I've always thought of cooking as one of humanity's most creative activities. In many ways, I find it more satisfying than writing. Here's a wonderful passage relating the two from John Irving's THE WORLD ACCORDING TO GARP that I heartily endorse:

Garp wrote, "if you use good ingredients, and you don't take any shortcuts, then you can usually cook something very good. Sometimes it is the only worthwhile product you can salvage from a day: what you make to eat. With writing, I find, you can have all the right ingredients, give plenty of time and care, and still get nothing. Also true of love. Cooking, therefore, can keep a person who tries hard sane."



 

Here are some recipes from a cookbook I'm working on called Heel of the Boot: The Fabulous Food of Apulia

Simple Cooking