Cooking with Friends
Last weekend, we had friends over for pancakes, and it reminded me how much I love cooking with friends. Instead of stressing about preparing everything in advance, I simply set up different cooking stations with everything our friends would need to help us prepare. Very Montessori! (Hoss, of course, set us his own station on our bed. That boy loves the sun.)
For example, my friend was bringing the pancake recipe, so I put out all the ingredients that she requested in advance, as well as the measuring cups, etc. Then I set up another station for making fresh-squeezed orange juice. While our friends got busy at their stations, Matt and I set up the table with an electric griddle, so everyone could sit around making their own pancakes while we chatted.
It worked perfectly! Setting out ingredients is a lot less stressful than getting everything prepared and making the kitchen presentable before guests arrive. And honestly, I think people enjoy things more when they contribute to the process (as long as it’s not an arduous and frustrating process when you’re trying to enjoy yourself!).
It reminded me that I want our next house to have a giant kitchen with a gargantuan island facing out to the dining room table and the living room. I want to invite people over, toss them aprons, dole out jobs, and stand around chopping, cooking, and chatting together. That would be the life!
———————————————-
REMINDER: Registration is now open for the next Purposeful Conception Course: Preparing Your Mind, Body, and Life for Pregnancy, which starts on January 2. Register today!
4 Comments
Beehive
I love cooking with friends and family too. And I swore we'd get a massive kitchen, until we moved to the DC area and I realized I'd have to settle for a tiny space with a view of the dining room lest I shell out 1.5 million+. Maybe in our next house…
Cécy
I like cooking with friends, but it's also fun from time to time to prepare the whole meal and just let them enjoy it. That's what we did for Christmas.
As for the kitchen, totally agree. I love our kitchen now, but I'd love one with an island, a good exhaust fan and looking over the dining room. Most people spend time in the kitchen anyway.
Moxie
Just have to say that I have the same giant kitchen vision, filled with friends and good food!
Allison
I agree that it's more fun to cook with friends…I am so happy with our new kitchen! Fond memories of making brunch together a few weeks ago 🙂