Five Dishes That Hold People

So, look, I was talking to my son not too long ago, and we were hanging out in the kitchen, and I think we had just finished dinner, and I told him something that I wish more people said out loud. And actually tell this to a few people, that you need to learn how to cook at least five really solid dishes, right? I'm serious. Like, five recipes that you know how to make. Not just throw together, but dishes that take a little bit of time, a little bit of care, a little bit of heart. And, you know, he kind of looked at me, like, really, just five.

And I said, well, at least five, right? At least five. But not just any five. I mean, these aren't, like, quick hunger fixes. These are meals that you make when the moment calls for something real, right? You know what I mean? Like, we all have those moments. You know, you try to impress somebody you care about, then you don't want to order takeout. You make your best meal. You know, the dish that you've practiced, the one that tastes like, you know, a memory in the making. Or maybe you're having a hard week or like, a really hard week.

One of those where the body hurts and your brain won't quit and you just feel a little bit detached from yourself, right? That's the night to, like, roast the chicken or knead the dough or figure out how to make a croissant or whatever that is. Someone's texting me or whatever that is. You know, you simmer it on low and you clean out the kitchen, you stare out the window, you give, like, that look of yearning and whatever that is, you know? But you have to figure out how to make those five, you know, for someone in your life who's grieving, for someone who just had a baby or got some news that just rearranged their whole world, and not just because it's helpful, but because it's love in a bowl or on a plate, right?

Like, for me, food is love. And that's what I told them. I said, you know, these dishes matter. They matter because they help people feel seen and loved and not alone. And I really believe that because I remember years ago, I went to a friend's house. I was down in Mexico, and his mom made pozole. And I'd never had it like that before. You know, I had it once before that day, but never like hers. I mean, this was the real deal. Like, the pot had been going all day, and it was the kind of meal that kind of.

That just smells like something is about to be healed, right? And it wasn't flashy, it wasn't some expensive fancy thing. But, you know, that bowl of pozole felt like someone had reached across the table and said, you know, like, I see you, you know, sit down and eat. And I remember thinking, okay, that one is absolutely going on my list. And I didn't even know how to make it yet, but I knew I needed to learn. And then fast forward to a month ago. Actually, a little over a month ago, a friend of mine, she just had a baby, and she was in the post birth fog, you know, and was still like, working like back on the clock, because, hey, this is America.

And, you know, she was tired and tender, and I just really wanted to take care of her in that moment. And that's what I did. I showed up with a bunch of ingredients, a new blender, and I told her, just put your feet up. And me and her oldest son, we got to work in the kitchen. We started chopping onions and sauteing garlic and, you know, toasting and blended the chilies. And we built this big red blender from scratch too, right? But it's like this. This really cool blender where we could just pulverize, like, everything and put this beautiful green sauce together.

And it wasn't just about feeding her. It was about saying, we got you. It was about giving her a moment to just be while someone else handled the care. Right? That's what food does. And I've always felt that way about cooking. I mean, for me, it's love, like I said, you know, and for a lot of people, it's not just nourishment, it's presence. It's saying, I thought of you, I took time, I made something. And that's why I say, have at least five dishes in your back pocket and know them, practice them, make them part of your story.

You don't need a hundred fancy recipes. You don't. If you have them, great. You just need five good ones that come out when they're needed, when a friend's going through it, when you're celebrating something big, when someone you love is sick, when someone's grieving, when you want to show someone new that you care or that you just like them, when you need reminding that you're worth the effort, we all deserve to be cooked for like that, right? And we all should know how to cook for others like that.

So learn your five dishes. I'd love to know what you're gonna cook if you want to let me know. But. But learn them, because someday someone you care about is gonna need to feel not just full, but held. And that's when you show up and say, it's ready. Come eat.