For Kezia Whitaker, cooking has always been a big part of her life. She spent her childhood in the kitchen with her mum, learning about the flavors and skills needed to make an amazing meal. So far Kezia     1    (become) the first winner of the BBC cooking competition Young Master Chef. She cooked Jamaican and other Caribbean-style dishes, which     2    (describe) as “sunshine on a plate”. Whittaker loves to share her passion with friends online, showing young people     3     interesting cooking is. “I’m so addicted     4     cooking,” she said. “Anything food related, I’m running towards it.”

5 . Hunger is the greatest motive for the inexperienced cook. But many people are now worried that we are producing a generation without the slightest idea of how to cook—a generation that is frightened to cook. I have just received a handout from Focus on Food, which is running a competition to get children back into the kitchen. Has television cooking become a replacement for the real thing? Is this an age where famous professional cooks have turned cooking into a sort of show, with dishes far too difficult for the beginners to copy?

I decided to ask my oldest daughter, Miranda, for her opinion. Are children earning enough about the importance of good cooking? Do they know cooking is a basic life skill? Sociology and other “new” subjects are all very well, but without the ability to cook, or to understand the pleasure and principles of good food and its relationship to good health, are we really preparing them for adult life?

Miranda started her cooking at the age of nine, when she decided to enter the Sainsbury’s Future Cook competition. She was motivated by a different kind of greed: the first prize — a trip to Disney World.

The problem, from the parental point of view, was that if she made it through to the regional (区域性的) finals, she would have to cook her meal in front of the judges. Some 30,000 children entered and she made it through as the youngest regional finalist. Now she had to learn to cook. Her hands were not even big enough to hold the knife and slice the onions. Six Saturdays running we ate the same lunch—Mozzarella meatballs in fresh tomato juice and blueberry.

First, she cooked by my side, then alone with timings and instructions. Finally, she went alone against the clock. The kitchen looked like a battlefield, but she had gained victory. The tiny be—capped figure then stood in an unknown Bristol hotel, looking like a professional who had been at the stove for years. She didn’t win, but she came home with £50 and the most valuable part of them all: confidence.

6 . It’s been said that good cooking is an art form. The truth is that it’s much more than that.

    1     It invites kids to make connections to the broader world by asking, “Where does our food come from?” and “What is the history of this recipe?” It allows them to apply what they are learning in school in a new context. They also test the math skills of young chefs. Measuring ingredients(原料)are frequent tasks in cooking or baking.     2     It is a perfect opportunity for them to learn that oil and water don’t usually mix.

Recipe failures matter as much as the successes.     3     When Helen, 11, took her cake out of the oven, she was disappointed to find that it was flat as a board. I told her about how, as a preteen, I accidentally made cookies with garlic powder instead of powdered ginger. Then we worked together to figure out what had gone wrong with her cake.

    4     It encourages kids to work with others. It also encourages them to be open to foods they otherwise might not have tried. Jad, 11, had never eaten quinoa(藜麦)before testing a recipe for quinoa with herbs. His parents reported that he was so excited about this new ingredient that he cooked it for his family the next night.

Of course, the best part of cooking with kids isn’t the basic skills.     5     This year, Olive and I have already done a lot of holiday baking, including our favorite chocolate-chip cookies. We both felt excited despite the mess that accompanied that experience.

9 . How Culture Affects Cuisine

It probably happened to you: You ate this incredible dessert in Turkey, you tried this fantastic dish in Spain, and you brought the recipe back home — just to feel the disappointment that what you cooked at home didn’t pass the taste test.

It’s likely that groceries have different qualities in different countries. In the case of the United States and Europe this has very little to do with soil or climate.     1     Consumers in the U.S. have other preferences in groceries than most Europeans. It comes down to culture.

Europeans often value quality more than quantity. Of course you will find out-of-season produce on the shelves of grocery stores as well.     2     Europeans especially are willing to give up short-term gain for a much greater long-term result.

Take, for example, Italians produce dry-cured ham (干腌火腿) only during the waning moon that follows the full moon and it is practiced to this day. According to old farmer’s lore, the meat could go bad, if it isn’t cured by the moon.     3    

However, Americans believe in progress and the benefits of technology. It becomes clear why following tradition doesn’t have to be a strong value. Food for U.S. consumers is produced and shipped across the country.     4     The industrialization of food production results in new breeds of produce. The population growth calls for higher quantities. Farmers and growers are paid for the amount, not for the flavor.

    5     European cultures are rather regional, and this means food traditions have remained undamaged in fairly small areas. Within these regions and communities people often shop locally from regional producers. And they shop more frequently than Americans. Europeans often go to the local market daily whereas millions of shoppers in the U.S. purchase one or two weeks’ supply of groceries in one single visit to the big box store.

All these consumer choices, based on cultural behaviors, have had a lasting impact on how our food is grown and what it tastes like.

Do you ever wonder why the bakers can’t help but smile as they cook tasty treats in your home’s kitchen? From pre-heating the oven, mixing the dry and wet ingredients, and up until the satisfying “ding” is heard, the baker can feel the atmosphere lighten up and the mood lifted.

Baking can be a form of treatment and empowerment. At first glance, grasping how baking makes you calm down and acts as a source of joy can seem a bit far-fetched. But bakers can see and feel more while they’re baking. Its process is both a science and art. As they bake, they become more focused and hopeful that the effort they’ve poured paid off. This is the reason for their smiles. The beauty and satisfaction of baking can be further revealed when it is done.

Much like any hobby or a creative outlet, baking allows people to express their emotions and creativity. In every part of the world, cooking for someone is considered as a thoughtful gesture–whether you’re welcoming someone in a home, showing a kind gesture, or expressing your gratitude. The desire to share your food with others is an excellent way to build a connection, showing selflessness and love.

It even becomes more heartfelt if you’re serving the whole family. Nothing beats the happiness of seeing your loved ones enjoy the baked treats you’ve worked hard to prepare.