Cooking and writing share surprising similarities, with both processes benefitting from creativity, preparation, and improvisation. The idea of 'mise en place' underscores the importance of outlining in writing, much like setting up a kitchen before cooking. Personal expression takes center stage as hosts discuss how everyday cooking can spark inspiration for narrative development. They also examine the balance between structure and flexibility in both art forms, invoking the joy of experimentation to enhance storytelling and enrich the creative process.
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question_answer ANECDOTE
Cooking Reveals Creativity
Cooking shows creativity when you improvise substitutions for missing ingredients.
Howard Tayler illustrates creativity by substituting mayonnaise for butter due to dietary needs.
insights INSIGHT
Value in All Creativity Forms
All cooking styles from frozen dinner to fine dining have value and provide nourishment.
Enjoyment and nourishment matter more than social valuation of the cuisine or writing style.
volunteer_activism ADVICE
Prep Writing Like Cooking
Do meal prep by prepping writing ingredients like outlines or sensory details in advance.
This sets you up for more productive, focused writing sessions like a cook prepping for cooking.
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The Complete America's Test Kitchen TV Show Cookbook, 2001-2024
Comprehensive Collection of Recipes
America's Test Kitchen
This extensive cookbook includes a wide range of recipes tested by America's Test Kitchen, covering various cooking techniques and ingredients. It is designed to provide home cooks with reliable and detailed recipes for everyday meals and special occasions.
Ratio
Michael Ruhlman
Michael Ruhlman
In 'Ratio', Michael Ruhlman delves into the core proportions used in various dishes, explaining how these ratios form the basis of different culinary creations. By understanding these ratios, cooks can create a wide range of dishes without relying on specific recipes, fostering creativity and flexibility in cooking. The book provides detailed explanations of how ratios work and how they can be adapted to create diverse culinary outcomes.
Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat
Mastering the Elements of Good Cooking
Samin Nosrat
Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat is a culinary guide that focuses on mastering the four essential elements of good cooking: salt, which enhances flavor; fat, which delivers flavor and generates texture; acid, which balances flavor; and heat, which determines the texture of food. Written by Samin Nosrat, this book bridges the gap between home and professional kitchens with its simple yet revolutionary philosophy. It includes 100 essential recipes, dozens of variations, and vibrant illustrations by Wendy MacNaughton. The book is designed to empower readers to become more confident and creative in the kitchen, regardless of their skill level.
What does cooking have to do with writing? In this episode, we explore how the creative choices we make in the kitchen—whether it’s improvising with missing ingredients or following a beloved recipe—mirror the choices we make on the page. From frozen dinners to fine dining, we discuss how all forms of creativity have value, how skills can be learned, and how the act of making—food or fiction—is, at its core, an act of nourishment.
P.S. Want to come write with us in 2025?! Our retreat registration is open, and we are starting to fill up! We are going to unlock our creative processes in Minnesota and explore Story Refinement as we cruise down the Mexican Riviera! Learn more here.
Credits: Your hosts for this episode were Mary Robinette Kowal, DongWon Song, Dan Wells, and Howard Tayler. It was produced by Emma Reynolds, recorded by Marshall Carr, Jr., and mastered by Alex Jackson.
Writing Excuses 
