Love, Passion, and Money

This should have been obvious to me, but like with most things I tend to learn the hard way. Food blogging and upping my cooking skills turned out to be no exception.

It's well documented by people smarter than I that preparing and eating meals at home is economically wiser as well as better for your health and weight management. The Boss and I were as guilty as many Americans these days when it comes to dining out - we did it too frequently and we ate and drank too when we did. We had fun, but long term, it's not the best habit to get into.

In a recent effort to save a little cash I decided to make us a seafood dinner from a  recipe in Mr. Sunday's Soups by Lorraine Wallace and made "Hearty Seafood Soup" (page 90, paperback) Of course I had none of the ingredients required, including the mussels, shrimp, and halibut, and some of the spices weren't ones I regularly keep. But after hitting the grocery store, I nearly fell backwards when I saw the total, and smiled sheepishly smile at The Boss like a little boy who innocently screws up.

Once in the kitchen, though, I then spent a few hours crafting one of the best soups I've ever made. There was enough for eight servings and we ate leftovers for days, which financial probably made the costs worth it, but I really have no idea if it did or didn't.

The lesson here though is a simple one: When you do something you love, sometimes the initial costs are high.

Just like someone who enjoys woodworking has no qualms about spending money on specialty or high quality tools that the average person wouldn't spend. Or just like the visual artists who buys high quality expensive paints instead of cheap mid-quality that a casual weekend artists may buy, the culinary lover will spend extra money for higher quality ingredients and cooking tools.

Those costs must be offset somehow. So while you may love what you do, the real test of your love lies in what you're willing to sacrifice. And taking that beyond the immediate financial aspect, sometimes the sacrifices involve other things as well. Maybe you get behind on your favorite television show, never find time to clean out your car, etc. But when it comes to your passion, you find that you don't mind giving up some other things. That's how you know when you're committed.

I hear athletes say it all the time, "It's not how bad you want it, it's what you're willing to sacrifice to get it." That is true of all ventures. So embrace your passion whatever it is, and be happy.

Until Next Time...
No matter how skilled in the kitchen you think you are, this video from Gordon Ramsay servers as a great reminder/tutorial about some basic techniques.  

Lovingly, Yours,
Michael