baking & roasting

8cooking for pleasureThe most popular hobby in the world!One of the oldest domestic questionson the planet has to be “What am Igoing to cook today?” In earlycivilisations the answer was totallydependent on what hunters broughthome and on which fruits and plantswere available nearby to prepare overan open fire, but as time went on moreand more choice became available.Today we draw on the experience ofcenturies, and are constantly addingnew ideas to the repertoire. There aremore foods and ways of cooking themthan ever before. Distance is no barrierto culinary creativity, and ingredientsfrom the other side of the world canarrive fresh on our tables within hours.Eating is now more than a mere basicneed. It isn’t just a matter of what iscooked and eaten, but principally ofhow the preparation and consumptionof the food is celebrated. A fullstomach is not the be-all and end-all;rather the pure joy of eating, tasting,savouring… Nowadays eating is oftenreferred to as “dining” – implyingan attitude that encompasses apleasurable experience. Whether it is aromantic candle-lit dinner for two, ajoyous family occasion or a relaxedsupper party with friends, the pleasureof dining knows no bounds.And because the anticipation of theend result is part of that pleasure,cooking and the kitchen assume primeimportance. Some prefer to work ontheir own in the kitchen, surprisingtheir family and friends with carefullyprepared recipes, while others throwtheir kitchens open to friends as a formof hospitality, inviting them to helpcreate the result.