It was always a dab of this or a pinch of that, a shake from this bottle of sauce or a sprinkling from that jar of spice, all the while guided by an intuitive sense. Watching her was like watching a master artist at work. Alert to the rhythms and sounds of cooking signaling critical moments of action, she kneaded and felt with her hands as she marinated and mixed, and played with colors and textures as she arranged them into pleasing, mouth-watering renditions. I learned from her what a complete sensual delight it can be, a source of great joy and satisfaction. Those childhood years gave me a most valuable apprenticeship, in addition to countless hours of precious mother-daughter bonding.
Cooking is an art, much like painting.
To produce good art, we must rely on our instincts and feelings as much as our knowledge of materials and methods. Recipes in a cookbook can only be rough guidelines in this creative process. The herbs and spices, condiments and flavor ingredients are like the many different kinds and colors of paints. Learning how to combine them is like learning how to mix paints to obtain the color combinations we desire. Adding too much or too little of an ingredient can affect the overall picture, but the decision to do so depends on the artist's or the viewer's personal tastes.