Cooking with Clay: Reuben Sandwiches for the Soul
January 29, 2019
When it comes to cooking, what was once a tradition and artistic expression for older generations has seemingly become more of a burden and inconvenience to Millennials. Having the ability to not only choose what will be on your plate, but also having a hand in making it is a great privilege that shouldn’t be taken for granted. That’s why I’m writing about cooking and the important stress-reliever, creative outlet and recharger it can be after a long day.
In an age where unrest is constantly in the headlines and at the forefront of our minds, it is no wonder that Generation Z’ers and Millennials (16-21 and 22-39 years old, respectively) are on average more stressed than previous generations.[1] While there are pages of factors that play into this, there are also pages of stress-relieving tips that studies suggest will help alleviate the stress of the world we encounter every day. As many studies propose, diet plays a key role in reducing levels of stress and anxiety.[2] Not only can maintaining a healthy diet help cut stress from your life, but the act of preparing and cooking your meals can help reduce stress as well.
Speaking as someone who desires creativity and an artistic outlet at his core (hello all you Enneagram 4s), I found that cooking is my strongest tool for combating the buildup of stress and anxiety that the world throws my way. I grew up cooking with my mom and dad. Food has always been at the center of any family gathering; whether it was a big meal or not, food was present. One of my favorite Christmas traditions with my family is making Christmas day Reuben sandwiches. As someone who generally struggles with patience, especially when I’m hungry, this process is merciless. The beef is cured in a brine for a week before being cooked and placed between homemade rye bread – compliments of my brother in law – and then topped with sauerkraut and Russian sauce. This sandwich is without hesitation my favorite and I have weekly dreams of devouring one.
Cooking never seemed forced or inconvenient, at least until I got to college. In the midst of classes, work, intramural games, and other social events, cooking dinner suddenly became just another task I completed, or even worse, something I avoided.
Over the past year I have been attempting to break that mold. Today, given my slimmer budget and kitchen resources, I find myself making slightly simpler meals as opposed to my family’s Reuben sandwich – from scratch like soups, Korean BBQ inspired chili (my roommate and I won a chili cookout with this… not to toot my own horn), or even lemon and rosemary chicken and risotto if I feel like stirring rice for 40 minutes. By being intentional with my meals, I have turned grocery shopping and cooking into a calming ritual that I now look forward to. For a couple hours after work every day, the only thing I worry about is what and how I am going to make dinner. It has become something similar to meditation. For a brief period of time, I am able to intentionally focus on just one thing. Rather than getting caught up in the cycles of everyday life, I am able to recharge.
In my never-ending quest for more culinary knowledge and inspiration, I have found these tools to be useful:
Cooks Illustrated Online Subscription – I actually subscribe to the magazine and get physical copies as well, but the online subscription costs $1.47 a month and gives you access to thousands upon thousands of incredible recipes. Why should you care? These guys run “America’s Test Kitchen”, where they discover what recipes work and why and run tests on kitchen equipment to find the best out there. Regardless, for under $1.50 you get access to a ton of knowledge.[3]
Gastropod – This podcast dives deep into the science of food and cooking. This is always interesting and almost always useful.[4]
Family – If you have any family members that are good at cooking, learn from them. Learn to perfect those family recipes and carry on tradition. My family is what got me interested in cooking and I hope to never stop learning from them.
So whether cooking seems like rocket science to you or it is something familiar, try branching out and leaning on your own cooking abilities. Don’t worry about being perfect or making difficult meals, just get in the kitchen and be consistent. Really dig into it and you just might be surprised by what you are capable of. The reward is relaxation, creativity, and a warm (or cold) meal.
References
[1] https://www.advisory.com/daily-briefing/2018/11/13/stress-levels
[2]https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psc.2014.08.004
[3] https://www.cooksillustrated.com
Written by: Clay Copper
Clay is a grad student that is still trying to figure out what he is doing with his life. Sometimes he writes about relevant topics here, but mostly he writes about what he cares about and hopes you enjoy it.