesn’t matter what the gender as cooking is a skill that anyone can learn and master. I just need to satisfy that hunger in me, no pun intended, J a hunger to learn, a desire to understand the fulfillment and pleasure of turning out great dishes.
I’m telling you, it’s not easy. Many times, I have cooked flops and I had to give the neighbors’ cats and dogs some free meals with the prayer that they won’t suffer from indigestion and ambush me when I dare to step out of my front door.
It’s a lot of fun though. Especially when I learned that it’s not always good to follow a recipe to the letter. Or that you have to know how to shop well for your ingredients. That the best way to cook is by knowing how to use your own taste buds to determine the outcome of your recipes. A pinch more or less a shake… depends on how you want your dishes to turn out. I have been cooking up a storm in my tiny kitchen since then. Seeing people enjoying their meals, rubbing their stomachs and sighing with satisfaction… well it’s absolutely gratifying, like you have done the world some good. 
I’m far from being an expert. But I’m still learning. And I can already cook a mean Steak with Darl’s Special Gravy.: D My daughter says that I can beat the famous gravy of an expensive restaurant here hands down. I can also make Beef Caldereta, Pastel, Sinigang, Asado and so many more.
Is the effort of learning to cook worth it? Yes, it is. The fulfillment it gives me is worth every drop of sweat, the cut on my fingers, the burns and the washing up.
One thing more I learned. I cook my best dishes when I’m happy. It’s true what people say about cooking --- it’s affected by the state of your emotions. I never cook when I’m angry or upset.
