This Is Why We CAN Have Nice Things

Or:

The Difference Between Self-Care and Pretentiousness

I know, I get it, there's overzealous foodies, wine snobs, stereotypical hipsters, self obsessed whatevers. We see a trilby-sporting-someone smoking a pipe, see a name brand purse slung carelessly over someones shoulder. Depending on who you are; that's fucking aggravating. We all love the scruffy every-man hero because we can identify with them, they're accessible. We're low to middle class and we make do with the cards we were dealt, we keep socks with holes, we buy the food that's on sale, we drink cheep beer and if we're not careful we live from paycheck to paycheck.

We use what works, not what's best. Me? I respect that, hell I'm proud of that.

I moved out of my folks place when I was 19, one of the first people I lived with was passionate about food and worked as a chef in an Italian place nearby. Might of just been a line cook, I never clarified because it was clear this wasn't his dream job, it was a stepping stone.

He was frugal where he chose to be, then he would spend the bulk of his money on quality ingredients; foodstuffs, delicious beers, wines, and hard liquors. He taught me more about cooking than either of my parents, then he taught me the anchovies from Pike Place Market were nothing like Pizza Huts'. I already knew the value of a home cooked meal or handmade item, he branched off from that knowledge by showing me what happens when one dedicates themselves to said craft.

This way I learned to tell what was technically "better" while understanding it was a different grading system. 

I feel absolutely spoiled when someone cooks for me, it's hard to say more on the subject without sounding mushy; as if I were talking about a romance. 

This is when "technical skill" or "experience" stop having meaning; maybe they throw in the onions later than they should, maybe the food'll overcook and everything becomes the same texture. It doesn't matter because the intention is still there. The cook has gifted us with their time, energy, and creativity. To me that is an expression of love.

The craftsman, the enthusiast, they're showing the highest levels of potential these ingredients hold. In this case what we're gifted isn't only the time they're spending with you, it's also the time they've spent on themselves, on their skill sets, they're showing you their passion.

When I buy myself good food, booze, or smokes, it's not because I am self important or because I find cheap items beneath me. Its because I want to experience what these craftsmen have made and shared with all of us, I want to experience their passion.