Reading the cookbook with love

I bought a new cookbook yesterday. I love it. It has inspired me to get out all my cookbooks and have a good nose through. Reading cookbooks is an art form. I know you might not think so, but you can't go reading a cookbook like you would pick up a paper or read a magazine. Cookbooks aren't like that. They have to be read with creative love. I read mine with post-it's in hand. The post - it's get inscribed with secret initials and codes indicating times, seasons, people and place. Sometimes the people are the well loved, wonderful, precious stars that surround me everyday, friends, family, loved ones; sometimes they are saints or angels; sometimes a recipe reminds me of a feast day. I was delighted to look through my new cookbook in the shop, I bought it for a bargain £3, each time I turned the page names and places leapt out at me: 'this would be good for a family feast'; 'this one is for a picnic with your love'; 'make this next time you cook for your Da'; 'Ma would love this'; 'try this with the kids, you won't see the going of it'. I was delighted to get it home, and have looked through it more than once now, memorising different dishes for different days, chalking up my ambitions for creating the right thing for the right time. Reading cookbooks is reading with all those you love bouncing around in your head and being delighted by the experience; sometimes I get requests, or hear another express a preference. Post-its just help you record that. Then, one day, all in good time, you know you will be able to say, 'I made you this', and watch a smile, hear a laugh, and see someone truly satisfied.