Affordances

On Wednesday I went over to my friend (Alysha's) flat for dinner. We had talked earlier that day about what we wanted for dinner and had decided on a lasagna. Wednesday night catch up's were some what of a tradition now as we got to catch up on the past weeks events while having dinner. When I got to the flat, Alysha asked me if I felt like potatoes with the lasagna and went on to tell explain that she wanted to try out her Nana's recipe that had been passed down to her mother and eventually to her as well. She explained that she had made them for her boyfriend a couple of nights ago and even though he was very fussy- he loved them. So we walked up to the supermarket where we purchased paprika (for the potatoes) and also decided to try some prawns. Alysha loved them and wanted me to try them also; I had tried shrimp while on placement, suddenly discovered my love for seafood! Once we got back to the flat, Alysha and I began to make dinner. She was teaching me how to cook prawns and I was intrigued when she began adding crushed garlic and pepper for extra flavour. I couldn't help but try one as the aroma was amazing! It was so good and Alysha taught me how to get the meat out of the tail with one easy step. Then we began to cook the potatoes and the lasagna. While Alysha cooked the mince I started on the potatoes. Alysha completed the first potato so I could copy the rest of them. She cut it in half long ways and the proceeded to cut it like a checkerboard but not all the way through. Then we melted the butter and spooned that onto each potato. Once this was completed we sprinkled a generous amount of paprika onto each potato and baked them in the oven. While I was doing this, Alysha started to make her mums cheese sauce recipe from scratch, while I moved onto adding in the sauce and chopped onion into the mince. I had been wanting to learn to make cheese sauce for awhile so I got Alysha to talk me through what she was doing while I multi-tasked and watched as well as make the mince. We always talk non-stop while making our wednesday dinners and this time was no different. We talked about what big things had happened at work for her and how hectic life was at the moment and gossiped about our boyfriends. Dinner was smelling amazing and while we dished it up we couldn't help but finish off the rest of the prawns.. Bliss! We had to wait a bit longer for the potatoes as Alysha explained how it was important to get them crispy. As soon as I got home that night I had to explain the potato recipe to my mum, as they tasted delicious! I will be cooking them for my family soon no doubt.


Labour/food
We must cook to survive and this goes hand-in-hand with cooking to tend to other people. There is still in some cultures a demand for the women to tend to her family by preparing dinner for them each night. There is a cultural expectation so to speak of what we cook and when we cook it. Thanksgiving in America sees American's cooking a turkey to share with their families and Christmas see's us all having a huge Christmas dinner and spending all day preparing for it. Cooking brings people together. In my household we must have dinner at the dining room table. This is the only time in which we are all sitting together at once and we use it to catch up on what each other has been up to for that day. As a student, money is tight and planning on what you are going to eat each week is important. One of my friends sits down each sunday night and writes down all the meals she is going to cook each week and the ingredients she will need for each recipe. This way when she does the weekly shopping she knows exactly what to get so she doesn't go over budget. Cooking is also a individuals responsibility to make sure that they are eating healthy and abiding to diet requirements for example one of my friends is gluten free therefore they must make sure that all the items of food the consume do not have any traces of gluten in it. Because they have recently moved out of home it makes it very real to them that there is no longer someone else to look after them and make sure they are eating the right foods. 



Craft/Paper/Work
Through cooking we are able to create something that is visible and tangible. By cooking we can make gifts such as a birthday cake for a loved one or a batch of cookies to share. At funerals we can make a tribute to the individual through cooking their favorite dish or when leaving a place you can cook them something to remind them of you. However time can have a great impact on what we cook and when we cook it. In today's society, everyone is so rushed and constantly busy that the 'frozen food' industry has rocketed. No more are the home cooked meals and the fresh baking always readily available and heavy schedules are the underlying cause for this. 




Plays
There are so many cooking competition shows on television today; new prospective 'Master Chef's' coming to try their luck in the seasons hottest television show. Although cooking can be seen in this competitive form of play it can also been seen as a light, fun interactive activity for people. It gives them a chance to experiment with different flavors and textures and gives them a break from everyday stresses to try new things. I had not tried prawns before and cooking gave me the opportunity to discover my underlying interest for seafood. What we cook can define us, who we are as an adult and as a person. It reminds us that we are all so different and what we enjoy and dislike differs greatly. Cooking can also give us a sense of being in control. We decide what we want to cook and what we are going to add in to the meal. Cooking is made easier these days through the use of adapting or modifying cooking by reducing demands, the use of assistive devices (blenders, ovens, microwaves), or changes in the physical or social environment (Fisher, 2001). 


References:


Fisher, A. G. (1998). Assessment of motor and process skills: Vol. 1. Development, standardization, and administration manual (4th ed.). Fort Collins, CO: Three Stars Press.