Why Cooking is Hot

I'm always impressed by the number of young people who are regular shoppers at Daisy Mae's Market at Findlay Market. Not only do these young people buy bananas, apples, and other easy-to-eat fresh produce, but they also buy jicama, eggplant, fresh basil, and more. They're definitely interested in eating healthy, cooking, and making food fun.
However, the young people aren't alone. I've noticed a renewed interest in cooking across all ages in the last few years---and this includes my own renewed interest. Maybe it's the economy since it's definitely less expensive to eat at home than go to a restaurant. Maybe it's a general trend toward "cocooning" or  increased awareness about relationships between diet and good health.
I know we're influenced at our house by all the inspiring cooking shows on television. Any time we want to watch, we can find Anthony Bourdain traveling all over the world and sharing his culinary experiences or Barefoot Contessa whipping up something that looks delicious. When we want a dose of competition with our cooking, we cheer for Man vs. Food or the Iron Chef. I'm sure all of these non-stop food shows have definitely encouraged more people to get into the kitchen.

For me personally, I credit much of my renewed interest in cooking to Google. Yes, we have plenty of cookbooks, old recipes, and handwritten notes that we often use as our cooking resources. However, I find the easiest and quickest way to come up with a dinner idea is by putting a few words in the Google search window.  For example, I thought today I could stop by Kroeger & Sons and pick up some sausage. I've also had a craving for sweet potatoes. I entered "sausage" and "sweet potatoes" in the Google search window and came up with this: Oven-roasted Sausage and Sweet Potato. Looks easy, includes lots of vegetables, can be prepared ahead of time. Bingo! I'm a cook!
I'm interested in hearing what inspires you to spend more time cooking. Leave a comment and we'll all learn something new.