Philip Lago - Eat With Us: Mindful Recipes to Make Every Meal an Experience

Recipes for Every Day

Recipes for the Soul

Recipes for Special Occasions

Recipes for Outdoor Dining

Recipes for Gathering

OUR LOVE STORY BEGINS, AS MANY GREAT ONES DO, IN THE KITCHEN WITH A GLASS OF WINE AND AN APPETITE. AS THE VOICE OF OUR BLOG CHEF SOUS CHEF, IT ONLY SEEMS FITTING THAT WE LET MYSTIQUE TELL OUR STORY:

I can vividly remember the first time Philip cooked for me. It was our fourth date, having previously spent our time huddled together in dimly lit restaurant booths with the humming chatter of guests and servers in the distance. But this date was different. Can I cook for you? was Philips way of inviting me into his home, a small Toronto condo slightly north of downtown. And more importantly for him, it was his way of welcoming me into his kitchen.

While Philip cooked, I watched him move with a natural confidence. Knowing where every tool and ingredient lived, he cradled his knife, fingertips always tucked under, and swayed with the steady chop, chop, chop to reveal thinly sliced shallots. I remember the sounds, too: the percussion of rice toasting and the fading sizzle of broth and wine hitting the pan, releasing a haze of steam. I remember the way he danced his way around the kitchen, tasting each component with a spoon, seasoning the dish with cracked black pepper, and the vigorous way he stirred the rice as it formed a creamy risotto. A labor of love, he called it. And from that fourth date on, it was love.

As our relationship grew, I found my place alongside Philip in the kitchen. At first, I helped with little things like gathering ingredients, dressing the table and tending to dishes. I gained the title of designated stirrer, and later worked my way up to sous chef. Its in the kitchen that our love story began: slowing down and learning from one another, trying new experiences together and embracing the trials and errors of cooking.

For us, its in the kitchen where stories are told and memories are made. Its at the center of our relationship and its the place where we meet to catch up and unwind, focusing on our shared goal of connecting while setting dinner on the table.

Dining at a restaurant can be a magical experience. Your senses are heightened by the various sounds and smells and the constant flurry of activity around the room: a host greeting you at the door, and a server announcing the nights specials before asking, Can I get you a drink? The table is set with a candle or a flower, there are beautiful dishes prepared by a chef, and theres conversation with the company in front of you. When dining out at a restaurant, the main event is eatingbut when dining in at home, eating is the second act, one that happens only after you get in the kitchen and cook.

For us, cooking brings meaning to the experience of eating. While you can of course experience one without the other, theres a balanced, gratifying sensation when the two come together. Having a connection to the food we cook is important to us, and this means making it with love and cooking from the heart. To cook this way requires you to be fully present, free from the distractions of television and other competing forces. In the same way that you cant do anything else while youre sleeping, you cant really do anything else while youre cooking, either. If you arent focused on the ingredients youre chopping, you could cut yourself; if you arent focused on sauting, your dish could burn. Being mindfully aware of the colors, smells, textures, sounds, flavors and temperature of your ingredients is all part of the experience.

Cooking this way is a form of self-carea practice that allows you to do something just for you. Its why weve come to appreciate our time in the kitchen as much as we have, focusing on the way cooking makes us feel. It gives us a quiet moment just to ourselves, a deep breath of relief after a long day and a token of thanks in the form of a nourishing meal. For us, cooking isnt a chore; its a way to calm down and find comfort in a world of convenience, where dinner can be just a click away. When we cook, were practicing our own form of meditation in the kitchen.

No matter why this cookbook called to you, our hope is that it inspires you to get in the kitchen and allow yourself time to fully disconnect from technology, from your day, from all the distractions around you, and to connect, instead, through cooking. We encourage you to listen, to touch, to observe, to smell, to taste. We encourage you to try new recipes and new ingredients, and to find joy in the simple pleasures of being in the kitchen. From prepping to cooking, setting the table to plating the dish, and the experiences had along the way, youre invited to eat with us.