Cooking and Writing: Living in the Moment

Thanks to a sweet birthday gift from my brother, sister-in-law, neice, and nephew, Fred and I recently attended a cooking class at Raleigh’s famous Irregardless Cafe.

In the anxiousness of being a first-time author, I forget how to live in the moment. Cooking, eating, and fellowship reminds me how to do that.

The class was hosted and taught by Irregardless Executive Chef and owner Arthur Gordon. Chef Gordon told charming stories of his nearly four decade career as a restaurateur. He shared with us how he learned to cook from his grandmother, whose unorthodox phrase “Irregardless” is the establishment’s namesake. Over bruschetta and alvocado sweet potato quinoa salads, Gordon gave the group of nearly 20 culinary enthusiasts the tastes and tricks of the trade.

Like the John Denver lyric, Arthur espouses the “blow up your TV” attitude. The restaurant’s only entertainment is live music, which it boasts having every night for 37 years. The space is conducive to conversation; all cooking students enjoyed an entree together at the conclusion of the evening. Morgan Street chicken for the carnivores; curry tofu for Fred and me, the two token vegetarians.

Above all, I lived in the moment for nearly four hours. It was magical.

Need a break from writing and life? Slow down, prepare a meal with loved ones, and enjoy it!