I wrote a post a while ago, asking the question, “What Is Home Cooking?”. In that post, I mentioned some ideas that complicate the answer to that question.
Let’s take a closer look at one of those ideas: our resources.
When I say resources, I am lumping a lot of things under a big umbrella. Our resources include time, money, tools, and access to ingredients. Of all of these, money could be considered the resource that matters the most, because whether or not we have it affects our access to all the other resources.
Time is affected, because how much time we have to cook depends on how much time we spend at our jobs (and our commutes). Does this mean people who save time with pre-made ingredients or side dishes are not “home cooks”?
Tools are affected, because we have to buy them, usually, and the cost of equipping a kitchen can add up quickly. Does this mean that people who do not have a set of chefs’ knives and a food processor are not “home cooks”?
Access to ingredients is not equal to everyone in the United States. I’m not even talking about access to fresh ingredients or seasonal ingredients. We could put a Farmers’ Market in every neighborhood in this country, and there would still be people who could not shop there, because they cannot afford it. The prices at Farmers’ Markets accurately reflect the costs of the farmers and producers. Let me say that again louder for those in the back:
The prices at Farmers’ Markets accurately reflect the costs of the farmers and producers. They are often much higher than the prices at grocery stores.
There are whole neighborhoods and towns that have no grocery stores within easy travel distance, so even planning what to cook becomes challenging, because if you have to get all your groceries home on public transit, there are some items you are not going to buy. Next time you load your car with groceries, ask yourself how many of those bags you could comfortably carry on a bus.
The places that do have neighborhood convenience stores are limited by whatever the store stocks. The majority of those choices are in boxes, cans, and bags, possibly supplemented with fresh dairy products and eggs. Fresh meat and vegetable options are not always available. Many neighborhood stores sell prepared foods and meals.
Does that mean the people who shop in those convenience stores cannot be called “home cooks”?
I hope you answered the question with a heartfelt, “NO!”, every time I asked it. I hope it’s obvious that these are possibly some of the most creative cooks, making daily meals despite the limited resources they face.
That sounds like home cooking to me.