This year I am focusing on doing all the things. ALL THE THINGS!
Things include going places, doing things, reading all the books, eating whatever I fancy and thanks to my first completed book of the year – cooking more for myself.
I hadn’t heard any of the hype about Butter, an international bestselling book written by Asako Yuzuki and translated by Polly Barton.
The first I knew about it was when I walked into Waterstones and was confronted by a stack of bright yellow books proclaiming to be their number one seller in 2024.
Ok, I’m interested.
Off to the side was one of those synopsis cards.
Teeming with searing insights into sexism, obsession and pleasure, this glorious Japanese cult classic revolves around a famed female chef convicted as the serial killer of lonely businessmen and a story-hungry young journalist who wishes to learn the secrets of gourmet from her.
OK, now you’ve really got me. Food AND a serial killer – get in the basket!
For a while now I have had an obsession with Tokyo and Japan, both on my to visit list with a mountain of things I would love to check off my bucket list. Reading this book gave me an insight into not only the Asian way of life but how much people worry about others opinions. How we are all living the same kind of life just in different places.
For the longest time I have not bothered to cook for myself. Yes, I make food but when I stopped having a husband to ‘impress’ I stopped trying new creations. Working my way through a cookbook didn’t seem worth it for just me. New recipes felt like a waste of time and energy if it was only for me.
Butter has made me realise that I deserve to eat the good things too. That time spent making the food isn’t just about putting ingredients together for an end result. It is about the TIME. The time spent on oneself preparing the food. Time spent creating something to be proud of, and finally the time to sit and enjoy said creation.
It is so easy to pop something in the air fryer, eat while working and then before you know it the day has gone in a blur of doing the mundane.
Kajii may or may not be a serial killer but she gave me the wake up call I needed to enjoy the little things more.
Yes, even butter!