Cooking and Harry Potter.

The man himself.

I feel like Harry Potter.  

Now, obviously not in a “I have a lightning bolt scar on my forehead, I can do magic with a stick and my destiny is to beat an evil wizard and save the world” sort of likeness, but I can relate.  For those unfortunate folk who have never opened the pages of a Harry Potter book, seriously, I pity you and you and your deprived imagination, I will give you some background.  At 11-years-old, as an ill-treated orphan, Harry  discovers that he is a wizard.  This revelation opens a door to a whole new world full of uplifting possibilities, very literally, considering his hasty acquisition of a broom.  As Harry finds his place in this new magical reality, he begins his adventures at Hogwarts, a school of the wizarding kind.  It is there he finally finds himself a home.  Now, after reading this glimpse into the enthralling life of Harry Potter you are not motivated  to go buy, and then quickly read all seven of the books, you may as well quit reading because there is no hope for you.  Just kidding… but seriously.

Glancing back at the opening sentence of my post, you are probably still curious as to how I feel my life relates to that of such an impressive fictional character.  Well, like Harry’s discovery of his wizarding heritage at age 11, I at 21 have discovered something as dramatically life-altering… I am a cook.  Armed not with a wand, but instead a swiftly growing arsenal of wooden spoons, I have discovered my own Hogwarts.  A place where all sorts of magic happens.  Here is a bit of my story:

My Hogwarts.

Currently, I am a senior at Northwestern College finishing up a degree in Social Studies Education, and brimming with determination to be the next Miss Frizzle [though that is definitely a topic for another blog].  For the last three years I have lived in what could be considered my own version of Harry’s cupboard under the stairs… the dorms.  Now I have to admit, that the dorms at NWC are far less cupboard-like compared to those at other schools, but for the sake of the argument I’m going to go with “They’re really small.”  For three years I have made do with a mini kitchen, equipped with miniscule appliances.  I knew nothing else.  My culinary abilities were limited, as was the space in which to work with such mediocre talents, so I kept it easy. This past summer myself and three others moved into our first apartment, officially making ourselves commuters.  And then the miraculous happened.  “My owl-post letter arrived,” so to speak.  I had a kitchen.  A practical, fully equipped with life-size appliances, wonderful nook of a kitchen.  The possibilities were now endless.

At Hogwarts, like any other school, Harry and his friends spend much of their time in classes learning different magical topics like Charms, Herbology, Potions and Defense Against the Dark Arts.  Similarly, I have found my own source of endless knowledge.. Foodgawker.com.  I could hands down spend an entire afternoon on this site perusing recipes and collecting ideas for my own. And the photos are incredible… though word of advice – Do not look if hungry! Bad news bears. 

Now you might be thinking, “Who is this girl and what’s so snazzy about cooking?”  My defense is this – what is a means to life for some…is magic for me.

I went from barely having the space, much less the motivation, to prepare adequate meals.  Now, I currently have bread dough rising on the counter and homemade tortellini soup stewing on the stove.  And, I haven’t even begun to tell you about home much I love cookware!  Who knew one could have such great love for their Pampered Chef garlic press! If I were to look in the Mirror of Erised, a magic looking glass that shows what your heart most desires, I would not see my long lost family like Harry Potter.  I would see myself holding a mandolin slicer, pasta crank and pizza stone, with a Kitchen Aid stand-mixer whirling in the background.  As far as what house I would be in at home in my own  Hogwarts - well it would obviously be Gryffindor... because, you know...I'm brave and stuff.  However, I will admit, as much as I am a huge fan of Harry Potter and his wizarding world, I would not want to cook in it.  Spells and wand waving would seem like cheating to me.  The magic would be gone.  Instead, I choose to explore uncharted counter-space armed with wooden spoons, rubber spatulas and an unstoppable zeal to take every recipe I encounter head on. 

Here at the end, if you are a fan of cooking and Harry Potter, separately or together, my hope is that you were entertained by my witty combination of the two.  Now, if you don’t like Harry Potter and have never read them, or you don’t like cooking and find no interest in the subject, lets reflect… why did you read a blog titled “Cooking and Harry Potter” in the first place? However, if you looked beyond your personal preferences of both hobbies and literature, and are simply reading this because you think I’m funny, well lets be real… that’s the truth.