Cooking: From IT to the Kitchen

Not really keen on making a page on cooking, but given the amount of time I have spent doing it I should at least acknowledge it.

Being in IT, I needed something unrelated to work to provide a divide. I had young children and possibly used it to de-stress myself from work where I have always struggled when there are open issues.

I chose Chicken Tikka as it is my wifey's favourite and this recipe is a bit unusual as it does contain tomatoes. I once emailed Pat Chapman about a sauce from a British Indian restaurant, and he replied. I guess in the world of YouTube it is not that unusual now to interact, but then it was. Sadly, Pat has since passed away but his recipes live on in our house.

Lasagne is a family favourite and seems to always taste better on day two. It was also a lot of work with many steps, but I can now get it done within a couple of hours. The first time through I would make what you can on the previous day.

On Sundays I would generally make a pudding like Rhubarb Crumble and Custard, Lemon Meringue Pie or Sussex Pond Pudding. For us, we enjoy sitting around the table at least once a week.

Being in IT means dealing with constant problem-solving and often stressful situations. Cooking became my way to disconnect from work challenges and focus on creating something tangible and delicious. The methodical process of following a recipe provides a calming counterbalance to the unpredictability of technology work.

With young children, cooking also became a way to create family traditions and memories around the dining table - a much needed separation between work life and home life.