Nothing beats the smell of fresh, homemade bread baking, or the sound of food sizzling on a skillet.

Knowing how to make food, whether it’s for fun or to feed yourself, is a necessity. Most students at DM have some sort of history with cooking or baking in all kinds of different forms. 

According to a survey sent out by the Wolf’s Print, about 55 percent of students either cook, bake, or do both. For a many, this was sparked by making food as a young child.

“When I was around seven, I liked to help my parents with baking and cooking,” said Emily Staffo (10). “But I have been cooking for about 3 years on my own.

“Quarantine gave me more time to focus on my cooking skills and more thoroughly ease back into it,” said Staffo.

Another huge role in the development of cooking is tradition–which keeps people connected, happy, and open to learning new activities. 

“When I was a kid, my family would always make chicken empanadas, and it always made me happy whenever we did it,” said freshman Abigail Whyte. “I really enjoyed making them and spending time with my family, and it was really fun to create and decorate them.”

It’s easy to see how nostalgia can make students want to cook.

“My grandmother sells Chinese New Year cookies and snacks as a hobby,” said sophomore Victoria Streeton. “She taught my mother how to bake and cook, which led to me helping out in the kitchen whenever I could, mixing batter and measuring ingredients.

“This helped me discover my joy and passion for baking”

Learning how to cook or bake can be daunting and  complicated, but it’s not that bad once you understand the basics. If you are looking to start learning this, a great place to start would be a nice simple, satisfying dessert.

A popular recipe among bakers and DM students alike is the chocolate chip cookie. 

Once you’ve got this recipe perfected, you can start moving on to delicacies like brownies and cakes, and if you willing to stick with it, you can start making more advanced creations such as breads, pies, and pastries.

With cooking, you can start with simple dishes including sandwiches, eggs, and pastas just to become more reliant in your skills. Senior Payton Correia said she started cooking “to make food for my friends and become more self-sufficient.”

Without saying, knowing how to cook is very beneficial.

“I’m confident in my ability to make dinner for my family if I need to,” Staffo said.

Cooking is something that everyone should know how to do. Whether it’s for survival or for fun, it should be common knowledge. 

Don’t be afraid to experiment, and the most important piece of advice, Whyte says, is to “be comfortable in the kitchen.”