When Cooking Matches the Mood

The cooking bug can send you on a glorious high.

For me, it often strikes during those bursts of creativity, when I need an outlet that's steady and satisfying. For those of us who love experimenting in the kitchen—tweaking favourite recipes or exploring entirely new ones—cooking becomes a medium for emotions and artistic expression.

The energy matters; it should match the mood. Yesterday was a fabulous blue-sky, sunny day. The patio door was open, and I watched fitness enthusiasts running and cycling on the paths in their shorts and T-shirts. The mountains sparkled under the radiant sun, and the Earth seemed to call out, 'Let’s do this!'

Berry Chocolatey Banana Muffins

My father shares my enthusiasm for cooking, though from afar. Living continents apart, I can’t treat him to samples of my kitchen adventures. Instead, I send him pictures with little descriptions. It’s become our ritual—he playfully ‘complains’ that I make him hungry, and it’s sent and received with affection, a bond that bridges the distance.

Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto

Cooking also brings gratitude: I’m reminded of the abundance I have in my little world.

Smoked Salmon With Avocado and Cucumber Roll, and California Roll

Today, though, the energy is different—soft, subdued. The mountains seem content to retreat behind their cloudy blankets, as if recharging after a raucous day of play. The grey sky feels like a pause, inviting snow to dance down at any moment. My mood mirrors nature’s quiet calm, and it’s all good.

Leonora Ross is an artist and novelist from Western Canada. When she’s not writing novels, she enjoys writing whimsical poetry and prose and is an avid mountain hiker and amateur photographer. Her writing and photography have appeared in several literary journals. Read more about her latest novel, A Life in Frames.